Overall Rating Silver
Overall Score 48.09
Liaison Tara Shimer
Submission Date April 18, 2024

STARS v2.2

State University of New York at Morrisville
OP-8: Sustainable Dining

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.68 / 2.00 Bill Mitchell
Energy & Sustainability Manager
Facilities
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Part 1. Sustainable dining initiatives

Local community engagement

Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor host a farmers market, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery program, or urban agriculture project, or support such a program in the local community?:
Yes

A brief description of the farmers market, CSA or urban agriculture project:

The horticulture program holds seasonal sales, which are similar to a farmer's market. Morrisville Auxiliary Corp (501(c)(3)) runs SUNY Morrisville's Dining Services: MAC Dining Services aka (MAC). MAC purchases some items from the college organic farm as it’s available. MAC owned culinary program restaurant known as the Copper Turret purchases from Mosher's local farm (~5 miles from campus), during the summer months and the Copper Turret also gets cheese curd from a local producer.


Sustainability-themed outlet

Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor host a sustainability-themed food outlet on-site, either independently or in partnership with a contractor or retailer?:
No

A brief description of the sustainability-themed food outlet:

Stay tuned...


Inclusive and local sourcing

Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor support disadvantaged businesses, social enterprises, and/or local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through its food and beverage purchasing?:
Yes

A brief description of the support for disadvantaged businesses, social enterprises, and/or local SMEs:

We use some WMBE - Women and Minority Business Entities: Most of MAC vegetable produce, milk and dairy products are purchased through a WMBE (woman owned) company who uses some local producers when in season. Dairy products are purchased through a local New York State, NYS-based company.


Estimated percentage of total food and beverage expenditures on products from disadvantaged businesses, social enterprises, and/or local SMEs:
15

Low-impact dining

Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor host low impact dining events or promote plant-forward options?:
Yes

A brief description of the low impact dining events and/or plant-forward options:

MAC (Dining Service) has vegetarian offerings at every meal and some vegan; our customer-base has not requested plant-based items or items with no meat other than Mac n’ Cheese; SUNY Morrisville's customer-base seems to prefer 'comfort foods'. In the all-you-care to eat facility, there is a "No Worries" line that offers food for various food allergies and dietery restrictions. There is a full salad bar in the dining room as well that highlights local produce and dairy products when available.


Vegan dining program 

Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor have a vegan dining program that makes diverse, complete-protein vegan options available to every member of the campus community at every meal?:
Yes

A brief description of the vegan dining program:

Available every meal: Upon request. It is an option on our “No Worries” allergy free dining que, or on our main dining service line.


Labelling and signage 

Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor inform customers about low impact food choices and sustainability practices through labelling and signage in dining halls?:
No

A brief description of the sustainability labelling and signage in dining halls:

Stay tuned.


Part 2. Food waste minimization and recovery

Food recovery program

Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor participate in a competition or commitment program and/or use a food waste prevention system to track and improve its food management practices?:
Yes

A brief description of the food recovery competition or commitment program or food waste prevention system:

The best answer is no, for food waste minimization, but yes for food waste processing and recycling. There are practices that MAC - dining services follows, such as: MAC uses a cooking oil provider that hauls away used/waste cooking oil and recycles it. This system is used in all of MAC's operations that have a fryer. MAC 'digester processes' all food scraps. Food that comes back from the dining room goes into a "garburator" - food waste chopper, which then pushes this food waste to the Waste-Water Treatment Plant (WWTP), which is just south of campus proper. This helps the Waste-Water Treatment Plant increase the amount of heat produced by the process inside the WWTP's digester, and thus aids in the overall Waste-Water Treatment Plant digester process.


Trayless dining and portion modifications 

Has the institution or its primary dining services contractor implemented trayless dining (in which trays are removed from or not available in dining halls) and/or modified menus/portions to reduce post-consumer food waste?:
Yes

A brief description of the trayless dining or modified menu/portion program:

MAC operations have been tray-less for years and MAC uses portion controls such as a weight, or a scoop size, to control the volume of food that goes out from food service centers.


