The following examples are some of the ways JMU Dining Services is working to reduce our ecological footprint

Farmers' Market
After positive feedback following the introduction of on-campus Farmers' Markets in 2008, Dining Services partnered with area farmers for two more on-campus Farmers' Markets in Fall 2009.  In addition to locally-grown fruits and vegetables, flowering plants and kettle corn were available for purchase by cash, Dining Dollars or FLEX.

SUSTAINABLE TO GO OPTIONS!

Mrs. Green's and Let's Go Reusable Carry Out Containers
Reduce the burden on landfills
- purchase a container for $3.49
- use the container for take out
- choose from 2 return options depending on your schedule
  1) empty the container and return it to a cashier at Mrs. Greens or Let's Go immediately after eating. The cashier will swipe your JACcard to show that you have returned your container. (Benefit: no need to carry the container around campus after your meal)
  2) OR at your next visit, return the empty, rinsed container to the cashier at Mrs. Green's or Let's Go in exchange for a clean container (Benefit: no need to make a special trip back to Mrs. Green's or Let's Go to return the container after your meal)

Mrs. Green's also uses Eco-Products biodegradable "to go" containers
These food containers are:
- produced by recycling sugarcane pulp that is normally discarded or burned
- certified compostable by Biodregadable Products Institute (BPI)
- grease and cut resistant
- microwave safe
And sugarcane is a rapidly renewing resource that takes only 18 months to grow and harvest.

The Festival is a proud participant in the Virginia Green campaign.  Click here to learn more.

Freshens introduces the first fully renewable and 100% compostable cup lid.  It is not only compostable but also responsible for significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions during manufacturing.  This environmentally responsible lid will be available at the UREC Smoothie Bar and Freshens stores nationwide. 

Greenlight Biofuels
Since Spring 2009, JMU Dining Services has been recycling 100% of its fryer oil into biodiesel with Greenlight Biofuels. 

Green reusable bags are sold in all food courts on campus
Help reduce the number of plastic bags in our landfills by using a green reusable shopping bag.

D-Hall, East Campus Dining Hall, and Mrs. Greens are TRAYLESS!c
Did you know?
For every tray used
- more than 1/2 gallon of water is wasted in the cleaning process
- polluting detergents enter the water table
3,000 people eat at D-Hall each day.  If everyone goes trayless, that's quite an impact!
D-Hall's dish return system saves you time, and it's good for the Earth.

The annual recycle mug is not just a collector's item
Using your recycle mug reduces waste in landfills and gets you a discounton refills, too.

Fair Trade coffee is available at all Starbucks and Java City locations on Campus
In addition to promoting environmentally sustainable farming methods, Fair Trade products also promote fair prices, fair labor conditions, direct trade, and community development.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
Look for recycling containers in all food courts.  For more information about recyclable materials, visit JMU Recycling's website.

Locally grown and in-season
As part of our local purchasing initiative, JMU Dining Services is teaming up with Produce Source Partners, Virginia’s largest independent produce distributor. Produce Source Partners supports farmers in Virginia and North Carolina. Local produce is available in-season and includes tomatoes, zucchini, cabbage, watermelon, bell peppers, apples, sweet potatoes, and cucumbers. And D-Hall now serves locally grown potatoes from Dayton, VA.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Both the East Campus Dining Hall and Carrier Library Starbucks were designed according to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System and are currently seeking LEED certification. 

Water Conservation
A key focus of the LEED rating system is water savings.  Water-efficient plumbing fixtures in the East Campus Dining Hall include dual-flush toilets, waterless urinals, and ultra low-flow lavatories and kitchen sinks.  All of these features will contribute to an anticipated reduction in water use of 54% (181,948 gallons annually). Trayless dining in D-Hall, East Campus Dining Hall, and Mrs. Greens further adds to campus water savings.

Energy Conservation
The East Campus Dining Hall was built with energy conservation in mind--examples include kitchen hoods with optical sensors to reduce fan speed during idle cooking times, variable air-volume and energy recovery HVAC units, and the use of daylight in conjunction with electric lighting.  Dining Services understands that energy savings is more than just building design, so each dining location has a training program for energy management.  Furthermore, all future equipment purchases will be evaluated in terms of energy efficiency.

For more information on Dining Services' commitment to Environmental Stewardship, please click here.