An article in To Market Magazine highlights a variety of pioneering food waste initiatives at New England colleges and universities. The article splits the campus food waste initiatives into four categories: Feeding the System, Feed the People, Source Reduction, and Cultural Shift.

The food waste programs mentioned in the article demonstrate that colleges and universities can take diverse approaches to reduce the amount of food waste they send to landfills and waste-to-energy facilities. Some colleges, such as Roger Williams University, emphasize reducing food waste before it leaves the kitchen and through student education. Others, like Harvard University, make a concerted effort to divert as much food waste as possible through donating food to feed hungry people.

RecyclingWorks hosts two College & University (C&U) Forums annually for facility managers, dining service operators, and sustainability coordinators to network and share insights on campus waste reduction. The Spring 2017 C&U Forum will be held at Smith College in Northampton, MA on May 4, 2017. The forum this spring will focus on source reduction of food waste with several colleges sharing their experiences with these efforts. To register, please send an email to info@recyclingworksma.com.

Along with the C&U Forums, RecyclingWorks also provides technical assistance directly to colleges and universities to start or improve recycling and composting programs. For example, we helped Worcester State University set up a composting program to divert 60 tons of waste annually:

RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts assists businesses and institutions with recycling and food waste reduction through food donation and composting. To speak to a recycling expert, call our hotline: (888) 254-5525 or email us at info@recyclingworksma.com.