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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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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Food Fight: EPA's Food Recovery Challenge Strives to Reduce Food Waste
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (DC)
Food is the number one material reaching landfills and accounts for 13% of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. In order to decrease the significant environmental impact of food …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Harvesting Mesquite Flour at the University of Arizona: A Case Study in Local Innovative Food Production
- University of Arizona (AZ)
This talk presents first year results and plans for a student-run campus harvest of mesquite flour at the University of Arizona. Endemic to the Southwestern U.S., Texas and Mexico, mesquite …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Scaling up Campus Vermicomposting: A Cost Effective Methodology for Dealing with Pre-Consumer Organics
- University of British Columbia (BC)
A large institution produces thousands of tonnes of solid waste annually, a large portion of which is taken to the municipal landfill. With increasing land values and rising fuel prices, …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A Case Study of the Campus-wide Dining Waste Audit at West Virginia
- West Virginia University at Parkersburg (WV)
- West Virginia University (WV)
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, less than three percent of the 34 million tons of food waste generated was recovered or recycled in 2010. Food waste now …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainable Food in Your Campus Community
- CoFED (NM)
The session will be focused on sharing experiences of our different campus food services and food options, and sharing the work CoFed have been engaged in to make change. The …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Creating Sustainable Dining Options: Barriers and Hopeful Solutions for Feeding Hungry Students
- College of Charleston (SC)
The presenters share their experience with analyzing the College of Charleston's (SC) current student dining options. Currently there is minimal institutional and contractural support for sustainable dining options, such that …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Building More Sustainable Communities Through Agriculture Integration
- Green Mountain College (VT)
As citizens learn more about where their food comes from, and college students look to integrate themselves into their community there is a great potential for various campus groups to …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Role of Dining Services in Sustainability Programming
- Ithaca College (NY)
Ithaca College and their food service provider, Sodexo Corporation, have worked together since 2009 to give continued support to the campuses Climate Action Plan through a Comprehensive Energy Initiative. Staffers …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Suburban Composting at Johnson County Community College: Looking at the First Year of Operations.
- Johnson County Community College (KS)
The process of composting food residuals from dining service operations has been gaining in popularity at college campuses across the country in recent years. While an estimated 12% of the …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Researching Two On-site Food Waste Reduction Technologies at an Urban University
- Loyola Marymount University (CA)
This presentation will discuss two research projects conducted at Loyola Marymount University on the effectiveness of on-site food waste reduction technologies. The first study analyzed a food waste dehydration system …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Developing Food Purchasing Guidelines
- Luther College (IA)
This poster will outline the process and outcome of developing food purchasing guidelines for Luther's goal to source more food from sustainable sources. In 2008 Luther College made the commitment …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Growing Awareness: Moving Maine, Moving Planet
- Unity Environmental University (ME)
This short film explores the connections between local agriculture and climate change solutions. Produced by Unity College students, the documentary follows locally grown pumpkins through last year's 350.org "Moving Planet"" …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Campus Compost Initative
- University of California, Riverside (CA)
Correct post-consumer waste placement is often overlooked in many sustainable, waste diversion efforts undertaken by Universities. It is usually harder to collect because it is up to the person throwing …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Animal Free Dining: The University of North Texas' Success with an All Vegan Dining Hall
- University of North Texas (TX)
The presentation will focus on the essential tools needed to integrate animal free diet options into campus dining services. Topics will include partnerships between dining services and sustainability programs, the …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Engaging Students in Sustainable Food Procurement: The Real Food Calculator at the University of Washington
- University of Washington, Seattle (WA)
The Real Food Challenge approaches student engagement in food systems work reform in various ways, one of which is an in-depth student research tool called the Real Food Calculator. It …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Toward Zero Waste: An Initiative for the Student Union
- Boston University (MA)
Campus dining is an intimate part of student life at any university, with the potential to have a major impact on culture. Learn how Dining Services can align with the …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Community Garden Connections: strengthening resilience through university-community partnerships
- Antioch University, New England (NH)
Our city identified food security as a priority issue given likely disruptions in the commercial food supply due to climate change and peak oil, in addition to food insecurity (hunger) …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Fostering a Local Food Procurement System: UVa Dining's Relationship with the Local Food Hub
- University of Virginia (VA)
Interest in local and sustainably produced food is at an all-time high on college campuses, as illustrated by the rising number of campus gardens and courses on local foodsheds. The …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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On-Campus Food Scraps Composting: Sustainability in Practice
- Kean University (NJ)
It has been suggested that "harvesting food waste as a reusable resource is the next frontier in recycling."" This presentation will highlight the steps involved in creating a highly successful, …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Meatless Monday at Johns Hopkins University
- Aramark (PA)
Meatless Monday is a program that JHU Dining launched in November 2010. The national Meatless Monday campaign was launched in association with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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How can a college or university integrate sustainable and environmental friendly practices into their dining service program?
