Category Archives: College

Friday Buffet

Nice to see the UN taking the issue of food waste seriously. Now how about the US? (More on this topic on Monday.) — — British chefs provide some insight on really using up all of your food. French-fried potato peels? Now that’s crafty. — — The ValuWaste system is popular at Seattle University. Despite […]

February 20, 2009 | Also posted in Composting, Friday Buffet, International, Waste Stream | Comments closed

Trays a la carte

Loyal WF reader Dan Livingston recently e-mailed in with this question: Is there any rationale for going trayless in a non-all-you-can eat setting? If diners pay for each item, do trays encourage waste? As far as I know, traylessness isn’t useful for reducing waste in an a la carte setting. But maybe some of you have experiences that […]

February 19, 2009 | Also posted in General, Trayless | Comments closed

Collegiate Soft Count

Saint Mary’s College of Indiana recently weighed food waste at a meal, as you can see in this local news report. They got 268 pounds, which means absolutely nothing without some context like the number of students. I thought it’d be fun to try to figure that out. So…1,628 St. Mary’s students x 81 percent […]

February 5, 2009 | Posted in College | Comments closed

Bull(dog)ish on Waste

Ever vigilant in the face of enviromental challenges, the editorial board at Yale’s student paper doffed their top hats and canes and tried out this trayless business. Their conclusion: “Keep Trays in Dining Halls.” These are obviously bright people, which makes it even more puzzling that after recognizing the environmental benefits of traylessness, they’d choose […]

February 3, 2009 | Also posted in Trayless | Comments closed

Friday Buffet

A vermicomposter in every kitchen? GreenWiggler provides the knowhow for a simple, D.I.Y. worm bin. — — A Notre Dame student plans to start a composting program. And not a moment too soon, as the average Golden Dome diner wastes more than a quarter pound (5.03 ounces) per meal. — — While things are looking up […]

January 30, 2009 | Also posted in Composting, Household, International, Vermiculture | Comments closed

Watching What You Eat?

I’m pretty psyched to see how the Meal Plan project progresses. In it, a Bryn Mawr student will upload photos of her dining hall tray after meals. (Sorry–trays, what are those?) One thought: How much will the Heisenberg Effect, the idea that the act of observing alters what is being observed, impact the photos? If […]

January 26, 2009 | Also posted in Household | Comments closed

Trayless = Pay Less?

I was thrilled to see the guys at Freakonomics address the topic of traylessness. It’s nice exposure for the issue and will hopefully sway the three remaining colleges who still use trays to abandon them. (Fine, there are a few more than that. Seriously, though, if you’re still using trays, it’s time.) But…as a few […]

January 14, 2009 | Also posted in General, Trayless | Comments closed

Trimming Waste and Budgets on Campus

In what’s sure to become a familiar story, Haverford College Dining Services needs to trim 10 percent from its budget. While most of the cuts will be labor-related, the school also realizes that cutting food waste can help. Abundant (some would say excessive) choice has been the first casualty: Dining Services is also cutting back […]

December 10, 2008 | Also posted in General | Comments closed

Happy Returns

I’m finally back home, after a relaxing, leftover-sandwich-filled Thanksgiving trip. No sooner did I return than I found this AP story on food waste. After paying so much attention to household food waste, with Thanksgiving, let’s return our gaze to the hospitality industry and institutional kitchens. I’m encouraged to hear that Virginia Tech has cut […]

December 1, 2008 | Also posted in Casino, Restaurant, Trayless | Comments closed

The Weight of Waste

These are exciting times, as colleges from Alaska to Florida are making efforts to reduce their food waste. As part of Operation Dine and Dish, environmental science students at the University of Alaska Anchorage, are displaying cafeteria food waste in a clearn bin. The student-run study will report its findings to the school sustainability council, which will […]

November 26, 2008 | Posted in College | Comments closed