Food & Dining
Introduction
Modern industrial food production often has deleterious environmental and social impacts. Institutions can use their food purchases to support their local economies; encourage safe, environmentally friendly and humane farming methods; and help eliminate unsafe working conditions and alleviate poverty for farmers. These actions help reduce environmental impacts, preserve regional farmland, improve local food security, and support fair and resilient food systems. Dining services can also support sustainable food systems by preventing food waste and diverting food materials from the waste stream, by making low impact dining options available, and by educating its customers about more sustainable options and practices.
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Food Scraps Recovery at Kean University
- Kean University (NJ)
Kean University began a comprehensive on-campus food scraps composting project in January 2010. Food scraps are processed in an in-vessel composting system that requires just five days to convert them ...
- Posted May 14, 2013
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Sustainable Urban Eco-Garden at St. Louis Community College
- St. Louis Community College (MO)
St. Louis Community College, Florissant Valley campus, has created an educational, sustainable eco-garden that provides opportunities for participants to engage in raising food as well as providing native habitat for ...
- Posted May 10, 2013
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Sustainable Packaging at the University of Florida
- University of Florida (FL)
Gator Dining Services-ARAMARK at the University of Florida eliminated foam containers from campus dining operations, making UF the only ARAMARK foam- free dining operation in the south region. Foam products ...
- Posted May 10, 2013
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Foam Free Dining at the University of Florida
- University of Florida (FL)
- Aramark (PA)
Gator Dining Services at the University of Florida (UF) eliminated foam containers from campus dining operations, making the University of Florida the only ARAMARK foam- free dining operation in the ...
- Posted July 2, 2012
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WE Over ME Farm
- Paul Quinn College (TX)
Surrounded by a food desert, Paul Quinn College has assumed the responsibility to provide the residents of Highland Hills/southern Dallas within the zip code of 75241, access to healthy ...
- Posted July 2, 2012
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Public-Private Food Waste Composting Program
- Illinois State University (IL)
- Rochester Institute of Technology (NY)
The goal of this project was to provide a viable option for businesses and institutions to divert their food waste from the solid waste stream. McLean County is a prime ...
- Posted June 26, 2012
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Owens Community College HARVEST Project
- Owens Community College (OH)
The Owens Community College Harvest Project seeks to "Help all People Reap the Value of Education through Service and working Together." Our on campus food pantry and community garden serve ...
- Posted June 22, 2012
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Growing a Local and Sustainable Food System at Appalachian State University
- Appalachian State University (NC)
Appalachian Food Services is working with the Office of Sustainability to incorporate local and sustainably produced food products into our campus dining with an overall goal of improving the campus ...
- Posted June 10, 2011
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Aggieware - Moving to Zero Waste Events within UC Davis Student Housing
- University of California, Davis (CA)
Aggieware, the reusable tableware program, was created by UC Davis Student Housing for use with all student programs in the residence halls to reach the University of California's goal ...
- Posted July 1, 2010
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EcoMug at Western Michigan University: The First Decade
- Western Michigan University (MI)
In 2009, Western Michigan University created a novel, and as far as we know unprecedented, waste reduction initiative. During the first few weeks of school, each incoming student is given ...
- Posted July 1, 2010
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Implementing pre and post consumer composting, local food, recycling and trayless programs within ISU dining at Iowa State University
- Iowa State University (IA)
ISU Dining has been actively expanding efforts in waste reduction, recycling, and encouraging local businesses. Farm to ISU, our local food program, works with local farmers to increase the amount ...
- Posted June 30, 2010
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Implementing Vermicomposting in Luther College Residence Halls
- Luther College (IA)
Luther students have started disposing of fruit and vegetable waste in worm composting bins installed in seven of Luther's residence halls by students from the Luther Sustainability program.
Students ...
- Posted June 30, 2010
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Closing the Nutrient Cycle at Appalachian State University
- Appalachian State University (NC)
Students of ASU's Goodnight Family Sustainable Development Program sell produce that they grow at the Program's teaching and research farm on campus to students, faculty, and visitors. This ...
- Posted June 24, 2010
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A Sustainable Thanksgiving Feast: Preserving Heritage Turkeys
- Emory University (GA)
For the second year in a row Emory has partnered with Heritage Foods USA to present the Thanksgiving Heritage Harvest Feast. The Feast features Heritage turkeys, an older breed of ...
- Posted June 16, 2010
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This tab provides access to data collected through AASHE’s Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ (STARS). STARS is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. STARS enables meaningful comparisons over time and across institutions using a common set of measurements developed with broad participation from the campus sustainability community.
All responses reference content from reports under the latest version of STARS, version 2.2. AASHE membership and log-in is required.
OP 7: Food and Beverage Purchasing
- Percent of sustainably or ethically produced food and beverage expenditures
- Percent of plant-based food expenditures
- Sustainable food and beverage purchasing inventory
- Description of the sustainable food and beverage purchasing program
- Website URL - Sustainable food and beverage purchasing
OP 8: Sustainable Dining
- Description of the farmers market, CSA or urban agriculture project
- Description of the sustainability-themed food outlet
- Description of the support for disadvantaged businesses, social enterprises, and/or local SMEs
- Description of low impact dining events and/or plant-forward options
- Description of the vegan dining program
- Description of sustainability labelling and signage in dining halls
- Description of the food recovery competition or commitment program or food waste prevention system
- Description of the trayless dining or modified menu/portion program
- Description of the food donation program
- Description of the food materials diversion program
- Description of the pre-consumer composting program
- Description of the post-consumer composting program
- Description of the reusable serviceware program
- Description of the compostable materials and serviceware program
- Description of the reusable container discount or incentives program
- Website URL - Sustainable dining programs
Additional analysis on scores and quantitative fields can be conducted using the STARS Benchmarking Tool.