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.
Featured Resources
New Resources
Building a Strong Local Foods Program for Your Campus
- AASHE (MA)
- University of Vermont (VT)
- Seattle Central College (WA)
- Farm to Institution New England (VT)
- Towson University (MD)
- Smith College (MA)
Food systems have become an increasingly important element of campus sustainability efforts and planning, with varying levels of commitment and institutionalization across campuses. This topic has a variety of focus ...
- Posted Dec. 14, 2017
- Videos & Webinars
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College Students' Emissions “Foodprint”: Can Eco-Labels Shift Diet Types?
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
Due to the higher greenhouse gas emissions from livestock food production compared to plant-based food production, it is imperative that consumers shift their diets away from meat. One possible method ...
- Posted Dec. 12, 2017
- Publications
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Bee Campus USA: Making the World Safer for Pollinators, One Campus at a a Time
- The Xerces Society (OR)
Pollinators are responsible for 1 in 3 bites of food we consume-actually, the most nutritious and, some say, delicious bites! Equally important, pollinators are responsible for the reproduction of 90 ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Sustainable Food Systems: Increasing Local Food Procurement on Campus
- Mohawk College (ON)
Increasing local food procurement represents an opportunity for post-secondary institutions to enhance campus sustainability, improve the student experience, and have a greater positive impact on the regional economy. Mohawk College ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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The Beginnings of Zero Waste - Approaches and challenges to new waste diversion campaigns and initiatives.
- Harvey Mudd College (CA)
While zero waste and broader waste reduction initiatives are common in institutions of higher education, there are substantial challenges to launching those initiatives. As many sustainability professionals can attest, timing ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Social Sustainability: University Procurement and Ethical Labor Standards
- Harvard University (MA)
Universities are the center of thought leadership, training global leaders and world citizens. Their business practices should reflect the same core values. Expanding on the anti-sweatshop movement that reformed licensed ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Sustainability and Agricultural Science - A Practical and Combined Effort to Engage and Educate
- Central Community College (NE)
Agriculture is the foundation of all sustainability efforts, many don't understand the true connection to our food and fiber systems and how sustainable agriculture production systems are. Being an ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Insects as Food: Crawling towards Sustainability through Entomophagy
- Central Community College (NE)
Each year our world population grows, on average, by 75 million people. Projected to reach a staggering 9.7 billion people by 2050, earth's resources and the best way ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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A Path Towards Reaching Nitrogen Footprint Reduction Goals at the University of Virginia
- University of Virginia (VA)
A nitrogen (N) footprint is the amount of reactive nitrogen (Nr; all N compounds except N2) released to the environment as a result of an entities' resource use. At the ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Creating a Multi-Institution Food Task Force
- University of Utah (UT)
In 2016 I co-created a 'Higher Education Food Task Force' with the seven major institutions along what is known as the Wasatch Front in Utah, which is the major population ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Salt Lake Excess: A Transportation-Based Food Recovery Model
- University of Utah (UT)
Restaurants and charities often desire to divert surplus food to communities in need, but logistical constraints prevent this. Salt Lake Excess, developed by a student group at the University of ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Sustainable Food Policy Creation - University of Denver
- University of Denver (CO)
- Sodexo USA (MD)
The University of Denver (DU) has been a Real Food Challenge Signatory since May 2015. As DU's food service provider, Denver Dining by Sodexo has performed extensive research within ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Sustainability in Italy: a Short-Term Study Abroad Program with Focus on Language, Environment, Culture, and Food
- Dickinson College (PA)
Sustainability in Italy: Environment, Culture, and Food' is a short-term study abroad program in Italy connected to an Italian language course taught on the Dickinson College campus. Through fieldwork and ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Stop Recycling? Stop Composting? The hard choices when doing the right thing for People, Profit, and Planet.
- Cornell University (NY)
Engaged students, faculty, and staff are eager to recycle and compost all they can! But what happens after material goes in the recycle or compost bin? Collaboration with campus partners ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Sustainability & International Service
- Utah State University (UT)
Cafe Femenino: This coffee empowers women In late May of 2017, 10 Utah State University (USU) students and 2 faculty leaders traveled to Peru to assist women coffee producers in ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Sustainable Food and Dining at Trinity University: Barriers and Success
- Trinity University (TX)
Beginning with food and dining is the most effective way for students to engage in sustainability movements because students engage with the dining hall as many as three times a ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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University of Scranton Community Garden, Planning, Partnerships, Students, and Surprises
- University of Scranton (PA)
Attendees will enjoy a conversation on the University of Scranton's journey to plan and establish a Community Garden. One of the Sustainability Office's goals is to raise awareness ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Understanding Food Waste at Johnson County Community College: A Multi-Method Approach
- Johnson County Community College (KS)
This proposal will document through observation and participant feedback how student awareness of issues surrounding food insecurity and waste may change following a student volunteer-run audit on post-consumer cafeteria waste.
