As the University of Delaware celebrates Earth Month, UD Dining is committed to reducing environmental impact through efficient operations, responsible sourcing, waste minimization and transporation management.

UD Dining’s sustainability platform, in partnership with Aramark --  Green Thread --  weaves environmental responsibility into dining services every day across all 16 on-campus dining locations. As a result, ongoing, innovative and efficient solutions are being practiced at residential dining halls, retail food courts, convenience retail locations, catering and concession operations across campus.

Efficient operations

UD’s newest dining hall location, Caesar Rodney Fresh Food Company (FFCo), was designed with sustainability at its core. The Caesar Rodney FFCo conserves natural resources by:

• Employing energy-efficient ventilation and LED lighting systems that automatically adjust based on demand;

• Providing Emeco seating composed of 111 recycled bottles per chair and;

• Using reclaimed wood throughout its kitchen casework and ceiling.

Throughout campus, energy-efficient equipment is purchased at dining locations as replacements are needed.

Effective in fall 2012, all dining locations converted to the use of environmentally friendly dish soap, floor cleaner, all-purpose cleaner, hand soap and glass cleaner.

Responsible sourcing

Local, seasonal and responsibly-sourced products are purchased from UD Dining’s primary vendor, Sysco, in Pocomoke City, Maryland, and the following companies, along with others: Amoroso’s Baking Co., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Botto’s Family Authentic Italian Specialties, Swedesboro, New Jersey; Herr’s Foods Inc., Nottingham, Pennsylvania; Hy-Point Dairy Farm, Wilmington, Delaware; J. Ambrogi Foods, West Deptford, New Jersey; Petro’s Bread Distributors, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Pretzel Boy’s, Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania; Tastykake: Tasty Baking Co., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and UDairy Creamery, Newark, Delaware.

UD Dining hosts weekly farmers markets from mid-June through September. The markets feature local produce available for purchase by the University community.

Event equipment, staffing, flowers and beverage operation supplies for catered events are also sourced from local vendors.

The Caesar Rodney FFCo features sustainable seafood every Friday in partnership with the Monterey Bay Association.

Waste minimization

UD Dining reduces, reuses and recycles throughout the food production and service processes:

• The Caesar Rodney FFCo converts all food waste into water through two mechanical digesters;

• All locations participate in the University’s single-stream recycling program, as well as Recyclemania;

• Perishable food is donated to the Food Bank of Delaware at the completion of each semester;

• Residential dining halls are tray-less, saving one-third to one-half gallon of water per tray;

• Disposable napkins made from 100 percent recycled materials are used in all dining locations and;

• Dining locations convert fryer oil waste to biodiesel fuel, which saved 3,996 gallons of oil in 2016 (the equivalent of planting 4,955 trees).

Additionally, this spring UD Dining partnered with the student-run University of Delaware chapter of the Food Recovery Network to transport unused portions of food from on-campus dining locations to local, community food pantries.

“We are proud to say that so far this semester we have recovered and donated more than 300 pounds of unused food and are looking forward to growing our efforts in the 2017-18 academic year,” reports Dining’s district executive chef, Andy Cole.

For more information on Green Thread and UD Dining’s environmental and sustainability efforts, visit the UD Dining website and follow UD Dining (@DiningUD) on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for updates and special events.