Responsible Procurement: Environmentally Sensitive Purchasing Decisions 

Below is a list of CMU Campus Dining’s sustainable efforts in the category of Responsible Procurement. (For more information about this topic, click here.)

• Reusable bags are available for purchase in all C-Stores and Campus Snack Store.  
• Disposable packaging for Express Grab and Go and Meals 2 Go is biodegradable
• All Styrofoam products, stored in the Residential Restaurants in the event of a dish machine malfunction, have been eliminated and replaced with biodegradable and compostable products.  Plastic cutlery has been replaced with “potatoware” http://www.greengood.com/, and straws have been replaced with recycle based products. Retail locations and the Catering department are also using compostable and biodegradable disposables wherever possible.
• Office Paper purchased for printers and copiers is 35% post-consumer content, and vegetable ink is used wherever possible.
• Other paper products, such as toilet tissue, facial tissue, paper towels and napkins re produced from 100% recycled materials.  www.gfs.com/en/products-our-brands/array.page
• Recycled toners and printer cartridges are used in all areas

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Waste Management: RecycleMania, Zero Waste, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Composting

Below is a list of CMU Campus Dining’s sustainable efforts in the category of Waste Management. (For more information about this topic, click here.)

• Meal Plans and FLEX ordering are available through ecommerce to reduce paper waste. http://www.cmucampusdining.com/
• Trayless Dining featured in our Residential Restaurants to conserve water and energy, reduce the amount of chemicals used and minimize food waste.  Waste was reduced 33% after going trayless in the fall 2008 semester. 
• Our Java City locations provide recycle bins and signage to encourage recycling of coffee jackets.
• Our napkin holders across campus are one-at-a-time style and napkins are imprinted “Save the environment – one napkin at a time – made with 100% recycled material”, minimizing waste
• Campus Dining participates in the Terracycle program, providing bins in all locations for collecting a variety of packaging/wrappers which are sent to Terracycle and reused for the production of pencil cases, book bags, clipboards and more  http://www.terracycle.net/   Compensation for Terracycled products supports the Isabella Community Soup Kitchen and Feeding America.
• A recycling program is in full force at all locations across campus.  Campus Dining recycles cardboard, office paper, register receipts, newspapers, magazines, glass, plastic, aluminum, batteries, CFL bulbs, toners and printer cartridges.
• CMU Campus Dining, in partnership with Facilities Management, has participated in Recyclemania – a national recycling competition – in 2008-2011www.recyclemaniacs.org
• Java City locations offer a discount for guests who bring in a reusable mug
• Our “Joe to Grow” program in Java City locations features complimentary coffee grounds to our guests to use for composting and fertilizing purposes.
• Campus Dining has provided used fryer oil to the CMU Chemistry Department for a pilot bio-diesel fuel production program. 
• Currently, our remaining used fryer oil is diverted to 100% sustainable use by Darling International, a Michigan based company, www.darlingii.com.  We ensure maximize life of our fryer oil through daily filtering and educating our staff in proper handling of the oil.
• In March, 2010, Campus Dining, in partnership with the Student Environmental Alliance, Facilities Management and Recycling Coordinators started up a pilot composting program. Since the Fall of 2010, all four Residential Restaurants have provided pre-consumer waste to be composted. A composting site was added for Catering Kitchen, Down Under Food Court, Goodies to Go, and Starbucks. Both Java City locations also compost coffee grounds on a regular basis.
• Zero Waste- In March 2012, Robinson Residential Restaurant, in partnership with Facilities Management and Future Organics (http://www.futureenvironmental.com/) conducted a Zero Waste Pilot program for 8 weeks, composting ALL food products, including plate waste, paper and wax coated cardboard. These products were taken to composting facilities, primarily to Morgan Composting located in Sears, Michigan, where they were processed and utilized for several programs: the manufacture of organic fertilizer, the creation of a natural gas alternative to be used directly as fuel, or for the production of electricity (http://www.dairydoo.com/). In the 8 week pilot, we reduced our landfill waste from 86% of the total of compost waste and landill waste combined to 5.9% of the total landfill and compost waste combined. During the month of April, our waste weighed 7.71 tons. .46 tons went to a landfill and 7.25 tons were diverted to compost. This means that 94% of the total tonage of waste was diverted. We will impliment this program this program in April 2013 at 2 locations with the expectation of getting all four Residential Restaurants and Barnes Kitchen on board by Fall 2013.
• All Residential Restaurants eliminated the use of sugar and creamer packets/cups, and currently use reusable sugar shakers, and creamer in recyclable containers.
• All Residential Locations are using reusable Evo Spray Bottles for cooking oils in operations, reducing the use of aerosol cans.
• Campus Dining and Residence Life gave all Resident Students a BPA-free water bottle in the fall of 2012, encouraging students to "reusue" and reduce waste.

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Energy & Water Conservation: Reduction, Technical Solutions, Renewable Energy, etc.

Below is a list of CMU Campus Dining's sustainable efforts in the category of Energy & Water Conservation.

• Energy efficient CFL bulbs are used in all our locations where applicable.
• Flow reduction devices installed on faucets reduced the water flow from 2.5 gallons per minute to .5 gallons per minute, and on spray heads, toilets and urinals, water flow has been reduced to 1.5 gallons per minute.
• General energy reduction and water conservation practices are in place in all of our operations, such as operating lights, equipment, hood fans, disposals, etc. only when necessary and shutting down coolers and freezers during down times.
• Facilities implemented an energy reduction plan in all kitchens during the 2010-11 academic year, installing curtains in various production areas to direct/control air flow and reduce unnecessary exhaust draw for most efficient use of energy.

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Education and Awareness

Below is a list of CMU Campus Dining's accomplishments towards our commitment to educate about sustainability on the campus of CMU.

• A Sustainability section is included in both our full-time and student employee hand books, ensuring our staff is aware of our Sustainability platform.  We have incorporated Sustainability into our employee training programs to further educate our staff and keep them updated on our initiatives.
• We have created a Sustainability Policy Guide and developed a Sustainability Audit for all locations to ensure that we are consistently adhering to standards.
• Campus Dining has teamed up with General Mills for the Drive to Go Green and Live Green Get Green Sweepstakes, http://www.generalmills.com/
• CMU Campus Dining has participated in CMU’s Education for a Sustainable Present and Future Conference in 2009 and CMU’s Global Think-in,  April 2010
• Throughout Earth Week, Campus Dining provides a variety of information (benefits of eating vegetarian, tips on how to be more sustainable and what Campus Dining has done for sustainability) and activities (Dim the Lights at Dinner, Make Your Mark thumb print posters, allowing students to Pledge to Go Green, and What’s Important To Me, allowing students to identify what is most important to them pertaining to the environment and going green.)  We also participate in the Earth Day Event on Warriner Mall, with our Food Crew available to provide information on sustainability.  And, we celebrate Earth Day with a special themed dinner – in 2010, we celebrated Earth Day’s 40^th birthday with a dinner featuring menu items from Michigan producers.
• Our Just4U program provides education on and identification of healthy options available in our locations, allowing students to make healthy, sustainable food choices.
• Our November Harvest Dinner menu is a blend of Michigan products and traditional Thanksgiving favorites enjoyed by students in the four Residential Restaurants. 

http://www.sustainabletable.org/

http://www.food.change.org/

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