Sustainability on Campus

ARAMARK Higher Education and Mercer Dining Services are committed to protecting the environment by utilizing resources that preserve and maintain a healthier way of life for our community, students, faculty and staff.

Mercer Dining Services is proud of our sustainability efforts on the Mercer University campus. 

Here are just a few of the things we do to a promote a "greener" atmosphere:

• Trayless Dining: Mercer Dining is "trayless" to save energy and water by eliminating the need to wash trays.
• Toby's Refill Cup: Purchase your own Refill Cup to help save on unnecassary cup use. Also recieve discount at any location on campus. Drink Local; Act Global. Save the world one cup at a time.
• Recycling: We recycle cardboard, napkins, paper towels, office paper and used cooking oil. We also purchase recycled office paper.
• Local produce: The Fresh Food Company is proud to support our local farmers.
  • We purchase in-season produce from growers located closest to Macon.  
    • Starbucks and Java City provide the fair trade and organic coffees we serve to you every day here on campus. 
    • Living Fresh R&G Farm provides the Fresh Food Company with it's heads of lettuce that are effectively grown in a climate-controlled greenhouse, feeding from nutrient-rich water regulated by a computer. The computer monitors the lettuce 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, while regulating temperature and humidity as well.
    • We purchase milk and bread locally.
• Chemical usage: We use only environmentally friendly Green Seal chemicals.
• Water and electricity: We practice modified usage of water and electricity.
• Seafood advisory purchasing: We use Monterey Bay Seafood Advisory Purchasing to buy seafood. MBSA monitors seafood production to make sure all seafood purchased through MBSA is of the best quality for consumption.
• Energy conservation: We are able to conserve energy by not turning on our dish washers until 9 a.m. each day.
  • We also use Energy Star appliances.

For more information on ARAMARK's Green Thread sustainability program, click on the 'Green Thread' tab under the 'Sustainability on Campus' tab.