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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The Meatless Revolution: A Case Study of the Nation's First Vegan Dining Hall
- University of North Texas (TX)
- The Humane Society of the United States (MD)
College students are increasingly concerned about their health, the environment, and animal welfare. According to report by foodservice marketing research firm Technomic, 21 percent of college students limit their meat …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Campus Food Waste Management: Developing a Comprehensive Food Waste Management System for Green Campus
- Carnegie Mellon University (PA)
Food waste is one of the most challenging components in the waste stream. Americans refuse 25% of all the food they prepare each year, leading to 33 million tons of …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Re-growing the Penn State Student Farm: Designing a Living Lab Experience by Bringing All Partners to the Table
- Pennsylvania State University (PA)
In response to the need for greater integration of sustainability in higher education, many institutions have created student farms on their campuses. Founded originally as an agricultural college, The Pennsylvania …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A Rooted University: Growing Resiliency, Community, and Engaged Food Citizens
- University of Michigan (MI)
With the impending energy descent and accelerating impacts of climate change, the need to foster resiliency and adaptation in the realm of higher education is increasingly pertinent. Universities provide a …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Drinking Sunlight: Maple Syrup from Your Dorm’s Backyard
- Calvin University (MI)
As students at a small liberal arts school in Grand Rapids, Michigan, opportunities to get involved in the world of sustainable living are endless. Western Michigan is known for producing …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Pulp Up the Volume: Maximizing Waste Diversion and Student Empowerment
- College of Charleston (SC)
In the fall of 2012, the College of Charleston began composting with the use a pulper in the dining hall City Bistro. (This machine utilizes a recycled stream of water …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Educational Opportunities In Kennesaw State University’s Farm-To-Campus Initiatives
- Kennesaw State University (GA)
The multi-faceted farm-to-campus program at Kennesaw State University (KSU) includes 40+ acres of off-campus organic farmland and small on-campus plots, including an herbal garden, a student-run permaculture garden, and indoor …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Local Sourcing for Agriculturally Disadvantaged Universities
- Northern Arizona University (AZ)
Sourcing local is an important and growing standard for dining services across the nation’s campuses. The benefits of local sourcing do not stop at the loading dock with quality produce, …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Getting Real Food on Campus: An Overview of the Corporate Food Service Industry and What Students Can Do To Change It
- Real Food Challenge (MA)
70% of the cafeterias at U.S. colleges and universities are run by contracted food service companies (e.g. Sodexo, Aramark). This interactive workshop explores the structure of this industry, focusing on …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Winning Real Change Through Goal-setting and Strategy
- Real Food Challenge (MA)
Real Food Challenge is a student-driven organization that has shifted over $50 million in campus dining budgets at toward just and sustainable food sources. With thousands of affiliated students at …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Student Nanook Grown Garden Supports Sustainability Efforts on Campus
- University of Alaska Fairbanks (AK)
Growing and eating “Alaskan Grown” has become a priority on the University of Alaska, Fairbanks (UAF) campus. Facilities Services and the Office of Sustainability planted a vegetable garden outside the …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Gardening with Neighbors: Community Gardening and Food Security in West Louisville
- University of Louisville (KY)
The “West End” of Louisville is characterized by many low-income neighborhoods that are disproportionately affected by high levels of food insecurity and poor health conditions. Still, community groups and neighborhoods …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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University/Farmers Market partnership Leads to Local Food Movement Through a USDA Funded Local Food For Everyone Initiative.
