Dive Brief:
- Colleges of all sizes have responded to student demands and their own moral qualms about food waste, turning dining halls into sustainability laboratories.
- University Business reports that Sterling College in Vermont has its own farm, which produces 20% of the food consumed in the dining hall.
- Larger universities serve food based on seasonal availability, limit waste through detailed food tracking, and reuse refuse as fuel or mulch, according to the article.
Dive Insight:
Sustainability has become a key focus of college students looking for a cause. When it comes to food waste, initiatives that turn old cooking oil into biodiesel or trashed food into compost and mulch seem worth the effort. The United States has been known internationally for its propensity toward waste and excess, and colleges and universities can lead the charge in changing that reputation. Some sustainability demands by students, however, end up costing institutions a lot of money to implement, limiting resources elsewhere — including financial aid funds. Vassar’s Catharine Bond Hill included organic lawn care in a list of such expenses.