| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 65.47 |
| Liaison | Pamela Mischen |
| Submission Date | March 5, 2020 |
Binghamton University
OP-8: Sustainable Dining
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Christopher
Harasta Retail Manager Dining Services |
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor host a farmers market, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery program, or urban agriculture project, or support such a program in the local community?:
A brief description of the farmers market, CSA or urban agriculture project:
The East Gym has been a dropoff location for CSA farm shares in collaboration with the Catskill Cattle Company. This is an local farm. This program has been expanded since last year's submission to include more faculty and students
BUFS Internship-The Binghamton University Food Sustainability group is a student-run organization working to bring more sustainable, nutritious, ethically-sourced food to campus dining halls. 4 credit internships are available. Interns will work with Dining Services, University administration, other student groups, and community organizations to strengthen our food movement and make lasting improvements from the ground up.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor host a sustainability-themed food outlet on-site, either independently or in partnership with a contractor or retailer?:
A brief description of the sustainability-themed food outlet:
Since the 1970s, the Binghamton Food Co-op, a nonprofit student-run organization, has been offering low-cost organic groceries including produce, ecologically friendly ingredients and personal care products.
We are proud to feature 100% Transfair, Fair Trade USA certified aspretto coffee and 100% USDA certified organic and ethically sourced Numi teas. Everything that touches the product is green, from the 10% post-consumer fiber cups to the renewable resource stirrers to the fair trade sugar wrapped in recyclable paper and printed with vegetable dye.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor support disadvantaged businesses, social enterprises, and/or local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through its food and beverage purchasing?:
A brief description of the support for disadvantaged businesses, social enterprises, and/or local SMEs:
We purchase all of our bagels through Best Bagels, a small business operating out of Endwell, NY.
Through our contract with Mento Produce, we purchase any available local produce.
We purchase food through Mil-Ray, an organization that is women-owned and minority-owned.
Estimated percentage of total food and beverage expenditures on products from disadvantaged businesses, social enterprises, and/or local SMEs:
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor host low impact dining events or promote plant-forward options?:
A brief description of the low impact dining events and/or plant-forward options:
We host a variety of special events and programs that encourage low impact dining. We established our Meatless Monday program in the Fall of 2013 and continues today.
We feature menus that are locally grown, seasonal, organic, vegetarian and/or well balanced. We use china service ware whenever possible, but if necessary, we try to use compostable and/or recyclable disposable ware. We strive to eliminate bottled beverages when possible by replacing them with pitchers of drinks and reusable glassware. Each season we unveil a catering menu that highlights the season's bounty. Not only does it increase variety, it also features food that is in season.
o Hydration stations encourage reusable water bottle use
Earth Fest is held every April and features waste free dining
A Health Fair on campus in the Spring features local vendors as well.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor have a vegan dining program that makes diverse, complete-protein vegan options available to every member of the campus community at every meal?:
A brief description of the vegan dining program:
We received a grade of "A+" on Peta's Vegan Report Card and an "A" for the four years before that.
Fresh Impressions is a station that offers a variety of complete-protein dining options to the campus community. This station was created in collaboration with the BU Food Sustainability student intern group. It started as a pop-up event to promote plant-based dining.
Station Information: https://www.bupipedream.com/news/96519/fresh-impressions-brings-vegan-and-vegetarian-options-to-marketplace/
Pop-up Event: https://www.foodservicedirector.com/operations/zoodle-pop-sells-out-university
We offer a Gifts from the Garden vegan station at one of our four resident dining centers, as well as at least one Vegan entrée at all dining locations on campus for every day part. We also offer non-dairy milk and fresh vegan desserts from our on-site bakery. Our catering menu includes a variety of menu options for a variety of dietary accommodations, including Vegan.
As part of the Partnership for a Healthier America, Binghamton University offers a plant-based food option at every platform serving meat.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor inform customers about low impact food choices and sustainability practices through labelling and signage in dining halls?:
A brief description of the sustainability labelling and signage in dining halls:
We highlight low impact dining choices and sustainable practices via physical signage in the dining locations, social media, and website. We also regularly table in dining locations to educate campus community on these choices, and this typically includes our Registered Dietitians and nutrition interns.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor participate in a competition or commitment program and/or use a food waste prevention system to track and improve its food management practices?:
A brief description of the food recovery competition or commitment program or food waste prevention system:
The University is a regular participant in RecycleMania, a friendly competition among hundreds of colleges and universities in the United States that provides the campus community with a fun, proactive activity aimed at waste reduction.
Binghamton University’s contracted vendor Sodexo participates in the Better Tomorrow Plan
https://www.your-sodexo.com/my-company/better-tomorrow-2025/
Dining services works with the University Recycling and Resource Management Department on campus and has an established pre- and post-consumer composting and recycling program.
Dining Services participates in Food Recovery Network. Food donations are weighed and donated to Community Hunger Outreach. We donate about 38,000 pounds of food per semester.
Has the institution or its primary dining services contractor implemented trayless dining (in which trays are removed from or not available in dining halls) and/or modified menus/portions to reduce post-consumer food waste?:
A brief description of the trayless dining or modified menu/portion program:
Dining services prevents food waste by encouraging better habits. These include: comparing purchasing inventory with customer ordering, modifying menus to increase customer satisfaction and prevent/reduce uneaten food, examine production and handling practices to prevent and reduce preparation food waste, ensure proper storage techniques and surplus or excess food used in new dishes.
