Your Sodexo Campus Dining Team is dedicated to sustainability. We know we can all work together to make a positive impact right here at Stonehill College. In addition to the many initiatives we take as a company, we have implemented the following programs specific to Stonehill College.

We know that students are busy and often must eat on the run. This need makes to-go dining very popular on our campus, but also generates massive amounts of waste. Much of this waste can be diverted from landfills by utilizing recyclable and compostable packaging. The GREEN 2 Go aims to avoid the use of packaging all together by shifting from single-use to reusable containers. We offer a GREEN clip as well, eliminating the need to carry your reusable container around with you. All first year students receive a GREEN 2 Go container and GREEN clip to start the transition to a culture of reusable containers on campus.

On campus we recycle cardboard, glass, paper, aluminum and plastic.

The environment and your pocketbook win! Bring your own reusable cup to purchase coffee or a fountain soda on campus and receive a discount at every location, every time. Or, while dining in The Roche Commons, use a recycled mug for a hot beverage at a discounted price.

Food waste in landfills creates methane, a greenhouse gas which is 21x more potent than CO2. (www.epa.gov) Our first priority is to reduce food waste. We compost food waste that is unavoidable which reduces greenhouse gas emissions and can also be used to amend soil thereby increasing drought tolerance, improving soil structure and health and reducing need for water and fertilizers.

We encourage trayless dining. Customers without trays typically waste less food and beverages. Trayless dining reduces the amount of water and detergents needed to wash tray which also saves energy.

APEX combines technology and products designed to save water and energy, minimize the impact of products on the environment, and has a built-in method of measuring results. The APEX management approach uses a tablet PC and wireless technology to communicate with the system’s controller to download, process and analyze data to establish each foodservice operation’s “rack-to-guest ratio.” By monitoring and improving this ratio, the system helps reduce the amount of water and energy used at each facility, and improve total operational efficiency.

Xprss Nap Dispensers save energy and waste. The napkins are made of 100% recycled paper and the dispenser will encourage customers to take (and waste) fewer napkins. Energy is saved because less power is used to recycle paper products than to create them from virgin material.

We work closely with local produce distributors to maximize the fruits and vegetables purchased from local farms. We also purchase from local dairies, and participate in farm to school initiatives. Tracking local purchases helps us to meet our Better Tomorrow Plan commitment of 20% local purchase by 2020.

We are proud to feature the following local suppliers: Garelick Farms Milk, Gifford's of Maine Ice Cream, Ben and Jerry's, Fantini Bakery, Maine Family Farms, Red's Best Seafood, Deep River Chips, Pioneer Valley Grower's Association, LEF Farms, Grandy Oats, Joseph's Tortilla Wraps, Murray's Family Farms, New England Coffee.