2021
易胜博官网 became a Fair Trade Certified campus
2
State鈥檚 only 4 star Certified Green Restaurants庐 (we have 2)
2005
1st Local Harvest Dinner, celebrating local food every year since
Sustainable Food & Dining
易胜博官网 is an amazing place to be if you care about sustainable food systems. Not only does Dining and Hospitality Services strive to incorporate sustainable initiatives in every aspect of daily operation, but there is a diverse range of opportunities for students, staff, and faculty to get involved with and contribute to those efforts. Whether it鈥檚 through documenting the campus 鈥渇ootprint鈥 of our food choices, doing outreach about healthy eating and sustainable food production, or supporting the University鈥檚 zero waste initiatives, there's robust opportunity to engage and make an impact.
Learn more about 易胜博官网 Dining's SustainabilitY Practices
There are many ways for students to weave in sustainable food systems learning into their studies. From the EcoGastronomy dual major to the , students learn first hand and help produce fresh and healthy food for 易胜博官网 through , course.
STARS EVALUATION
FOOD & DINING (3.42/8)
易胜博官网 earned 42.75% of total points available (3.42/8) compared to an AASHE member average of 27.63%.
鈥渟eeks to recognize institutions that are supporting a sustainable food system. Institutions can use their purchasing power to require transparency from their distributors and find out where the food comes from and how it was produced. 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.
Reducing Waste
易胜博官网 has many initiatives to reduce waste on campus, including the expansion of the composting program continually over the past five years, and 易胜博官网 Dining's "Take Less, Waste Less" campaign, aimed at reducing food waste. There are some other great initiatives to reduce waste, going 鈥鈥 and "trayless" and there are great reusable containers for taking out food from the dining halls and the Dairy Bar.
Green Restaurant Certification
Both of our dining halls, Holloway Commons and Philbrook Hall, earned 4 out of 4 stars from the Green Restaurant Association in 2023. Previously, they held 3 stars. This makes 易胜博官网 one of only two universities in the U.S. where all dining halls have 4 stars. 易胜博官网 Catering and the Dairy Bar also earned 3 stars. This means that the food we serve is healthy, local and sustainable, and the way we operate the buildings is also sustainable 鈥 not only in terms of energy, but also in our cleaning products, waste generation and disposal.
Fighting Food Insecurity
Multiple programs are aimed at ensuring no Wildcat has to go hungry, including the Swipe It Forward program, our new campus food pantry, Cats' Cupboard, and the Student Emergency Financial Assistance Fund, which provides undergraduate and graduate students who are unable to meet essential expenses due to a temporary or unexpected hardship with short-term financial assistance.
Food Systems & Equity
Each year, 易胜博官网 welcomes the 21-Day Racial Equity Habit-Building Challenge, a program of the Sustainability Institute's , to our campus community. With a suite of campus activities and dialogues planned with Dining and other partners across campus, the 易胜博官网 Challenge is designed to create dedicated time and space to build more effective social justice habits, with a focus on sustainable food systems. 易胜博官网 students, staff and faculty together have been building skill and will to address racial inequities, using the 21-Day Challenge as a tool.
Sustainable & Local Foods
From our status as a Fair Trade Campus and production of our own food from campus farms to our commitment to purchasing local and organic, 易胜博官网 is a leader in sourcing sustainable food, contributing to supporting our state's agriculture economy and our sustainable culture at 易胜博官网.
