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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Certificate Program in Organic Agriculture
- University of Georgia (GA)
The Certificate Program in Organic Agriculture at the University of Georgia is a new interdisciplinary program of study that was created in Fall 2007. The certificate is similar to a …
- Posted Feb. 25, 2016
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Sustainable Agriculture Certificate
- Central Carolina Community College (NC)
The Sustainable Agriculture curriculum is designed to provide the entrepreneurial and technical skills necessary to manage a profitable,environmentally sound, community based small farm or agricultural business. Course work includes classroom …
- Posted Feb. 25, 2016
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Sustainable Agriculture Entrepreneurship Certificate
- Johnson County Community College (KS)
JCCC's sustainable agriculture (market farming) entrepreneurship program helps students realize their dreams of opening their own sustainable agriculture businesses. Farmers who grow produce on the side, depending on crops like …
- Posted Feb. 25, 2016
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Sustainable Agroecology certificate
- Triton College (IL)
Designed for learners who wish to gain an appreciation and practical skills to use sustainable practices that will positively influence the quality of natural ecosystems and human environment.
- Posted Feb. 25, 2016
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Sustainable Food & Farming Certificate
- University of Massachusetts Amherst (MA)
The 15-credit Certificate in Sustainable Food and Farming was developed in response to growing student demand and emerging job opportunities. This online program has been particularly attractive to the fastest …
- Posted Feb. 25, 2016
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Sustainable Local Foods Farming Certificate
- John Wood Community College (IL)
JWCC's new Sustainable Local Foods Farming program provides courses and hands-on training in sustainable fruit and vegetable production, entrepreneurship, and marketing. Students gain the practical skills and knowledge needed to …
- Posted Feb. 25, 2016
- Academic Programs
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Learning Through Eating: Bringing Campus Dining Operations into an Introductory Environmental Science Course
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)
Sustainability initiatives in higher education often flourish as the result of cross-functionality of teaching, research, and operational staff. At the University of Wisconsin - Madison, the Nelson Institute for Environmental …
- Posted Feb. 24, 2016
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AASHE Student Diary Series: From 'Compost Lady' to Compost Campus
- Lehigh University (PA)
In my last entry, I wrote about my preliminary composting research at Lehigh University as a first-year student. I am now a junior and compost research has remained an important …
- Posted Feb. 24, 2016
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AASHE Interview Series: Yoni Landau and Danny Spitzberg of CoFed
- CoFED (NM)
CoFED, the Cooperative Food Empowerment Directive, supports over 40 student teams in regions across North America. CoFED serves as a network and training program that empowers students to create ethically-sourced, …
- Posted Feb. 24, 2016
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Should We Do It? An Economic Analysis of the Costs and Benefits of a Local and Sustainable Food System at Davidson College
- Davidson College (NC)
Globalization created the conventional food system and its numerous negative effects such as environmental degradation, the loss of food cultures, antibiotic resistance, unsustainable energy use, increased food insecurity, unfair exploitation …
- Posted Feb. 24, 2016
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AASHE Student Diary Series: Abuzz with Rooftop Bees
- Harvard University (MA)
The novice beekeeping adventures of a group of Graduate School of Design (GSD) students at Harvard University are featured in this installment of the AASHE Bulletin Sustainability Student Diary series. …
- Posted Feb. 24, 2016
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Best Practices for Starting Sustainable Food Cooperatives in University Communities
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
This study makes recommendations for starting new student-run food co-ops (grocery stores, cafes, delis and other eateries), based on the findings of an investigation on seven co-ops in university communities …
- Posted Feb. 24, 2016
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Time to Get Real: A Food Assessment of Dining at Pomona College
- Pomona College (CA)
It is well established that current conventional food production practices contribute significantly to environmental degradation and climate change, compromise the well-being of workers and animals involved, and produce foods of …
- Posted Feb. 24, 2016
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Understanding the UCSD Market for Sustainable Foods: The Sustainable Agrifood Systems Fellowship
- University of California, San Diego (CA)
If UC San Diego is serious about becoming a university leader in sustainability, it is imperative that more attention and resources be directed toward its food system, and in particular …
- Posted Feb. 24, 2016
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Sustainable Seafood at the University of Minnesota
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
The ultimate goal of this project is to transform the process by which seafood is purchased and consumed at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Currently, no criteria concerning sustainability …
- Posted Feb. 24, 2016
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Sustainable Food Systems at UC Berkeley
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
In the arena of sustainability, we are continually finding ways to reduce our energy and water footprints. But food is essential. It is true that many developed nations have a …
- Posted Feb. 24, 2016
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Appalocal Food: Establishing a farm-to-college program at Appalachian State University
- Appalachian State University (NC)
Farm-to-college programs promote and serve locally produced foods in campus cafeterias. The benefits of integrating local food into institutions of higher education are numerous including supporting local farmers and the …
- Posted Feb. 24, 2016
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A Guide to Developing a Sustainable Food Purchasing Policy
- Portland State University (OR)
- AASHE (MA)
- Food Alliance (OR)
- Health Care Without Harm (VA)
- Institute for Agricultural Trade and Policy (DC)
This guide is intended to help universities, colleges, hospitals, and other institutions - as well as those advocating for food system change - create, promote and implement practical sustainable food …
- Posted Feb. 24, 2016
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The feasibility of implementing a farm-to-college program at the University of Cincinnati
