Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 56.72
Liaison Christie-Joy Hartman
Submission Date May 12, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

James Madison University
EN-5: Outreach Campaign

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.00 / 4.00 Charlie Leventry
Sustainability Coordinator
Aramark
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Has the institution held at least one sustainability-related outreach campaign during the previous three years that was directed at students and yielded measurable, positive results in advancing sustainability? :
Yes

Has the institution held at least one sustainability-related outreach campaign during the previous three years that was directed at employees and yielded measurable, positive results in advancing sustainability?:
Yes

Name of the campaign:
Weigh the Waste

A brief description of the campaign, including how students and/or employees were engaged:

There are a total of 3 all you care-to-eat (residential) dining facilities on JMU’s campus. While consumers enjoy the endless food, food waste is a real concern to contend with. Aramark at JMU conducts Weigh the Waste initiatives each semester at a residential dining location to raise awareness of food waste and encourage guests to take only what they can eat. The Weigh the Waste campaigns are for a week long during the lunch period.

Dining Services will partner with environmental student groups on campus to help staff the station and keep a line moving during busy periods. The Weigh the Waste station is setup in front of the normal dish return and tables with clear bins are setup for all leftover food to be discarded in. Signage is displayed presenting food waste facts (i.e. 1/3 of all food is wasted.) In addition, daily and week-to-date weight totals are posted so guests can see the impact directly. At the end, all the food waste is weighed and divided by the total number of guests to determine the food waste per person.


A brief description of the measured positive impact(s) of the campaign:

For each Weigh the Waste campaign, food waste decreased by a minimum of 25% per person by the end of the week. The greatest impact was a 47% food waste per person reduction. Nearly 10,000 guests, including both students and employees, have participated in the campaign. In the attached results documentation, the campaigns at East Campus Dining Hall were conducted in 2016, while the one at Mrs. Greens was in Fall 2015.


The website URL where information about the campaign is available:
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Name of the campaign (2nd campaign):
Why Wait? Donate!

A brief description of the campaign, including how students and/or employees were engaged (2nd campaign):

The Office of Residence Life and Facilities Management conduct an annual residence hall move-out program called "Why Wait? Donate!" Special collection areas are established to collect donated items. The campaign message included in the "Residence Hall Move Out Information" is, "Items you wish to donate to 'Why Wait? Donate!' should be taken to the appropriate locations in your hall. We'll give it to charitable organizations to keep it out of the landfill." Signs are also posted in the residence halls.


A brief description of the measured positive impact(s) of the campaign (2nd campaign):

Donated items are given to the Salvation Army, Mercy House, Goodwill, and the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. The volume of donations is visually estimated and recorded annually.


The website URL where information about the campaign is available (2nd campaign):
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A brief description of other sustainability-related outreach campaigns, including measured positive impacts:

JMU annually participates in RecycleMania. The campaign includes messaging at locations across campus, such as in the Dining Halls. Also, signage for recycling, composting, and landfill is regularly updated. Messaging targets students and employees.

In the Grand Champion category, JMU's results are 24.8% in 2014, 39.1% in 2015, and 35.3% in 2016. A description of the Grand Champion category is at http://recyclemaniacs.org/participate/rules/divisions-categories/diversion.


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

Responsible party for "Weigh Your Waste": Charlie Leventry, Sustainability Coordinator, Dining Services

Responsible party for "Why Wait, Donate?": Holmes Browne, Assistant Director, Business Services, Office of Residence Life

Responsible party for RecycleMania: Jason Rexrode, Supervisor, Recycling/Waste Management


Responsible party for "Weigh Your Waste": Charlie Leventry, Sustainability Coordinator, Dining Services

Responsible party for "Why Wait, Donate?": Holmes Browne, Assistant Director, Business Services, Office of Residence Life

Responsible party for RecycleMania: Jason Rexrode, Supervisor, Recycling/Waste Management

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.