Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 50.74
Liaison Catherine Lockhart
Submission Date Sept. 23, 2019

STARS v2.2

Lawrence University
OP-8: Sustainable Dining

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.88 / 2.00 Jeff Clark
Professor
Geology
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Part 1. Sustainable dining initiatives

Local community engagement

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?:
Yes

A brief description of the farmers market, CSA or urban agriculture project:
We have a student run organic garden that sell produce 1X a week during the summer and is starting a CSA.

Sustainability-themed outlet

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?:
Yes

A brief description of the sustainability-themed food outlet:
We are a single dining hall campus so we don't have a separate outlet, but our food service provider hosts a number of sustainability themed events (e.g. eat local challenge, low carbon diet) each year. They also feature produce from the student garden. Also there are food stations dedicated to vegan and vegetarian options.

Inclusive and local sourcing

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?:
Yes

A brief description of the support for disadvantaged businesses, social enterprises, and/or local SMEs:
We partner with several local small businesses (e.g. Nye’s, Riverview Gardens, Ledgeview farms, Lamers Dairy).

Estimated percentage of total food and beverage expenditures on products from disadvantaged businesses, social enterprises, and/or local SMEs:
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Low-impact dining

Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor host low impact dining events or promote plant-forward options?:
Yes

A brief description of the low impact dining events and/or plant-forward options:
Yes: Low carbon diet, eat local challenge, weigh the waste, plant-forward grill, etc.

Vegan dining program 

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:
The cafeteria offers a variety of vegan and vegetarian options at breakfast, lunch and dinner. The campus daily menu website allows students to sort by vegan/vegetarian options. There is always one station in the cafeteria that is vegan and vegetarian, but that is not the only food that meets those requirements. There are vegan and vegetarian options at every station. There are always alternatives to the meat options as well.

Labelling and signage 

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?:
Yes

A brief description of the sustainability labelling and signage in dining halls:
All events are well signed and advertised in the dining hall, with table tents, on campus bulletin boards and on the website. Each food station is clearly labeled as Vegan, GF, Veg, etc.

Part 2. Food waste minimization and recovery

Food recovery program

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:
The student groups, Food Recovery Network and Greenfire host food waste reduction challenges each year.

Starting in Fall 2019 Bon Appetit will utilize their version of Lean Path to track food waste.

Trayless dining and portion modifications 

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:
When the Warch Campus Center opened in 2010, trays were eliminated from the dining hall and cafe in an effort to reduce food waste.

Food donation 

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:
Our food service provider regularly donates excess edible food to the local chapter of the Salvation Army.

Additionally, students may choose to donate the balance of their meal plan fund to local charities at the end of the academic year.

The Lawrence University Food Recovery Network recovers leftovers from Bon Appetit three nights a week and brings the food to local charities (50-100lbs/week).

Food materials diversion 

Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor divert food materials from the landfill, incinerator or sewer for animal feed or industrial uses?:
Yes

A brief description of the food materials diversion program:
Used cooking oil is hauled for processing of biofuel, lubricants, and animal feed.

Composting 

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:
Pre-consumer food waste (except meat and bones) is sent to the organic campus garden Sustainable Lawrence University Garden (SLUG) for composting.

Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor have a post-consumer composting program?:
No

A brief description of the post-consumer composting program:
Starting in Fall 2019 all post consumer waste will be handled by an on-site aerobic digester.

Dine-in service ware 

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:
Students, faculty and staff can pay a small deposit for a reusable "clam-shell" container that can be returned to be washed and re-used. A discount is provided for using this and for brining one's own mug for beverages. Dine in customers receive washable cups, mugs, dishes, and cutlery.

Take-away materials 

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:
To go containers and beverages are compostable, to go cutlery is wooden. However this does not make it to our internal composting operation.

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?:
Yes

A brief description of the reusable container discount or incentives program:
The campus cafe offers a discount for bringing and using a reusable mug and for purchases placed in the reusable clam-shells described above.

Optional Fields

A brief description of other sustainability-related initiatives not covered above:
We have eliminated all plastic straws from dining service
We have eliminated plastic bags from all dining services and the campus store
We purchase the majority of our apples locally in reusable boxes and crates
We will start (Fall 2019) diverting all post-consumer food waste from the landfill (ORCA)
Installed a hydroponic growing system (Flex Farm) in the dining hall Summer 2019

Website URL where information about the sustainable dining programs is available:
http://www.bamco.com/timeline/

Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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