- University of Cincinnati (OH)
Some of the major issues confronting environmental planners today are affected by the modern system of food production, distribution, and consumption. The major contributing factor to this relationship is movement …
- Posted Feb. 24, 2016
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Big News on Campus
- Carnegie Mellon University (PA)
- Clemson University (SC)
- Yale University (CT)
Provides information on the environmental practices of several colleges in the U.S. Benefits of the Yale Sustainable Food Project for local farmers; Condition of living at the dormitories in Carnegie …
- Posted Feb. 24, 2016
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RIT FoodShare
- Rochester Institute of Technology (NY)
RIT FoodShare is an initiative designed to reduce food waste on campus while reducing food insecurity among RIT students. It consists of two components - a facebook group and a …
- Posted June 12, 2015
- Case Studies
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Addressing Food Insecurity at Portland Community College-Rock Creek Campus
- Portland Community College (OR)
Our campus community faces food and nutritional challenges like much of the nation. Portland Community College's Rock Creek Campus, with 50% of the student population receiving financial aid, chose to …
- Posted June 11, 2015
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UNT Health Science Center Community Garden: Connecting Health and Wellness to Sustainability
- University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth (TX)
The University of North Texas Health Science Center (UNTHSC) is a graduate school of health care professions with over 2,100 students. The UNTHSC Community Garden broke ground in early 2014 …
- Posted June 11, 2015
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Green Captain Program
- University of California, Irvine (CA)
- Aramark (PA)
The Green Captain Program allows UCI Hospitality & Dining student employees who are passionate about sustainability to design and implement practices to reduce environmental impacts (e.g. carbon footprint, water and …
- Posted June 11, 2015
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Feasibility study of implementing an aerated static compost system for food waste in University of Hawaii at Manoa housing
- University of Hawaii at Manoa (HI)
There are no facilities on Oahu capable of converting the post-consumer food waste generated by the University of Hawaii into compost. This is an inquiry into the feasibility of implementing …
- Posted June 11, 2015
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Incorporating Life Cycle Analysis into Campus Dining
- University of Missouri (MO)
This study provides the greenhouse gas (GHG) estimates for thirty-nine meals using menu items served at the University of Missouri's Campus Dining Services. Meal size was normalized to 400 grams …
- Posted June 11, 2015
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Collaborations for growing the Virginia Tech Farm to Campus Program
- Virginia Tech (VA)
The Virginia Tech Dining Services Farm at Kentland began as a small 1/2 acre herb garden in 2009. Since, the garden has expanded steadily to include more than 6 acres …
- Posted June 10, 2015
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Starting a Food Recovery Network chapter at Colorado Mountain College-- Steamboat Springs
- Colorado Mountain College (CO)
This is an action oriented research and case study project that originated from the Capstone course of the Sustainability program at Colorado Mountain College (CMC). The study examines the process …
- Posted June 10, 2015
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Tribe Truck Farm
- College of William & Mary (VA)
Tribe Truck Farm is a micro-farm in the bed of a pickup truck. The main goal of this project is to initiate a dialogue within the William and Mary community …
- Posted June 4, 2015
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UA Compost Cats: Students Creating Community Partnerships to Turn Garbage into Gardens and Foster Local Food Security
- University of Arizona (AZ)
Located 60 miles from the largest, landlocked port for food in North America, the student-run Compost Cats program has now forged partnerships with the City of Tucson, San Xavier Co-op …
- Posted April 12, 2014
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Aquaponic food production as an integrating context for campus sustainability
- Allegheny College (PA)
The Food for Sustainability project at Allegheny College utilizes aquaponic systems for indoor, year round tilapia and lettuce production. The products are sold to Parkhurst Dining Services and are incorporated …
- Posted April 11, 2014
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Envisioning Sustainability: Implementing a Campus Community Food System at Virginia Tech
- Virginia Tech (VA)
Virginia Tech, founded in 1872 as a land grant institution, has not lost its local roots. With a nationally recognized college of Agriculture & Life Sciences, the campus has its …
- Posted April 10, 2014
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GreenHouse Food Buying Club
- University of Vermont (VT)
- Sodexo USA (MD)
A student initiated program that allows on-campus students from a specific Residential Learning Community (RLC) to use a portion of their mandated meal plans to purchase a "CSA". The "CSA" …
- Posted March 28, 2014
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UCI Zero Waste Food Court Pilot Program
- University of California, Irvine (CA)
The University of California, Irvine launched a pilot program for post-consumer waste diversion in retail dining in 2013. The program achieved Zero Waste under the University of California Office of …
- Posted March 28, 2014
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Students for Environmental Sustainability
- Kennesaw State University (GA)
The project is a student lead initiative aimed at improving culinary sustainability education and practices among students in both universities and k-12 institutions. The project has three primary focuses on …
- Posted March 8, 2014
- Case Studies
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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 food …
- 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
- Case Studies
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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
- Case Studies
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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 of …
- Posted July 1, 2010
- Case Studies
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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
- Case Studies
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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 are …
- Posted June 30, 2010
- Case Studies
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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 is the …
- Posted June 24, 2010
- Case Studies
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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.