Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 51.92
Liaison Jonathan Lantz-Trissel
Submission Date July 26, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Eastern Mennonite University
OP-8: Sustainable Dining

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.13 / 2.00 Bruce Emmerson
Food Services Director
Pioneer College Catering
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor have a published sustainable dining policy?:
No

A brief description of the sustainable dining policy:
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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?:
Yes

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

On Wednesdays during the growing season students from the student-run campus gardens hold a campus farmers market with produce sales to students at reduced prices and employees at full price.


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?:
No

A brief description of the vegan dining program:

Eastern Mennonite University has available vegan and vegetarian options for its students at every meal in its cafeteria. Main dishes including vegan soups and entrees are available for most meals, but if its not always a prepared dish, there is a stir fry station and the salad bar available. The salad bar includes marinated tofu salad and a variety of beans. Soy milk has also been added as an alternative to dairy.


Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor host low impact dining events (e.g. Meatless Mondays)?:
No

A brief description of the low impact dining events:
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Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor host sustainability-themed meals (e.g. local harvest dinners)?:
Yes

A brief description of the sustainability-themed meals:

EMU dining does an annual local harvest meal in the fall on the front lawn soon after students get to campus. All the main ingredients are sourced locally from small farms.


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?:
No

A brief description of the sustainability labeling and signage in dining halls:
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Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor engage in outreach efforts to support learning and research about sustainable food systems?:
No

A brief description of the outreach efforts to support learning and research about sustainable food systems:
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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)?:
No

A brief description of the other sustainability-related dining initiatives:
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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?:
No

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

Eastern Mennonite University has a trayless dining program in which trays are removed from the dining halls. The trays are never in sight, however, if a customer requests a tray, one is provided. The trayless dining program began during the 2008-2009 school year and is intended to continue indefinitely.


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:

Every Friday volunteer students take the left over food from the week to a local Salvation Army homeless shelter. When classes are not in session, cafeteria workers transport the extra food, so food is donated year round.


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:

Cooking oil is picked up by a contractor in Richmond that converts it to biodiesel.


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:

The cafeteria does their best to compost as close to 100 percent of food prep scraps as possible. They have compost bins available and train workers on what can be composted.


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:

Everyone who eats in the cafeteria is responsible for cleaning their own plate before placing it on a conveyer belt to be washed. Two compost bins and one trash can are available with instructions about which bin to place wastes in. In the back of the house, much of the food in reused or donated that goes out on the lines each day. The rest is placed in the compost bins.


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:

No disposable dishes or cups are used in the cafeteria at EMU.


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)?:
No

A brief description of the compostable containers and service ware:

This program is called "Green on the Go". Customers are able to receive a plastic container and silverware for a five dollar deposit. This container can be reused at the snack bar for the duration of the school year for take-out meals. Once the container is returned, the five dollar deposit is given back.


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:

In the University coffee house, Common Grounds, there is a discount for anyone that brings in their own reusable mug.


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)?:
No

A brief description of other dining services materials management initiatives:
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The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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