Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 72.06
Liaison Dave Barbier
Submission Date March 22, 2024

STARS v2.2

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
OP-8: Sustainable Dining

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Sergio Romero
Data Analyst
Office of Sustainability
"---" 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:
Produce from Nelson and Pade Aquaponics are served at dining locations on campus. Nelson and Pade is in partnership with UW-Stevens Point.

Dining and Summer Conferences also makes purchases from ColdSnap Aquaponics out of Wisconsin Rapids.

The Ed.D. in Educational Sustainability also host a pre-residency event located at Lonely Oak Farm which provides a farm to table dining experience.

There is grant funded research taking place that is seeking to ensure better access to local farmers markets in central Wisconsin, lead by some current and former UWSP students.
https://www.wisconsin.edu/all-in-wisconsin/story/uw-stevens-point-helping-more-people-access-farmers-markets/

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:
CPS Café offers the best natural and organic foods. The menu focuses on healthy eating choices. The food is sourced from sustainable local farms and the café uses green-sustainable practices in the operation.

Homegrown Cafe has a selection of organic and natural foods, as well as fair trade certified foods.

Upper Debot Dining Center provides reduced portions (While providing all-you-care-to-eat style dining) to students in an effort to elimate food waste, but also to encourage students to try foods from all 7 food stations. All food is collected, pulped, and composted on campus

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 make a number of food purchases from instate farmers and local providers

Estimated percentage of total food and beverage expenditures on products from disadvantaged businesses, social enterprises, and/or local SMEs:
25

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:
Dining and Summer Conferences offers meatless options daily.

During Earth week we highlight vegetarian options and promote via social media and signage in our dining locations. We also hosted our “Camp Wilderness” theme meal in which we worked closely with our CNR student organizations to use local and regional foods and recipes highlighting the importance of environmental considerations in food service. Recipes for the event included local foods, invasive species, sustainably
farmed greens and regional flavors.

Upper Debot Dining Center provides reduced portions (While providing all-you-care-to-eat style dining) to students in an effort to elimate food waste, but also to encourage students to try foods from all 7 food stations. All food is collected, pulped, and composted on campus

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:
Daily vegan choices are integrated into the cycle menu. The NetNutrition program is an online program that consumers can search for vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free options being served and allergy information. Vegan and Vegetarian options are clearly labeled on all of our serving lines.

The CPS Cafe offers protein complete vegan offerings daily, but is not open for supper.

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:
University Dining Services communicates its sustainability practices such as composting, local foods, sustainable sourced foods and waste reduction through signage in our dining halls.

Food and beverage products at the CPS Cafe are labeled to specify what farm/ farmer has provided the ingredients used in that product.

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:
Food waste has been tracked in the past as a local university competition.

Upper Debot Dining Center provides reduced portions (While providing all-you-care-to-eat style dining) to students in an effort to elimate food waste, but also to encourage students to try foods from all 7 food stations. All food is collected, pulped, and composted on campus

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:
The Debot Dining Hall, where the University offers all you can eat style dining, is trayless. This was done in an attempt to eliminate food waste.

The program started weekends only for the 2009-10 academic year. Since 2010, the program has been run full time.

Our retail dining locations portion all options appropriately, thus hoping to eliminate wasted food.

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:
Food for Friends - students can donate a meal swipe to the Cupboard to help fellow student in need.

Food is donated to area shelters whenever possible. Food from our on campus day care is donate to the cupboard as well.

The Cupboard is a food pantry open to any current UWSP student who needs emergency or supplemental food. Thousands of students receive need-based financial aid and hundreds are enrolled in food assistance and WIC programs. Many more students encounter short-term financial emergencies and find themselves choosing between buying food and paying other bills. The Cupboard was created to help students meet their basic needs so that they can focus on succeeding in school.

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 collected by the College of Natural Resources for biofuels research and by SANIMAX to be used in biodiesel creation.​ Some events use leftover product for animal feed (Great Apple Crunch).

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:
All pre-consumer waste that is produced in the Dining Services departments is collected by our Resource Recovery department where it is composted and used for fertilizer in flower beds and on practice fields.

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:
All post-consumer waste goes into a pulper which grinds up left over food and removes much of the water. The dehydrated material is added to campus compost.

Residential Living and the Waste Education Center team collects organic waste from the halls. The Grounds department adds the compost to soil for landscaping on campus. Additionally, Bee Campus USA members also use the compost in order to maintain protected gardens and landscapes as needed.

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:
Dining locations with seating for "dine in" meals all provide metal silverware for their patrons which after use will be cleaned and re-used again.

Dining customers are provided with plates, silverware and cups that are all re-useable. We also provide the option of purchasing a “green on the go” container as a re-useable option for those who cannot dine in.

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:
Our fiber to go containers are considered compostable, as are our napkins and hot cups. Our plastic to go cups and silverware are recyclable.

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:
Beginning in March 2014, reusable take-out containers were made available to students in the Dreyfus University Center food court. Students can purchase a food container for $6.00. Each time the container is used, the student receives a $0.50 discount on their food purchase and will be making money after their 13th purchase.
After use, the dirty container is returned to the food court and the student is given a validation ticket to hand to the food service worker when they next want to purchase food in a “Green on the Go” container. Used containers are washed and ready to be handed out again. This program is also available to faculty and staff of the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point.

All reusable mugs are given a 25 cent discount on purchases. Reusable mugs are also available for purchase on campus and are sold at cost.

Optional Fields

A brief description of other sustainability-related initiatives not covered above:
Dining and Summer Conferences promotes an area of sustainability each day during Earth Week. We host theme meals each semester some of which focus on culturally diverse options. We promote our “green on the go” program by offering discounts for the use of re-useable to go containers. We also charge $0.25 for disposable to go ware in order to increase the use of our re-useable containers.

Website URL where information about the sustainable dining programs is available:
https://www.uwsp.edu/news/uwsp-fights-food-insecurity-2023/

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