people in a kitchen gathering plates


Waste. Chapman University Restaurant Services by Sodexo has launched an initiative to decrease pre-consumer kitchen waste and have (for the past year and a half) assisted in the education of post-consumer waste reduction. How you may ask? With the help of student interns, campus volunteers, members of Sodexo’s Student Board of Directors and Chapman Restaurant Management.

Weigh your waste ishosted throughout each semester motivating students to weigh their waste prior to placing their plate on the dishwashing carousal in Randall Dining Commons. Our weigh your waste team is ready and strategically busses each dish while measuring the overall number of students and edible waste, wasted during the lunch period. Over time the average has decreased from 4.6 lbs of waste per student (per lunch period) down to 3.2 lbs (per lunch period) and continues to change  (Average Americans wastes 4.5 lbs of food per day [Source EPA]).

woman holding a sign that says i pledge to reduce my waste by eating all my food


In addition, Chapman University Restaurant Services measures pre-consumer (kitchen waste) with a system called “Lean Path.” The Lean Path is the industry’s first and only automated food waste tracking system and has helped (their customers) cut food waste and run greener, more sustainable operations. For more information visit
www.leanpath.com


Learn more about Chapman University Restaurant Services Sustainability initiatives (to include): Meatless Monday, Trayless Dining, Local Sourcing, Aspretto Fair Trade Coffee, Just Ask! (customize your plate to reduce waste), Healthy Station, Vegan Station and more at
www.chapman.edu/dining


 

Many thanks to Jennifer Harris, Marketing Director for Chapman University Restaurant Services for contributing this blog post.