Including increasing sustainable seafood purchases, Ball State Dining:
- Uses herbs grown at the campus greenhouse at Woodworth Commons
- Donates leftovers and food to Muncie Mission, The Soup Kitchen of Muncie (formerly Harvest Soup Kitchen), A Better Way and Cardinal Kitchen
- Purchases locally-sourced produce
- Maintains waste and service records
- Offers locally roasted, organic coffee in a majority of its locations
- Has a reusable drink container program in all of its locations for hot and cold drinks
Ball State was one of 24 schools to make the 2018 Princeton Review Green Honor Roll.
The university’s initiatives in energy, recycling, student involvement and transportation helped contribute to the award, but one professor said one of the most important aspects of sustainability at Ball State is found within dining.
READ MORE: SGA adds green council, works to promote campus sustainability
Joshua Gruver, an associate professor of natural resources and environmental management, said efforts in food waste and sustainability are important to minimize the carbon footprint of the university and create a more sustainable environment: “A lot more people are paying attention to it.”
Gruver said he commends the school’s geothermal system and steps taken toward creating a more sustainable campus. However, despite these steps, Gruver said there are still some easy things that could be done to further the school’s efforts.
READ MORE: A quick look at Ball State's geothermal system
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One of the ways, Gruver said, is by decreasing the amount of waste coming out of dining.
He said dining waste comes down to the infrastructure of the institution, which includes where food is stored, who does the work and how trash and food is transported from point A to point B.
“When it’s not a priority, it’s just really hard to make those changes,” Gruver said.
According to a 2012 article from the Annual Review of Environment and Resources, food systems — all steps from creation to consumption of food — contribute 19-29 percent of man-made greenhouse gas emissions.
Suzanne Clem, marketing coordinator of dining, said in an email dining is committed to contributing to the university’s sustainability goals.
“Students who live on campus engage with dining multiple times a day,” Clem said. “Each time they eat on campus, they have an opportunity to make sustainable choices that can add up to a big impact on campus over time.”
READ MORE: SGA pushes to phase out straws from dining, increase sustainability
Clem said there are many ways for students to make their dining habits more sustainable, including using reusable bags and cups, choosing silverware over plastic utensils, taking only what a student needs — in terms of condiments and disposables — and recycling as much as possible.
She also said going trayless when eating in an on-campus location is good for sustainability, as well. If each of the 2.7 million meals served last year by Ball State Dining were trayless, Clem said 258,000 gallons of water would’ve been saved thanks to reduced tray washing.
To replace trays, Clem suggests purchasing a $1 reusable bag to use at a la carte locations.
In addition to going trayless, Ball State Dining is trying to decrease waste by encouraging students to recycle more and waste less food. Gruver said huge amounts of waste lead to the production of methane and other potential gases that could alter the climate.
“I would say in the past five years, it has been louder and louder each year. Food waste is a problem,” Gruver said.
Gruver said the university could get a better grip on how to stop waste by watching the purchasing and eating patterns of individuals. Understanding how, where, when and to what extent customers eat, purchase and discard food is important, he said.
On an individual level, Gruver said this can be difficult because people, even with new knowledge, still need to be able to alter their attitudes and habits in order to see a significant change.
On top of that, Gruver said there needs to be passionate people who are willing to come up with small ideas that may lead to bigger plans in the future.
“In the next decade, I think things are going to start changing at a scale that hasn’t before,” Gruver said. “I think I can safely say that, institutions like Ball State, the hospital and other large institutions like that can really help lead the way.”
In terms of current developments, Clem said dining is going to continue to emphasize the reusable bags that are sold on campus. Additionally, she said sustainable seafood purchases have increased from 35 percent in 2016-17 to 67 percent in 2017-18, which helps to minimize overfishing.
As dining is planning its menus for the fall, Clem said it is placing an even greater emphasis on plant-based entrees that are healthy, but also help create a smaller carbon footprint.
Contact Andrew Harp with comments at adharp@bsu.edu or on Twitter at @adharp24.
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