- Marist College (NY)
As the movement for sustainable and healthy foods spreads across the United States and throughout the world, our campus food service operations are directly impacted. This program provides inspiration and …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Partnership and Collaboration: Establishing a farmers market program on a university campus
- Arizona State University (AZ)
The campus farmers market is in its second year. Success has been largely due to cross-departmental cooperation as well as partnerships with third-party market association vendors and University dining services …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Campus Greenhouse Provides Local Food and Research on Vegetable Production in Cold Climates
- Clarkson University (NY)
A student team designed and built a 450 sq. ft. pilot greenhouse to test the feasibility of maximizing produce yields while minimizing energy requirements for local food production in cold …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Engaged Scholarship for Sustainability: University of New Hampshire's Initiative to Facilitate Regional Food System Collaboration
- University of New Hampshire (NH)
Food Solutions New England (FSNE) is an example of a university-based effort to advance regional food system sustainability through collaboration using an engaged scholarship model. Engaged scholarship promotes mutually beneficial …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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CoFed: Student-Run Sustainable Food Centers
- CoFED (NM)
Everyday, every student has three opportunities to create an identity as a passive consumer or as a participant in a sustainable alternatives. Creating a student-managed food business focused on sustainability …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Student-led dining efficiency projects yield sizzling savings
- Alliance to Save Energy (CA)
University student groups collaborated with dining services to achieve substantial savings through a multi-faceted project approach. Students launched a "de-lighted dining" campaign to have eating areas lit only by daylight …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Moving Millennials: Engaging youth with food and agriculture policy
- Bard College (NY)
The sweeping environmental policies instituted in America during the 1970s were due in large part to the activism of students and youth. The Millennial generation, born between 1982 and 2000, …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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CHEFS: Estimating Life Cycle GHG Emissions from Campus Dining Services and Contributing to Vital Research
- Clean Air-Cool Planet (NH)
Clean Air-Cool Planet created CHEFS, or Charting Emissions from Food Services, to help institutions estimate emissions from the entire life cycle of food they serve, from farm to campus. CHEFS …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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College of Menominee Nation Campus Grind Coffee Shop: A Case Study in Indigenous Entrepreneurship and Sustainability
- College of Menominee Nation (WI)
The Campus Grind Coffee Shop, located at the College of Menominee Nation (CMN) on the Menominee Reservation, is an indigenous business created by two student organizations at CMN: Strategies for …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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College Dining Services uses Intern Program to Achieve Sustainability Goals
- College of William & Mary (VA)
The College has made great strides in sustainability in a very short amount of time. Just three years ago, the College had no formal recycling program and sustainability was a …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Student Involvement & Institutional Food Systems
- Green Mountain College (VT)
A closer look at how students get involved on campus to implement change within their institutionalized food system. Students interested in providing their campus community with more "good food""- local/regional, …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Designing An Edible Campus: Using the Charrette Framework to Create a Campus-Wide Initiative
- Indiana University Bloomington (IN)
During the spring of 2011, a three part design series entitled, "Designing An Edible Campus" was conducted using the framework outlined by the National Charrette Institute. Most commonly, a charrette …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Implementation of Student Driven Sustainability Initiatives: Ithaca Dining Services
- Ithaca College (NY)
How to put into practice initiatives that conserve natural resources, are economically friendly, that mirror a college's commitment to sustainability. Beginning in 2008, we have established numerous sustainability proposals, projects, …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Industrial Scale Composting at James Madison University
- James Madison University (VA)
This project aims to provide James Madison University (JMU) with a sustainable means of recycling food waste generated at the dining facilities on-campus. To this end, an aerobic composting reactor …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Beyond Local: Food Purchasing Criteria, Student Farm Audits and the Veg Yourself Pledge