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Green-to-Green Project: Economic Empowerment through Sustainable Agriculture
- Johnson C. Smith University (NC)
In addressing the need for healthy, fresh produce in our community, we established a partnership of neighborhood gardens and local partners to serve as a hub for local food production ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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FreshU: A Sustainable Model for Reducing Food Insecurity on College Campuses
- University of Central Florida (FL)
The University of Central Florida (UCF) is located in the heart of a food desert; a region defined by the USDA as 'a low-income community that lacks ready access to ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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A Student-Run Farmers Market: For community, for health, for Chicago
- Loyola University Chicago (IL)
Loyola University Chicago is entering its 7th year hosting an independent, student-run farmers market on its property serving members of the Rogers Park and Edgewater neighborhoods in Chicago. Over these ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Farmer Fridays: Connecting Students to Communities Through Stories
- Western Kentucky University (KY)
One goal for local institutions' different Offices of Sustainability is to bridge the gap between the campus and the community. This case study follows Western Kentucky University's path to ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Intercultural Understanding, Garden Benefits, and Sustainability Discourse at the Shawneetown Community Garden
- University of Kentucky (KY)
For years, anthropological and environmental researchers have studied the contributions of community gardens to education, health, community development, and sustainability; however, community gardens within institutional contexts such as universities are ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Campus Gardens and Farms: Creatively Addressing Food Insecurity
- Portland Community College, Rock Creek Campus (OR)
This session is for staff, students and faculty working on campus gardens and farms that want to share or learn about creative programming to address food insecurity. Come to share ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Mining STARS Data: Results & Lessons Learned From Quantitative Research Exploring Variation in Food/Beverage Purchasing Scores
- Georgia Institute of Technology (GA)
AASHE's STARS program offers great opportunities for monitoring campus sustainability progress and exchanging new ideas. In addition, the STARS database can support quantitative research in campus sustainability whose results ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Opening New Markets for Local Food Through the Food Hub Model
- Black Hills State University (SD)
Black Hills Food Hub, a business incubated at BHSU and run by Cobblestone Science (a locally- and women-owned small business), coordinates the needs of cafeterias in the region with local ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Closed Loop Food System at Warren Wilson College
- Warren Wilson College (NC)
Sustainability and environmental stewardship are woven into the fabric of Warren Wilson College. At the small work college in southern Appalachia, students participate in community gardens, live in co-op housing ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Beyond Excuses: Banning Bottled Water on Your Campus
- Eastern Washington University (WA)
Over 100 North American universities have enacted policies banning bottled water and promoting tap water as a more preferable choice. This workshop will outline the steps of banning bottled water ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Students in the Food Movement: A Vision Deeper than the Problem
- Real Food Challenge (MA)
Even as the campus sustainability movement has grown, the issues in our food system have continued to deepen. Federal policy is failing to protect small farmers, while family fishermen are ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Real Food Challenge: Making Real Food a Reality on Campus
- Real Food Challenge (MA)
Across the country, more than 80 institutions of higher education have made individual or system-wide pledges to increase their procurement of real food, increase institutional transparency of campus food purchasing ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Working Together Towards Zero Waste
- Post-Landfill Action Network (NH)
This is a meetup for all students, staff, companies, and professionals that are working on campus Zero Waste efforts. Whether you're helping your campus achieve Zero Waste goals, or ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Food Security Initiatives at Arizona State University
- Arizona State University (AZ)
3 student leaders sharing their efforts in food security initiatives at ASU: SAHC/Campus Kitchen Gleaning: Student Anti-Hunger Coalition, a student led initiative beginning in January 2017, implements programs to ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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The Ripple Effect: Taking Hydroponic Growing From Missouri State to 32 Other Schools and Eventually the World
- Missouri State University (MO)
- Compass Group (NC)
What began as an effort to showcase herbs grown on campus has already grown to 896 grow towers across the country, with an annual produce yield of 35,000lbs, a ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Using Compost to Seek Green Justice Beyond the Campus
- University of Arizona (AZ)
The University of Arizona Compost Cats is an organization that works to divert organic waste from landfills and converts it into valuable soil amendment for Southern Arizona's arid soils ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Nourishing U: Reclaiming Food, Alleviating Hunger, Redressing Health Inequities, and Serving up Food Justice
- University of Utah (UT)