- Western Kentucky University (KY)
Presenters will introduce the south-central Kentucky Local Food For Everyone initiative, which was formed through a partnership between Western Kentucky University and the Community Farmers Market. Through a USDA Farmers …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Partnership: Nurturing Community in a Garden Setting
- Western Kentucky University (KY)
In the last few years, school gardening projects have sprouted across the country. School gardens influence improved eating behaviors in children, specifically, increased fruit and vegetable consumption. In addition, school …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Cultivating Grassroots: Emerging Platforms for a Sustainable Food System and Economy in Blue Ridge Appalachia
- Appalachian State University (NC)
Appalachian scholar and activist Helen Matthews Lewis writes that “It is important to talk and plan together for the future, to have dreams and hopes and visions.” Lewis believes in …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainable Food Metrics: Accountability, Efficiency, and Equity
- Emory University (GA)
How do we assess whether our campus food services are doing their part to support a larger sustainability vision for higher education? Diverse metrics around procurement (such as commitments to …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Networking for Leadership: Building an Undergraduate Sustainable Food Coalition
- Emory University (GA)
In the spring of 2013, a group of undergraduates at our university formed a pilot program designed to impart to students leadership and organizational skills; to network student activists with …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Summer Internships for a Sustainable Food System
- Linfield College (OR)
Today, the importance of sustainably addressing our food system is vital. There is a pressing societal need for citizens educated in actively creating and participating with food systems based in …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sprouting (Literally!) Engagement in Sustainability in the Undergraduate Curriculum: the “Heritage Garden Project” in Beginning German at Luther College
- Luther College (IA)
The students know that Diane is coming to tell a special story on cold February morning. To their surprise, as she appears, however, she opens a little package and empties …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Dining Hall as a Classroom: A Unique Model for a Life-Cycle Analysis Course
- Northwestern University (IL)
Though students, faculty, and the dining service have all shown dedication to sustainable initiatives, there has been little academic research on the sustainability of our campus dining service. This year, …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Neigborhood Resilience, Using Waste to Build Justice Locally and Internationally
- Trevecca Nazarene University (TN)
Asia Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary (APNTS) in Manila, Philippines is a ‘sister school’ to Trevecca Nazarene University (TNU) in Nashville, TN. Both schools are located in highly stressed urban environments …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Veggies For All: Campus Food Bank Farm
- Unity Environmental University (ME)
Since 2011, our small college has been the home base for Veggies For All (VFA) – a community-scale agriculture project that works to relieve hunger by growing vegetables for those …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Island Food Security through a Campus Community Garden
- University of Hawaii Maui College (HI)
The Sustainable Living Institute of Maui (SLIM) at UH Maui College began an endeavor to build a campus community garden in 2010. Almost three years later, and after many obstacles …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Love Food Hate Waste: A Case Study on Engaging Students and equiping them with life long learning skills
- Western Sydney University (NSW)
The global food system is under pressure from exploding population growth and food waste is a major issue throughout the world. We throw away millions of tonnes of food and …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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An In-depth Analysis of Waste Trends and Reuse Potential in Dining Facilities
- West Virginia University (WV)
In the United States, less than three percent of the 34 million tons of food waste generated was recovered or recycled in 2010. This represents the single largest component of …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Beyond Operations: Collaborating Across Campus to Change Food Culture
- Williams College (MA)
Effect culture change on campus with sustainable food programming. Learn how the Williams College Sustainable Food & Agriculture Program introduces diverse student organizations, campus offices, and academic departments to sustainable …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Growing An Integrated Urban Farm, Modular and Mobile
- Xavier University (OH)
With space constraints, a Master Plan that is a "moving target," and limited funds, Xavier University undertook to build a farm on-campus. The design choices at every step of the …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Feed The Beast: Organic Waste Collection in a Campus Food Court
- University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh (WI)
To gauge the feasibility of organic waste separation in a public setting, we studied the effect of introducing new waste receptacles into a student union food court. The public education …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Evaluating an On-Campus Farmers Market
- Berklee College of Music (MA)
You can change all the light bulbs that you want, but no one will notice except to complain about the fluorescents. On the other hand, a farmers market is a …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Permaculture Gardens at UMass Amherst: A Case Study of Sustainable Edible Landscaping
- University of Massachusetts Amherst (MA)
Over 1000 different individuals have been involved in planting over 1500 fruit trees, nut trees, berry bushes, flowers, culinary and medicinal herbs and perennial vegetables on the UMass Amherst campus. …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainable Food Systems: From the Classroom to the Field
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
Sustainable food system courses are uniquely situated to incorporate traditional, liberal-arts pedagogies and soft skills, with innovative experiential teaching techniques that engage students in different ways than traditional methods. The …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Campus Farmers' Market: An Innovative Partnership Approach to Building Consensus and Gaining Approval
- Purdue University (IN)