Resident Dining is a la carte instead of All-you-can-eat, which significantly reduces food waste.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor donate food that would otherwise go to waste to feed people?:
A brief description of the food donation program:
Thousands of meals are donated every semester through our food drives. Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse of Broome County (CHOW) and Bear Necessities, an on-campus food pantry.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B27o2G9gQTGjX2U4RnpueUw1R0U/view?usp=sharing
Binghamton University donates an average of 38,000 pounds of leftovers to Community Hunger Outreach by the BU Chapter of the Food Recovery Network. Binghamton University is Food Recovery Network Verified.
Leftover food is also packaged as complete meals, frozen, and given to students through our food pantry to combat food insecurity.
Each year, the University’s Office of Recycling and Resource Management organizes Move-Out Week, collecting unwanted food and clothing when students leave campus after spring semester. Bins are placed in all residential communities so students can donate items they don’t plan to take home.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor divert food materials from the landfill, incinerator or sewer for animal feed or industrial uses?:
A brief description of the food materials diversion program:
Our fryer oil is recycled into biodiesel that is used to power a variety of vehicles.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor have a pre-consumer composting program?:
A brief description of the pre-consumer composting program:
All dining halls at Binghamton University are involved in composting kitchen prep material. The scrap food is collected and composted on a local farm. Once composted, the material is returned to the University and used in a variety of areas by the grounds department.
All dining halls are set up with compost barrels at prep- stations to collect pre-consumer food waste. These are sealed with a lid and placed onto the dining hall loading dock, where the barrels are then picked up by interns and student assistants from the Office of Recycling and Resource management.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor have a post-consumer composting program?:
A brief description of the post-consumer composting program:
The University’s student-driven Compost Organic Garden Demonstration Project promotes composting and organic gardening through active demonstrations, as well as serves as a field lab for an ecological agriculture course.
Ever wonder what happens to the mounds of food waste in campus kitchens? Here at Binghamton University, kitchen prep trimmings, spoiled fruit and vegetables, stale bakery items and leftover plate scrapings are composted. Each day during the fall and spring semesters, we collect approximately 2,000 pounds of compostable waste from campus dining halls, eateries and the teaching greenhouse. Additionally, the scrap food is collected and composted on a local farm. Once composted, the material is returned to the University and used in a variety of areas by the grounds department.
Food waste in landfills creates methane, a greenhouse gas which is 21x more potent than CO2. (www.epa.gov) Our first priority is to reduce food waste. We compost food waste that is unavoidable which reduces greenhouse gas emissions and can also be used to amend soil thereby increasing drought tolerance, improving soil structure and health and reducing need for water and fertilizers.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor utilize reusable service ware for “dine in” meals?:
A brief description of the reusable service ware program:
Resident dining halls have implented the OZZI reusable container system this semester, which has reduced the consumption of single-use to-go containers by over 50% across campus.
China dishes are used in our dining locations to reduce waste from disposable containers and our napkins are made of 100% recycled paper.
The University has reduced the amount of disposable items used in dining halls across campus.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor provide reusable and/or third party certified compostable containers and service ware for “to-go” meals (in conjunction with an on-site composting program)?:
A brief description of the compostable containers and service ware:
Dining halls provide two options for utensil and service ware. Reusable utensils, and service ware are available for "dine in" customers. All disposable food containers in dining areas are made of compostable material. Those containers, where applicable are made of bagasse.
We recycle as much material as possible: cardboard, glass, aluminum, paper and plastic.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor offer discounts or other incentives to customers who use reusable containers instead of disposable or compostable containers in “to-go” food service operations?:
A brief description of the reusable container discount or incentives program:
The BU Dining Services Sustainability Team has created and implemented a reusable cup sticker program. Students get a free sticker to put on any reusable mug or cup. If they use this instead of a disposable cup in resident dining halls then we give them 10% off of their beverage.
Additionally, in resident dining halls there is a surcharge for the use of single-use to-go containers
A brief description of other sustainability-related initiatives not covered above:
Dining Services at the MarketPlace (central food court) have committed to reducing their plastic waste switching to paper straws and limiting them to by-request. News piece on this initiative: https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/binghamton/news/2019/02/22/bu-bans-plastic-straws
We work closely with local produce distributors to maximize the fruits and vegetables purchased from local farms.
The BUDS Sustainability Team is a group of managers and employees within dining services that meet monthly to discuss best practices. One project this group has created and implemented is a reusable cup sticker program. Students get a free sticker to put on any reusable mug or cup. If they use this instead of a disposable cup in resident dining halls then we give them 10% off of their beverage.
As part of the Partnership for a Healthier America, Binghamton University:
Has made available Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) for personal nutrition assessments and counseling to all students. A second RDN hired in 2016.
Has encouraged student physical activity/movement through facilities and programs on campus during the academic year
Has provided trained physical activity/movement professionals on campus
Walking signs are posted around campus to encourage movement
Website URL where information about the sustainable dining programs is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Links to applicable sources have been provided in the submission.
Links to applicable sources have been provided in the submission.
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.