Salt Lake Excess, created by University of Utah Honors College students, is a novel real-time food recovery model focused on eliminating the transportation and coordination barriers to food recovery. Via ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Beyond Waste Diversion: Advancing Sustainable Materials Management at Emory
- Emory University (GA)
- Cascadia Consulting Group, Inc. (WA)
Emory University's Sustainability Vision calls for aggressive waste minimization, including 95% diversion from landfills by 2025. Further, Emory is committed to the highest and best use of materials, innovation ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Campus Gardens: Increasing Sustainability and Lowering Food Insecurity
- West Chester University of Pennsylvania (PA)
In this session, we will focus on the role campus gardens can play in educating faculty, students, and staff about sustainable food systems as well as their role in alleviating ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Compost and Collaboration: Reaching Zero Waste at UCI in Dining Commons and Residence Halls
- University of California, Irvine (CA)
- Aramark (PA)
The University of California system and UC Irvine have committed to reaching Zero Waste, or 95% diversion from landfill by 2020. In 2016, UCI reached 83% diversion, the highest rate ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Employee Outreach: Creating a Culture of Sustainability in all Stakeholders at Arizona State University
- Arizona State University (AZ)
- Aramark (PA)
Arizona State University is committed to being a leader in all areas of sustainability in Higher Education. A vital role in accomplishing this is to create awareness, educate, and integrate ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Engaging Partners in Source Reduction
- Aramark (PA)
40% of food produced in the U.S. is lost or wasted each year (FAO, 2014). Through data capture, staff training and guest education, University of California, Irvine (UCI) Hospitality ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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The Drivers Behind Edible Food Recovery Programs at Institutions of Higher Education
- Messiah University (PA)
Of the blemishes on the American food system, food waste is one of those paradoxical issues that somehow exists in the midst of a well-documented environmental and food security crisis ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Plants on the Plate: Meeting Student Demand for Sustainable Plant-Based Dining.
- Cornell University (NY)
- Humane Society of the United States (MD)
Market forces are shifting the ground beneath institutional food services, and most of them are far beyond what operators have the power to control. While they are hard to predict ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Benefits for Transitioning to in-House Dining - A Panel Discussion
- Sewanee - The University of the South (TN)
This panel will explore the process, benefits, and challenges of using an in-house dining service. The panel will examine how a switch from an outside provider to an in-house dining ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Utilizing the Garden to Integrate Community-Based Learning in the Classroom
- Portland Community College (OR)
The purpose of this presentation is to explore, discuss and reflect on Community-based Learning (CBL) as a form of civic education utilizing a school learning garden or community garden. CBL ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Gathering at the Table: Cultivating Future Leaders of a Thriving Community Food System
- University of Kentucky (KY)
Gathering at the Table brings together passionate student leaders, community food justice advocates, and eaters of all kinds to grow a sustainable, community food system. It is an innovative program ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Sustainable Campus Competition LIVE!: How $50,000 Created a Replicable Model for Citywide Composting
- Butler University (IN)
- Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) (IN)
At the 2016 AASHE Conference, IUPUI and Butler University were awarded $50,000 as part of the Sustainable Campus Competition LIVE!, a collaboration between AASHE and Kimberly Clark. Because both ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Building Solidarity through Fair Trade
- University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (WI)
- Fair Trade Colleges & Universities
Fair Trade Campaigns is a powerful grassroots movement mobilizing thousands of conscious consumers and Fair Trade advocates on campuses and communities across the USA and around the globe. Fair Trade ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Beyond Policy: Sustainable Catering at an Institutional Level
- Emory University (GA)
- America To Go (NY)
How many sustainable catering policies, goals, and guidelines are hard-fought and won, but face the challenge of ubiquitous adoption across the institution? Goals for landfill diversion, waste reduction, and sustainable ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Designing Menus for the Future: Sustainable Food Purchasing, Student Activism and Food Footprints
- University of Massachusetts Amherst (MA)
- Friends of the Earth (DC)
This interactive discussion explores real world strategies for shifting school menus toward food that is healthy, local and sustainable, including methods for evaluating environmental impacts of food choices. With on ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Taking Sustainability to the Basement: Indoor Campus Growing Solutions for any Room, any Size and any Budget
- Missouri State University (MO)
- Compass Group (NC)
A student driven initiative to create a year-round, hyper-local, on-campus food source that is run by students and funded by the campus dining partner. This model can be adapted to ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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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.