To the Editor:

Thank you for the recent coverage of the residential college expansion of the Yale Sustainable Food Project.

We are grateful for Yale’s leadership in sustainable and great-tasting dining. Few aspects of student life rival the importance of dining hall meals. Furthermore, such expansion complements and secures Yale’s leadership role in sustainability.

Enthusiasm for the project is now greater than ever with expanded residential college sustainable offerings. We see this as an encouraging and innovative first step. The success of this YSFP expansion encourages all of us — students, dining services and administration — to work together to incrementally increase sustainable offerings until all dining halls offer 100 percent sustainable food. Our goal is more possible now than ever: As YSFP works with responsible suppliers and farmers, costs decline while ingredient options simultaneously expand.

Yale’s decision to lead in institutional sustainable food creates benefits that extend well beyond dining. Students explore food and agriculture through new courses that address global food and sustainability issues from a variety of perspectives. The project’s economic boost for local food processors illustrates Yale’s commitment to the greater New Haven community — all while protecting environmental integrity. Local, fresh, sustainable food is a win-win proposition for the entire community. Thank you, Yale.

Daniel Serna ’08

Sept. 18, 2006

The writer is co-chair of Food from the Earth.