Overall Rating Silver
Overall Score 52.60
Liaison Hayley Berliner
Submission Date Oct. 23, 2024

STARS v2.2

Trinity College (CT)
OP-8: Sustainable Dining

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.80 / 2.00 Hayley Berliner
Sustainability Coordinator
Finance & Operations
"---" 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 college created a community garden where anyone from the community can reserve a plot to grow their own produce. The department in charge of the garden also hosts educational series to further educate local gardeners.

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:
We have dedicated vegan and plant based stations in our main dining facility. We also have a dedicated plant base/vegan menu for catered events.

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:
We offer vegan breakfast options and operate a plant based station, Rooted, for lunch and dinner 7 days /week. Rooted is focused on real, wholesome foods with minimally-processed ingredients that are completely plant-based. Recipes for this station revolve around flavor and bringing excitement to plant-based dining with international and comfort foods. This program brings a little bit of everything. With spices originating in the Middle East such as Baharat, to street food favorites like Pad Thai and comfort foods like “meat” loaf with creamy mashed potatoes, there is truly something for everyone to enjoy

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:
We have several marketing materials through out the dining hall outlining our purchasing practices that are sustainable and ethically produced

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:
Waste Not is a web-based tool that will allow accounts to track and measure their food waste at the station level. Chartwells uses this tool to take ownership of their product and food cost and tell each stations' waste story to Trinity. Using Waste Not, Chartwells is able to pinpoint where the majority of our waste is coming from and why.

Dining services has also partnered with the office of community service to run a food recovery program.

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:
Trays have been removed from all units.

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:
Unserved food is packaged by the dining staff and donated to local shelters by students.

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:
We contract with Blue Earth composting diverting pre and post-consumer waste.

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:
We contract with Blue Earth composting diverting pre and post-consumer waste.

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:
We contract with Blue Earth composting diverting pre and post-consumer waste. Post-consumer compost is collected only in the main dining hall where students scrape their plates into compost bins

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:
Used in our "all you care to eat" resident dining facility.

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)?:
Yes

A brief description of the compostable containers and service ware:
We currently offer two different containers in our retail dining facilities. Options for to go containers included Compostable Fiber Containers or reusable to go containers.

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:
There is a discount for using reusable coffee mugs in our retail operations.

Optional Fields

A brief description of other sustainability-related initiatives not covered above:
All three of our dining facilities are 3 Star certified with the Green Restaurant Association

Website URL where information about the sustainable dining programs is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.