Sustainability

Campus Initiatives

As a guest, it is easy to make smart environmental choices when you dine at a Sodexo café. We know today's college students want to do the right thing for the planet and we also understand you lead busy lives, so your Sodexo chefs and managers do a lot of the work for you behind the scenes!
From purchasing local seasonal produce whenever possible to reducing inorganic and organic waste, your campus team is dedicated to providing you with an exceptional dining experience that is good for you and good for the planet.

Food Recovery Network

Did you know that in the United States approximately 40 percent of food goes to waste? That is nearly 63 million tons of food a year. Billions are spent growing, processing, transporting, and disposing of food that was never eaten while 1/8 Americans struggle with hunger. Food waste has become the third largest emitter of greenhouse gas. The Food Recovery Network is a student driven organization that was created to combat these disparities.

SDSU students collect surplus food from different dining locations that would otherwise go to waste and donate them to local charities. As a whole, Sodexo is able to donate hundreds of thousands of pounds of surplus food to food banks across the country with this program. By recovering surplus food, it will reduce costs, improve company culture, reduce hunger and food insecurity, and reduce your carbon footprint.

If interested in joining the Food Recovery Network team, please visit: https://sdstate.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/foodrecoverynetwork

Weigh the Waste

Periodically throughout the school year, we conduct a Weigh the Waste event. During the event, we weigh all uneaten food from guest’s plates. We consolidate the findings and report back to the community. We tie this to an awareness campaign that informs guests about food waste and its impact on our environment and our communities.

Move Out for Hunger

Sodexo campuses across the nation come together to reduce food waste and help feed communities in need with the end of semester Move-Out-For-Hunger food drive.

How it works:

1. Shortly before move-out, students receive paper collection bags provided by Move for Hunger and distributed by Jacks Dining services.

2. Students then fill the collection bags with unopened, nonperishable, unexpired food donations & return them to the Student Union. Move Out For Hunger then coordinates donation transport to Jacks Cupboard, SDSU’s on-campus food pantry, helping to alleviate food insecurity and food waste!

Trayless Dining

We are a trayless campus. Customers without trays typically waste less food and beverages. It is also a healthier approach to eating, as we all know that at times our eyes are bigger than our stomach. Trayless dining also reduces the amount of water and detergents needed to wash trays - and saves energy too!

Reusable Dishware

We offer China dishes in our dining hall. This reduces waste associated with using disposable containers. Dining in? Be sure to use China.

Reusable Containers Program

Students can opt into the program at Larson Commons or the Market by purchasing any single reusable container for $6.00; containers can be purchased with cash, credit card or Flex Dollars. The student will then swipe for the meal for which they are using the container. Fill up your container however you like, and take it home to eat your meal. Rinse the container and bring back to Larson Commons or the Market and trade it for a clean container. Students only need to opt into the program once, however, if you lose your container, you will need to repurchase a new one. Containers can be returned to Larson Commons or the Market during our normal operating hours. *Note that you will always swipe for the meal in your container, i.e. if you are dining in at lunch but then want to take an additional meal to go, you will swipe twice. Containers are due back to Larson Commons or the Market at the end of the school year.

Recycling

On campus we recycle the following products: cardboard, glass, aluminum, paper, plastic.

Recycling Fryer Oil into Biofuel

French fries to fuel. Indeed, our fryer oil is recycled into biodiesel that is used to power a variety of vehicles - from delivery fleets to farm equipment.