A successful farmers' market on campus provides access to local, healthy food, connects the campus to the local community and the regional landscape, and teaches students about where their food …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Engaging Fellow Students in the Less Glamorous Components of Campus Sustainability Work: University of Michigan Campus Farm Implementation Case Study
- University of Michigan (MI)
When students at the University of Michigan are asked if they would like to help start a campus farm that will grow sustainable food for the University, they oftentimes get …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Our Campus as a Living Lab Program: Moving towards a Utopian Sustainable Food System
- University of British Columbia (BC)
In this interactive session we will describe how our 11 year old Campus as a Living Lab program has contributed to food system transformation on campus. This community-based action-research project …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Students and Food Security in the North: UNBC's Dome Greenhouse
- University of Northern British Columbia (BC)
Northern climates present major food security challenges, but students at the University of Northern British Columbia are eager to overcome these barriers in creative and effective ways. UNBC, "Canada's Green …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Measuring and Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Campus Dining Using the CHEFS Tool
- Delta College (MI)
- Clean Air-Cool Planet (NH)
The movement and level of sophistication surrounding sustainable dining is growing, yet few institutions have as yet been able to measure their total "baseline" climate change impacts from dining services. …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Catering services sustainable standards
- Campus Responsables
The focus will be on the new sustainable catering assessment framework developed by Campus Responsables and implemented in several pilot schools and universities. The objective of this food management tool …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Bringing Farmworker Awareness to the Sustainable Food Table at PSU
- Portland State University (OR)
This presentation will highlight the work of three students who brought the national Farmworker Awareness Week campaign to Portland State University. The groups' primary goal was to educate students on …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Foam-Free Dining at the University of Florida
- Aramark (PA)
Gator Dining Services/ARAMARK removed all foam food packaging from all dining location, including the dining halls, Classic Fare Catering, and the national brands on University of Florida's campus. The elimination …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Give Us Your Scraps! How You Can Make a Significant Sustainable Impact Through Campus Composting
- University at Buffalo (NY)
Two years ago our institution, preceded by innovation in trayless dining practices and reverse vending machines-initiated an aggressive composting strategy designed to greatly reduce food waste from our dining halls. …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Creating a Successful Reusable Mug Incentive Program for a Large Campus Community
- University of Tennessee at Knoxville (TN)
- Aramark (PA)
Food service operations generate a substantial portion of the waste stream at most universities. The University Recycling Department and Dining Service Company have partnered over the years to combat waste …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Role of Food Service Workers in Campus Sustainability Programs
- Occidental College (CA)
- UNITE HERE (DC)
Higher education institutions are at the forefront of a movement to reform the food system by promoting sustainable practices at campus cafeterias and dining services.
Yet the central role of …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainable Impact: The Challenges of Creating Interdisciplinary Courses on Food, Food Systems, and Food Justice to Empower Students to Action
- Grand Valley State University (MI)
When looking to de-silo the often-segregated, triple-bottom line of sustainability, food seems the ideal course subject to broaden understanding. The class was formulated with a three-tiered structure - where our …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Campus Collaboration toward Sustainable Food Service
- Emory University (GA)
- Ithaca College (NY)
- Pomona College (CA)
Sustainability in Food Service is a fairly new topic in higher education and it is being addressed in a variety of ways. Dining Services consumes large quantities of campus energy …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Hungry While Learning: Sustainability and Student Food Security
- Bridgewater State University (MA)
- Salish Kootenai College (MT)
- Presidio Graduate School (CA)
We've all known hungry students who are lurking on the edges of campus buffets and loading up on one daily meal to get the most out of discounted meal plans. …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A Sustainable, Student-Run, and Delicious Cooperative at Your Campus
- CoFED (NM)
Three times a day we choose put something in our bodies that is sustainable or unsustainable. Every student that comes into your school comes open to new ideas and experiences …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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CoFED: Student Leadership Through Cooperative, Sustainable Food Enterprises
- CoFED (NM)
Empowered student leadership is the most critical tool to catalyze a culture of sustainability on your campus. Imagine your most active student leaders being able to engage any student that …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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In-Vessel Composting - From Farm to Kitchen to Compost, and Back to Farm
- Johnson County Community College (KS)
Space on any campus is limited especially when you mention you want to compost food. In-vessel composting is a viable way to compost all your food while keeping odor under …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Eat Here Now: Imagining a Community of Very Very Local Food
- NewSchool of Architecture and Design (CA)
There are a number of obstacles that hinder the development of urban agriculture, with land ownership, lack of available public funding, and competing demands on limited open space most often …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Carbon Valuing Menus...Creating Sustainable Behavioral Change in a Campus Community
- Northern Arizona University (AZ)
One of Northern Arizona University's newest additions to campus dining is the Green Scene Café opened in Fall 2011. Take a look at how the café's carbon valued menus have …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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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.