Lutheran Social Ministries of Maryland has expanded its life-plan communities’ green initiatives in its restaurants. Carroll Lutheran Village in Westminster, MD and Lutheran Village of Miller’s Grant in Ellicott City, MD have implemented measures to reduce food waste and lower the senior living communities’ carbon footprint.
Both communities are using the LeanPath program, a comprehensive solution to measure, track and reduce kitchen waste, using scales and tablets in their respective kitchens. Equipped with specially designed software, team members use the tablets to measure food waste (e.g. food scraps, expired items, over-production and other forms of food waste). Since February, LVMG has reduced its food waste by 64% and CLV has reduced its food waste by 28%.
Weekly menus going from print to digital formats help sustainability. Residents can access menus by email, on the resident portal – TouchTown – or view one of the many digital TV displays located throughout the communities. This digital approach reduces CLV’s printing by 3,000 pages per week.
Additionally, LVMG’s restaurants are reducing the use of disposable goods in favor of reusable products. It’s been nearly a year since residents were provided with reusable bags for carryout purchases in lieu of plastic bags, and it recently started using reusable carryout containers, O2GO. These containers, made from 100% sourced BPA-free plastic, are NSF approved, microwave-safe and completely recyclable. After consuming their meal, residents rinse the
container(s) and place it in a specially marked reusable bag to set outside the door of their home for the team to pick up, clean, sanitize and dry.
LSMMD’s President and CEO Jeff Branch stated, “These initiatives not only benefit the environment but also empower our residents, team members and the broader community to actively engage in building a greener and more sustainable future.”
Beyond saving money, the communities’ culinary green initiatives – reducing printed materials and food waste as well as promoting the use of fewer disposable goods – help reduce the communities’ carbon footprint. LSMMD is committed to keeping its communities beautiful and supporting the natural environment that provides the picturesque views that surround the
communities for residents and team members to enjoy for years to come.
LSMMD’s commitment to green communities also includes transitioning to LED lighting, adding solar panels and installing electric vehicle charging stations at CLV and soon to be installed at LVMG.