Food Waste in the Dining Commons

SHDS Sustainability hosted the winter quarter waste studies during week 5. After analyzing our data, we found the following:

• The average amount of edible food waste from all three DC waste studies is 1.34oz per person, which is 34% less than the Fall Quarter waste study. If you left 1.34oz of food on your plate per meal for a year (3 meals a day for 365 days), that equates to 92lbs of food that was grown, produced, transported, and prepared - just to be uneaten.
• We also found that the average amount of liquid waste is 0.63fl oz. per person! If you were to leave behind 0.63 fl oz for every meal over a year (3 meals a day for 365 days), that would equate to 86 cups of your favorite beverage that someone else could have enjoyed.
• 9.5 pounds of napkin waste or about 3.5 napkins per person.

When eating in the dining commons, you can help reduce food waste with simple steps like choosing smaller portions or choosing a familiar plate. The following initiatives can help you in those moments:

Just Ask!

Would you like to get a burger, but the buns might be too much? Or would like more chicken
instead of rice? You can always ask the staff member to remove an item or garnish you do not want or get a customized plate; they will gladly help you with the request (and you can enjoy more of what you like!)

Try-a-Taste

This feature allows you to ask any chef or staff member for a sample of a dish before you commit to a full plate. This can help you figure out if you like that new menu item and potentially avoid the plate from going to waste.

Join us at the Resident Gardens

Many of our winter vegetables are almost ready to go. Come to the Resident Gardens this week and help us harvest leafy greens; you get to take them home with you!

There are two Resident Gardens on campus, one at Segundo (between Bixby Hall and the Segundo Dining Commons) and one at Tercero (between Latitude and Currant Hall). Visit us for Garden Hours in the following schedule:

Resident Garden @ Segundo
Mondays: 10:00-12:00 pm
Wednesdays: 10:00-12:00 pm

Resident Garden @ Tercero
Tuesdays: 12:00-2:00 pm
Fridays: 10:00-12:00 pm

The gardens are open to residents living in Student Housing and offer the opportunity to get involved in caring for a garden and growing plants and crops. Either through our Garden Hours or by adopting your own plot through Adopt-A-Plot.