Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 51.18
Liaison Joseph Kahn
Submission Date April 20, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Central Michigan University
OP-8: Sustainable Dining

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.75 / 2.00 Jane Wilsher
Aramark Employee
Aramark
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor have a published sustainable dining policy?:
Yes

A brief description of the sustainable dining policy:

Central Michigan has a protocol and policy booklet that focuses on all sustainable dining efforts implemented and followed by the university dining program. This policy guide encompasses multiple facets of the dining program including: purchasing, pre and post-consumer composting, minimum recycled content as well as tools and techniques to minimize food waste and energy consumption.


Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor source food from a campus garden or farm?:
No

A brief description of the program to source food from a campus garden or farm:
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Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor host a farmers market, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery program, and/or urban agriculture project, or support such a program in the local community?:
No

A brief description of the farmers market, CSA or urban agriculture project:
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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?:
Yes

A brief description of the vegan dining program:

All students have multiple vegan and vegetarian options available at each meal. These option include complex and complete proteins, if desired. Dining services works to ensure that all types of consumers receive holistic and nutritious meals.


Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor host low impact dining events (e.g. Meatless Mondays)?:
Yes

A brief description of the low impact dining events:

Central Michigan University practices Meatless Mondays. Each Monday, campus wide dining offers several vegetarian and vegan options in order to reduce the amount of animal products consumed on campus. This initiative is advertised around campus and on social media.


Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor host sustainability-themed meals (e.g. local harvest dinners)?:
No

A brief description of the sustainability-themed meals:
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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?:
No

A brief description of the sustainability-themed food outlet:
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Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor inform customers about low impact food choices and sustainability practices through labeling and signage in dining halls?:
Yes

A brief description of the sustainability labeling and signage in dining halls:

All dining has signage about health benefits of low impact options, nutrition information regarding each option and examples of healthy, sustainable living, available for each student, electronically. CMU also offers signage around campus, as well as at dining commons about the benefits of recycling, composting and eating diverse healthy meals.


Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor engage in outreach efforts to support learning and research about sustainable food systems?:
Yes

A brief description of the outreach efforts to support learning and research about sustainable food systems:

CMU's dining halls host several sustainability and healthy outreach events each year. Tabling within the dining commons often takes place, in order to educate incoming students about healthy, low impact, dining choice. Events also include composting education, trayless dining education, agricultural (food-to-table) education and many other special interest topics.


Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor have other sustainability-related initiatives (e.g. health and wellness initiatives, making culturally diverse options available)?:
Yes

A brief description of the other sustainability-related dining initiatives:

Central Michigan University strives to offer culturally diverse options in all dining halls. Items such as sushi, curry, Mediterranean, vegetarian, vegan, kosher, dairy free, gluten free and many other options are available throughout the year at each of the dining halls.


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?:
Yes

A brief description of the food recovery competition or commitment program or food waste prevention system:

Central Michigan University participates in the annual food recovery challenge.

"As part of EPA's Food Recovery Challenge, organizations pledge to improve their sustainable food management practices and report their results. The FRC is part of EPA's Sustainable Materials Management Program (SMM). SMM seeks to reduce the environmental impact of materials through their entire life cycle. This includes how they are extracted, manufactured, distributed, used, reused, recycled, and disposed.
Organizations are encouraged to follow the Food Recovery Hierarchy to prioritize their actions to prevent and divert wasted food."

https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-management-food/food-recovery-challenge-frc


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?:
Yes

A brief description of the trayless dining or modified menu/portion program:

All CMU dining commons have reusable dining ware. this includes all plates, glassware and cutlery. In the event that a dining common must rely on disposable materials, all backup materials are compostable.


Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor donate food that would otherwise go to waste to feed people?:
Yes

A brief description of the food donation program:

Central Michigan University works with the Isabella County Soup Kitchen to ensure that any perishable food items the University will not use in time, will be donated so that the people of the community may reap the benefits of nourishment.


Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor divert food materials from the landfill, incinerator or sewer for animal feed or industrial uses (e.g. converting cooking oil to fuel, on-site anaerobic digestion)?:
Yes

A brief description of the food materials diversion program:

Central Michigan University diverts all unwanted/waste cooking oil to Darling Inc. to be converted into bio-fuels. No used oil within Dining Services is disposed of in a traditional manner.


Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor have a pre-consumer composting program?:
Yes

A brief description of the pre-consumer composting program:

All pre-consumer waste generated on campus is composted within the University composting program. Central Michigan University features a zero waste dining program, campus wide.


Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor have a post-consumer composting program?:
Yes

A brief description of the post-consumer composting program:

All post-consumer waste generated on campus is composted within the University composting program. This process is also a function of CMU's zero waste dining program. All waste generated within the Dining Services is composted.


Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor utilize reusable service ware for “dine in” meals?:
Yes

A brief description of the reusable service ware program:

All dine-in service ware is reusable. After each individual dines in, they are able to take service ware to a drop off location, where unwanted organic waste is composted and service ware is cleaned and set aside for reuse by others.


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)?:
Yes

A brief description of the compostable containers and service ware:

All containers that are used for take-away meals from on-campus dining services use compostable packaging, compostable napkins, as well as compostable dining ware.


Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor offer discounts or other incentives to customers who use reusable containers (e.g. mugs) instead of disposable or compostable containers in “to-go” food service operations?:
Yes

A brief description of the reusable container discount or incentives program:

Individuals who bring in their own container, receive discounts on beverages offered on campus. This incentive promotes the reduction of disposable containers.


Has the institution or its primary dining services contractor implemented other materials management initiatives to minimize waste not covered above (e.g. working with vendors and other entities to reduce waste from food packaging)?:
Yes

A brief description of other dining services materials management initiatives:

CMU works hand-in-hand with vendors and contractors who actively attempt to reduce waste, use recycled materials, as well as those who will provide the university with compostable materials. Central Michigan University favors vendors and contractors who provide the above opportunities, creating a demand more heightened sustainability within the vendor community.


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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