UNH Earns Prestigious Green Restaurant Certifications
Four Campus Eateries Recognized for Sustainability Efforts
The University of New Hampshire’s school colors are blue and white, but after the Hospitality Services team was honored recently by the Green Restaurant Association (GRA), it seems that third color suits the school quite well. UNH Hospitality Services earned prestigious recognition from the GRA following another year of commitment to environmentally friendly practices. The UNH Dairy Bar, Holloway Commons, Stillings Hall, and Philbrook Hall are now Three Star Certified Green Restaurants.
Within the UNH Hospitality Services team, we’re fortunate to be surrounded by award-winning chefs and staff, but we tend to shy away from excessive self-promotion. In this case, we’re inclined to celebrate loudly and proudly because the Three Star certifications really aren’t about us. They are about the environment and everyone who benefits from waste elimination, energy conservation, extensive recycling, and other sustainability efforts.
“Efforts” is an important word because that is exactly how the Three Star recognition happened. For the past two years, our four locations were Two Star GRA certified. Not bad, but it certainly gave us all something to strive for. So it was with great effort, hope and anticipation that David Hill, the Director of Dining Hall Operations, and Dahlia Daigle, Retail Operations Manager, completed the submissions to the GRA last year. Since then the program has become more successful in its environmentally conscious efforts.
“Sustainability is a word with a lot of meaning,” Hill said. “For us, it’s about trying to do everything we can, every day, to support the local economy, nurture the environment, and hopefully make our surrounding community a healthier place.”
Sustainability isn’t just the latest buzz term or a new concept at UNH. In fact, the University of New Hampshire is home to the first office of sustainability at a public college or university in the United States. From apples picked from trees at local orchards to squash from the fields at UNH Woodman Farm to coffee roasted two miles from campus, UNH Hospitality Services is committed to buying locally grown products. Food waste from the dining halls are distributed to UNH’s Kingman Farm where it’s composted and used as fertilizer. Yes, if there is a way to use it, we do.
“New Hampshire is such a beautiful place,” Daigle said. “Everything we try to do within our daily operation is, ultimately, an effort to preserve and enhance that beauty.”
The “Take Less, Waste Less” campaign highlights the critical role guests play in controlling the amount of food waste generated at campus eateries. The hope is to reduce the amount of unconsumed food for the betterment of the environment. Simply put, take what you’re going to eat, so the excess doesn’t have to be thrown out.
Another way UNH has reduced waste is by going “trayless” in dining halls. The rationale is simple: Less food wasted, less energy consumed, and a reduction in the amount of water and detergents used by dining services to clean them. Trays are available if requested, but most guests are opting for a colorful Wildcat Plate that provides info for healthy meals and serves as a reminder to be mindful of healthy choices.
Suffice to say, working directly with the Green Restaurant Association has brought increased support and focus to sustainability efforts on campus. UNH Hospitality has even invested in energy efficient and Energy Star rated equipment. Just another way of working smarter, thinking more responsibly, and continuing to make a more sustainable community. Green looks pretty good on the blue-and-white UNH Wildcats.
