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Shipley Receives Certified Green Restaurant® Recognition

Shipley is proud to announce the 3 Star Certified Green Restaurant® recognition of its Avery Silverman Dining Room by the Green Restaurant Association (GRA), a national nonprofit organization helping restaurants to become more environmentally sustainable. Located in the Shipley Commons, the Dining Room received 200.94 GreenPoints™ on the GRA’s rigorous certification scale and implemented 57 environmental steps. Shipley is one of fewer than five schools in the state to achieve this distinction.
 
“We made the Commons the main focus of the Environmental Sustainability Initiative this year because the cafeteria is very important to sustainability at Shipley,” said Tamar Norquist, Environmental Sustainability Coordinator, The Shipley School. “As is the case for any school, the food we eat, the dishes and utensils we use, and the energy and water that are consumed to keep it all going all have a big impact on our footprint. We are thrilled to have achieved the Green Restaurant Certification and consider it the first of many innovative sustainability measures that will involve all members of the community.”
 
Highlights of Shipley’s 3 Star Certified Green Restaurant® recognition include:
 
  • Nearly half (45%) of eggs are sourced within 300 miles, encouraging support of local communities and reducing carbon emissions attributed to shipping food.
  • All utensils, cups, plates, and bowls are now compostable.
  • New waste receptacles and signage easily allow diners to sort recyclables, compostable materials, and landfill items.
  • 81 percent of lights are LEDs, which use up to 90 percent less energy, last longer, contain no mercury, and emit fewer greenhouse gases than incandescent bulbs.
  • Over 46 percent of food offerings are vegetarian or vegan, which require significantly less energy and water to produce than meat-based food offerings.
  • A rainwater catchment and reuse system conserves water, prevents storm water run-off, and allows the reuse of water for on-site irrigation.
 
Shipley partners with SAGE Dining Services and Boyer Sudduth Environmental Consultants to help lead its sustainability efforts. Since the beginning of the academic year in September 2018, the Avery Silverman Dining Hall has decreased the percentage of waste that goes to the landfill and increased the percentage of recyclables and compostable materials. Compostable materials are taken to Linvilla Orchards. Shipley is SAGE’s first school to achieve a GRA certification.
 
"We are thrilled to achieve this 3 Star Certified Green Restaurant® recognition. We've worked closely with Shipley's administration, Boyer Sudduth Environmental Consultants, and SAGE Dining Services to make this happen to advance Shipley's sustainability goals,” said Wayne Washington, Food Service Director, The Shipley School.
 
About the Shipley Commons
Opened in 2015, the Shipley Commons houses the Avery Silverman Dining Hall, Chris Wagner Arts Center, a “grey box” theater and the Shipley School Store. Through positioning, choice of materials such as LED lighting, and careful overall design, the 26,000 square-foot, LEED Silver Certified building utilizes natural light, recycled materials, and energy-saving techniques in addition to other sustainable technologies. The building is aligned on an east-west axis, which affords optimal orientation for the collection of solar power. The estimated generation capacity is 61,655 kilowatt hours. The building’s innovative rainwater harvesting system is used to irrigate landscaping around the building, reducing consumption of potable water for irrigation by up to 27 percent. Shipley was also the recipient of a 2016 Go for the Green Site Greening Award, given by the Lower Merion Township Environmental Advisory Council.
 
 
About the Green Restaurant Association
The Green Restaurant Association is a national non-profit organization that provides the only official Certified Green Restaurant® mark in the country. Since 1990, the GRA has pioneered the Green Restaurant® movement and has been the leading voice within the industry encouraging restaurants to listen to consumer demand and green their operations using transparent, science-based certification standards. With their turnkey certification system, the GRA has made it easy for thousands of restaurants to become more environmentally sustainable in a profitable manner. The GRA has been featured on CNN, NBC Nightly News, NPR, and in The New York Times, and The Washington Post. For more information visit www.dinegreen.com.
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From the Beacon

The Shipley School is a private, coeducational day school for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students, located in Bryn Mawr, PA. Through our commitment to educational excellence, we develop within each student a love of learning and a desire for compassionate participation in the world.