Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 49.65
Liaison Jennifer Bodine
Submission Date Feb. 19, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Weber State University
OP-8: Sustainable Dining

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.38 / 2.00 Hailey Burton
Food Sustainability Coordinator
Facilities Management
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor have a published sustainable dining policy?:
Yes

A brief description of the sustainable dining policy:

"Sodexo works to reduce environmental impacts at client sites, promote sustainable sourcing practices and optimize natural resource consumption. Sodexo has identified eight commitments for protecting the environment."


Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor source food from a campus garden or farm?:
No

A brief description of the program to source food from a campus garden or farm:
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Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor host a farmers market, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery program, and/or urban agriculture project, or support such a program in the local community?:
No

A brief description of the farmers market, CSA or urban agriculture project:
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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 Wildcat Room has a Meatless Mondays program. Tres Habaneros, Stone Pizza, the Garden Artist, and the Wildcat Room in the Shepherd Union provide vegan dining options every day.


Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor host low impact dining events (e.g. Meatless Mondays)?:
Yes

A brief description of the low impact dining events:

The Wildcat room has a Meatless Monday program.


Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor host sustainability-themed meals (e.g. local harvest dinners)?:
No

A brief description of the sustainability-themed meals:
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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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Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor inform customers about low impact food choices and sustainability practices through labeling and signage in dining halls?:
Yes

A brief description of the sustainability labeling and signage in dining halls:

Sodexo labels their food with the following icons: vegan, vegetarian, local, and organic.


Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor engage in outreach efforts to support learning and research about sustainable food systems?:
Yes

A brief description of the outreach efforts to support learning and research about sustainable food systems:

With help from Sodexo and the Energy & Sustainability Office, we have made great improvements to the campus dining program. These include everything from buying Fair Trade coffee to composting pre-consumer food waste with our Earth Tub. A detailed list of current projects is available below:

Sodexo is dedicated to sustainability. Here at Weber State, they have implemented many programs specific to our university and help us to reach our goals within the ones that we have implemented:

(1) In partnership with the Shepherd Union, Weber Dining composts all waste trimmings into an industrial Earth Bin.

(2) In partnership with the Botany Department and the Energy & Sustainability Office, Weber Dining is working on getting our on-campus community garden running.

(3) The Food Recovery Network gathers volunteers to help pick up and transport uneaten food from Sodexo to the Lantern House, a local homeless shelter.

(4) Sodexo utilizes Lean Path to weigh all of the food waste in the kitchen and track the results.

(5) Sodexo works hard to get as many ingredients used from local sources and take advantage of fresh fruits and vegetables that are naturally in season here in the west.

(6) Sodexo has a reusable mug program where fountain drinks, coffee, and tea can be refilled with a savings of up to 58 cents off every time in every location.

(7) Sodexo's all clear cups, used mostly in catering, are biodegradable, as well as some items in their “Simply to Go” program. They are actively expanding their inventory of biodegradable products.


Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor have other sustainability-related initiatives (e.g. health and wellness initiatives, making culturally diverse options available)?:
No

A brief description of the other sustainability-related dining initiatives:
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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 utilizes Lean Path to track and prevent food waste in the kitchen.


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?:
No

A brief description of the trayless dining or modified menu/portion program:
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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:

WSU has a Food Recovery Network chapter that works with our food service provider, Sodexo, to get leftover food from events to local homeless shelters. Sodexo also donates food to the Weber Cares Food Pantry which is available to students in need.


Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor divert food materials from the landfill, incinerator or sewer for animal feed or industrial uses (e.g. converting cooking oil to fuel, on-site anaerobic digestion)?:
Yes

A brief description of the food materials diversion program:

Some of the food waste leaving Sodexo's kitchen is taken to a local pig farmer. The rest is composted on site in the Earth Tub.


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:

In the summer of 2012 WSU purchased and installed an Earth Tub to compost all of the pre-consumer food waste generated by the kitchen staff at the Shepherd Union. All food prepared for conferences, the campus food court, and the campus buffet (The Wildcat Room) is prepared at the Shepherd Union.


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:
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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:

In the Wildcat Room, the dining area, chinaware is used rather than plastic or disposable utensils, etc.


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 (e.g. mugs) instead of disposable or compostable containers in “to-go” food service operations?:
Yes

A brief description of the reusable container discount or incentives program:

A mug can either be purchased from Sodexo or you can bring your own and receive 58 cents off any refill of coffee or soda.


Has the institution or its primary dining services contractor implemented other materials management initiatives to minimize waste not covered above (e.g. working with vendors and other entities to reduce waste from food packaging)?:
No

A brief description of other dining services materials management initiatives:
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The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives 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.