Overall Rating Bronze - expired
Overall Score 40.09
Liaison Allison Jenks
Submission Date March 5, 2021

STARS v2.2

New Mexico State University
OP-8: Sustainable Dining

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.80 / 2.00 Allison Jenks
Facilities Sustainability Manager
Facilities and Services
"---" 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:
The university hosts the Peak of Las Cruces farmers market every fall semester. NMSU also regularly provides an informational table to participate in the city's Las Cruces Farmers and Crafts Market Nights.

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?:
No

A brief description of the sustainability-themed food outlet:
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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?:
No

A brief description of the support for disadvantaged businesses, social enterprises, and/or local SMEs:
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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:
Sodexo hosts weekly tabling regarding low impact food choices by highlighting menu options from its Mindful Mondays menu options. Weekly tablings also highlight the Wild Mushroom station which focuses solely on low impact dining in the form of vegetarian and vegan food options.

Every Earth Day, Sodexo also partners with NMSU Housing and Residential Life to host Weigh the Waste in the campus dining hall. Student participants weigh food waste from their dinners, and the dorm with the lowest proportion of food waste to residents receives a pizza party.

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:
Sodexo offers vegan and vegetarian options at the food station "The Wild Mushroom". Individual menus can be created for specific dining requirements or preferences by meeting with the chef and the nutritionist.

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:
The dining hall displays clear signage about fair trade and local sourcing of food and beverages. Sodexo retail operations also uses labeling and signage to highlight sustainability practices.

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:
Sodexo hosts the Weigh the Waste food waste reduction competition annually in the dining hall. Sodexo also provides weekly donations of recoverable food from the residential dining hall to the campus Food Recovery Network student chapter. The food is then transported to the local soup kitchen in frozen easy-to carry containers so the kitchen can serve the food at their convenience.

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:
NMSU went to trayless dining in spring 2010 with the previous food service provider. We decreased the amount of waste as well as conserved water and energy. The new food service provider, Sodexo Campus Services, has continued this practice.

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:
NMSU donates produce and canned items to local shelters. Sodexo sponsors one food drive per semester. All food collected is donated to the campus food pantry. Additionally, Sodexo provides weekly food donations to the local Food Recovery Network.

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:
Glandless cotton is grown on the NMSU Leyendecker Plant Science Center. The glandless cotton seed is turned into cottonseed oil and given to our food services vendor who uses it in their fryers at NMSU Taos Café. When the oil needs to be changed in the fryers the used oil is put in a cottonseed oil bio-fueled vehicle and taken back to Leyendecker. That oil is then used as bio-fuel to run the motors that water the cotton.

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:
Sodexo has implemented LeanPath waste management tool where pre-consumer waste is weighed and disposed of separately. This is the first step on the way to implementing the composting program. Sodexo is currently working with the Compost Clube student organization to contribute dining hall food scraps to their composting heap.

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:
Through our Hotel Restaurant Tourism Management (HRTM) program the College of Agriculture, Environmental and Consumer Sciences, has a cafe where the students learn to prepare food and serve. Food from the plots supplies vegetables to the Agriculture College "100 West Café", composting the leftovers, and using the compost to enrich the soil in the 2-acre organic-certified garden.

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:
"Dine in" meals at the dining hall utilize reusable service ware.

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:
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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:
Sodexo sells reusable mugs at all dining venues. Discounts are offered when mug is used at retail locations and coffee is free in the main Taos Dining Hall.

Optional Fields

A brief description of other sustainability-related initiatives not covered above:
Sodexo partners with the NMSU Campus Health Center to provide guests with information about making healthy dining choices.

Website URL where information about the sustainable dining programs is available:
https://nmsudining.sodexomyway.com/

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