Food donation 

Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor donate food that would otherwise go to waste to feed people?:
Yes

A brief description of the food donation program:

MAC Food Services donates food to the Friendship Inn at the Catholic Church in Morrisville, where a free meal is served one night per week. MAC Food Services also packs meals as needed for Mo’s Marketplace (SUNY Morrisville's new Food Pantry) on campus.


Food materials diversion 

Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor divert food materials from the landfill, incinerator or sewer for animal feed or industrial uses?:
Yes

A brief description of the food materials diversion program:

MAC 'digester processes' all food scraps. Food that comes back from the dining room goes into a "garburator" - food waste chopper, which then pushes this food waste to the Waste-Water Treatment Plant (WWTP), which is just south of campus proper. This helps the Waste-Water Treatment Plant increase the amount of heat produced by the process inside the WWTP's digester, and thus aids in the overall Waste-Water Treatment Plant process. The Waste-Water Treatment Plant ultimately sends dried waste material from it's WWTP processes to the Madison County Landfill (It can't be spread it on agricultural fields as fertilizer because it may end up containing small amounts of heavy metals). However, in the future, the heat from the digestor process should make up 8 to 14 percent or more of the yearly BTUs of heat needed to heat our buildings, once the digester becomes part of our intended future heating and hot water, Clean Energy Master Plan (CEMP). So, though MAC's food scraps will ultimately end up in the Madison County Landfill as dried WWTP Bio-Solids, those same food scraps will first be digested and used to heat a portion of our Region 6 (IECC), cold weather buildings.


Composting 

Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor have a pre-consumer composting program?:
No

A brief description of the pre-consumer composting program:

No not pre-consumer.


Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor have a post-consumer composting program?:
Yes

A brief description of the post-consumer composting program:

Described above as part of the food materials diversion program (above). Food waste is digested (not really turned into soil enriching compost material), and the digested waste becomes usable heat that will eventually supplement 8 to 14 percent of the BTUs outlined as necessary by our CEMP - Clean Energy Master Plan.


Dine-in service ware 

Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor utilize reusable service ware for “dine in” meals?:
Yes

A brief description of the reusable service ware program:

Seneca dining hall (SUNY Morrisville's main dining hall) offers reusable service ware for their primary dine-in services. MAC's primary container for "to-go" in this operation is a reusable container that students use, return, and then the re-usable container gets washed in a "Ware-Wash" machine before these containers get positioned again for re-use.


Take-away materials 

Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor provide reusable and/or third party certified compostable containers and service ware for “to-go” meals (in conjunction with an on-site composting program)?:
No

A brief description of the compostable containers and service ware:

Approximately, 85% of take-away materials are reusable, compostable, or biodegradable. At locations other than the Seneca the campus primary dining hall (with re-usable Wash-Ware), "to-go" materials are either compostable or biodegradable. MAC Dining Services does not have a composting program/partner, even though MAC has considered biodegradable products as well as compostable products.


Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor offer discounts or other incentives to customers who use reusable containers instead of disposable or compostable containers in “to-go” food service operations?:
Yes

A brief description of the reusable container discount or incentives program:

The only way to take food from Seneca (SUNY Morrisville's primary dining hall) is via a reusable container (the campus Wash-Ware program).


Optional Fields

A brief description of other sustainability-related initiatives not covered above:

Stay tuned, more sustainable food and pantry services are in the planning stages.


Website URL where information about the sustainable dining programs is available:
https://www.morrisville.edu/mac/student-services

Additional documentation to support the submission:
---

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

SUNY Morrisville's - Morrisville Auxiliary Corporation (501(c)(3)) provides - Student Services, Food Services and Residence Hall Services - aka MAC. Most data for this AASHE framework section was received from the MAC - Director of Dining Services.
Thank you Mr. Doty.


The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.