- Luther College (IA)
Food purchasers have ever more considerations to keep in mind when making buying decisions. Which criteria are the most important? At some point it becomes important to define our goals …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Growing Veggies in Central Campus: Edible Landscaping at Luther College
- Luther College (IA)
Discover how a campus with high aesthetic standards can incorporate vegetable production into the landscape of central campus. Edible landscaping can take many forms including raised beds near residence halls, …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Seafood Sustainablility on Campus: Making it a Reality
- Marine Stewardship Council (WA)
The sustainability of the world's seafood supply has become an issue of heightened public awareness, and for good reason. Reports of depleted fish stocks dominate the media. Decades of overfishing …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Partnerships in Food Waste Reduction at Michigan State University- Academics and Operations
- Michigan State University (MI)
At Michigan State University, Being Green is what we do. The total campus population includes over 45,000 students, with approximately 17,000 living on campus with the Division of Residential and …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The importance of food waste recycling on campus
- North American Trading House, LLC (NY)
Greening campuses through energy saving, implementing water efficiency and recycling is having a positive impact on our environment. When greening a campus there is one area that is regularly overlooked …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Eating our way to Carbon Neutral
- Northern Arizona University (AZ)
At Northern Arizona University, Campus Dinning and the Office of Sustainability are teaming up with students, faculty, and staff to create a culture of food sustainability engrained into our curriculum …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Plant to Plate: A model for student-run urban gardens
- Plant To Plate
Plant to Plate was born during the Fall of 2009, when two undergraduate students recognized a need for a hands-on means to educate students on local food systems and sustainability. …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Developing and Sustaining Edible Urban Landscapes
- Randolph College (VA)
Edible landscaping integrates species that produce edible roots, stems, flowers, leaves, fruits, or vegetables into human-made landscapes. Reintroducing edible cultivars into urban and suburban landscapes represents a strategy for promoting …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Soil Analysis for Sustainable Edible Urban Landscaping
- Randolph College (VA)
"Sustainability" is a means of configuring civilization and human activity so that society and its members are able to meet their needs and express their greatest potential in the present, …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Honey Bees: Pollinators as a Case Study in Sustainability-An Undergraduate Course
- Southern Connecticut State University (CT)
Over 70% of the worlds flowering plants require a living organism for pollination. Many of these plants include the fruits, vegetables and grains humans consume, as well as feed for …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Economic and Environmental Benefits of Campus Scale Biodiesel Production
- Springboard Biodiesel (CA)
As the leading manufacturer of small scale biodiesel processors in a growing industry, Springboard Biodiesel has helped to install more than 6 mm gallons of annual biodiesel production capacity spread …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Leasing Land to Farmers to Support Sustainability
- St. Paul's School (NH)
For land-rich institutions, leasing parcels of land to local farmers can support all facets of sustainability. Small farms gain acreage, enhancing the local food system; dining halls get direct access …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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EPA Expands its Sustainable Food Management Initiatives with Higher Education Institutions
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (DC)
The United States Environmental Protection Agency through its national sustainable food management initiative, is expanding their outreach and support programs to colleges and universities throughout the country. The Agency is …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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From Presidents' Climate Commitment to the Real Food Challenge: Bringing Sustainable Food to Your Campus
- University of California, Santa Cruz (CA)
Struggling to develop a sustainable food procurement policy at your school? Looking to engage students in sustainability measures on campus?
By uniting students across the country, the Real Food Challenge …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Students Recognizing Excellence in Campus Food Service: the Real Food Calculator and Awards
- University of California, Santa Cruz (CA)
College food gets a bad rap. But there's also a lot to celebrate.
The Real Food Awards honor the people who produce, prepare, organize around, and coordinate campus food. The …
- 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.