Our Sustainable Efforts

Responsible Sourcing  |  Reducing Waste  |  Get Involved |  FAQ  |  Sustainability Report

Go Green!

We recognize the various levels of interest and awareness on the topic of sustainability within a large campus population and are dedicated to students through activities and programs. The goal of our program is to identify, promote, and educate the UNC community on sustainable initiatives, concepts, and practices pertaining to campus dining. We regularly engage in community outreach through biweekly informational tabling sessions, sustainable food samplings and pop-ups, and other events such as our cooking demos in collaboration with Edible Campus. We also work with the Office of Sustainability and the Office of Waste Reduction and Recycling on campus to align our initiatives with the greater University goals and policies.

Our sustainable initiatives can be broken down into the following pillars: Responsible Sourcing, Waste Diversion, Education & Outreach, Food Access, and Conservation/Efficient Operations. For a brief overview, please review our sustainable initiatives listed below. For a more comprehensive breakdown of our most recent accomplishments, please review our Sustainability Report.

 

Meet the Sustainability Manager  |  Victoria Hill

Victoria received her B.S. from the University of South Carolina Honors College, where she studied environmental science with a focus on food sustainability. While at UofSC, she spent her time interning with the Office of Sustainability, pulling weeds in the campus permaculture garden, and serving as president of the beekeeping club. 

She now works with the CDS team to educate the UNC-Chapel Hill community on our sustainable dining program, while exploring opportunities for food recovery, local sourcing, waste diversion, campus food access, and more.

Program Highlights 

  • Local & Sustainable Sourcing | We prioritize purchasing locally within 250 miles of campus, with an emphasis on North Carolina farms and businesses whenever the supply chain allows. We also seek out third-party certified sustainable offerings, such as our partnership with Larry’s Coffee to offer exclusively Organic and Fair Trade coffee in the dining halls! 
  • Purchasing Audits | We partner with UNC students to regularly audit our food purchasing through the Institute of the Environment. They ensure we are meeting our commitment of at least 20% Local and Sustainable purchases based on strict third-party standards qualifying foods as local, fair, environmentally sustainable, and humanely raised. The average results from our Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 audits found 27.21% of the foods in our dining halls met these standards! 
  • Coolfood Meals | We partner with the World Resources Institute (WRI) to offer Coolfood Meals in our dining halls. Coolfood Meals have low carbon footprints while meeting rigorous nutritional standards, so you can feel confident that your meal is healthy for both you and the climate.  
  • Climate Friendly Eating | We offer vegan and vegetarian options at every meal period in the dining halls, with a 4-week rotating vegan menu at our Plant Forward Stations in Chase and Top of Lenoir. The menu introduces a wide variety of vegan-friendly proteins, such as seitan, tempeh, soy nuggets, polenta and legumes, and utilizes new cooking techniques to enhance overall flavor and appearance. 
  • Reusable To-Go Program | We offer reusable to-go containers in Chase and Top of Lenoir, and discounts for bringing reusable cups in select locations. 
  • Food Recovery | We donate 150+ pounds of surplus food on a weekly basis to local organizations like the Inter-Faith Council, Carolina Cupboard, and Jenna & Friends Animal Sanctuary to divert uneaten prepared foods and produce trim waste from the landfill. 
  • Food Access Initiatives | We have a number of programs in place to increase access to food on campus, including a Meal Donation Program, weekly surplus food donations, monthly Farm Stand events, and frequent produce donations to the Carolina Cupboard. 
  • Local Restaurant Partnerships | We partner with local restaurants to integrate a diverse range of ethnic cuisine into UNC retail operations as well as generate a sense of community by providing local businesses an opportunity to interface with students and offer food on campus. 
  • Monthly Farm Stands | We host Farm Stands each month in partnership with UNC student organizations and Farmer Foodshare to bring fresh, affordable produce to campus.  
  • Sustainable Design Principles | We commit to using sustainable design principles in construction projects on campus. We incorporate recycled, reclaimed materials, low VOC paints and glues, LED lighting, and Energy Star rated equipment in new construction and renovation when affordable and available.  

Learn More: