By Christopher Koetke, CEC, CCE, Kendall College School of Culinary Arts

10 ideas to encourage your students to make sustainability part of their careers.

As educators, our mission is to prepare future culinarians, not only for the foodservice landscape as it exists today, but as we expect it will be in the future. Trends come and go, but sustainability marks a paradigm shift in the way we will do business. The debate over the validity of climate change is over, and the challenge is staring us in the face.

But with great challenge comes great opportunity. Given its size and energy consumption, the foodservice industry can be the tipping point in preserving the world for future generations. To put it in perspective, there are approximately 945,000 restaurant locations operating in the United States. According to the National Restaurant Association Conserve: Solutions for Sustainability initiative. Those restaurants use five times more energy per square foot than other commercial buildings. Furthermore, with energy costs accounting for 30% of a typical building’s annual budget, it’s about financial sustainability, as well.