Campus Sustainability Month: How Colleges Combat Food Waste & Climate Change
October is celebrated as Campus Sustainability Month by The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), aiming to inspire and educate college communities on sustainability and climate action. This annual observance promotes eco-friendly practices on campuses, with a strong emphasis on reducing carbon footprints. Food waste management is a key focus area, and many colleges in New England are adopting new methods like anaerobic digestion to recycle food waste.
Massachusetts Colleges and Universities Leading in Climate Action
Massachusetts institutions are tackling climate challenges head-on. Students are involved in community efforts like tree planting and campus gardens, demonstrating a commitment to environmental solutions. Across the state and beyond, college students are searching for meaningful ways to contribute, inspired by movements like the 2019 Youth March on Climate, where activists emphasized the urgency with slogans like “There is No Planet B.”
At campus dining halls, students are asking where uneaten food ends up. Many institutions still send it to landfills, but some, like those in Massachusetts, are choosing more sustainable paths. Vanguard Renewables, a company specializing in converting food waste into renewable energy, partners with several Massachusetts schools. By blending food waste with dairy manure in an anaerobic digester, Vanguard helps recycle waste into energy, showcasing a promising strategy for reducing campus food waste.
Smith College, Amherst College, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst are leaders in this effort. They focus on minimizing food waste, recycling unusable portions, and spreading awareness about the food waste crisis. Vanguard Renewables collaborates with these schools to complete a sustainable cycle: waste from campuses returns to local farms as renewable energy. Amherst College’s success in the “Campus Race to Zero Waste” demonstrates the power of these initiatives, with the college ranking seventh nationwide in waste diversion in 2024.
Understanding the Food Waste Crisis
Food waste is a significant environmental issue, producing large amounts of greenhouse gases. In the U.S., around 40% of the food supply is discarded—an annual total of 133 billion pounds. When this waste decays in landfills, it releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas that intensifies global warming. Globally, food waste ranks as the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, following China and the United States. Addressing this issue is thus a critical part of climate action.
Anaerobic Digestion: An Innovative Approach
Anaerobic digestion breaks down organic matter like food waste using microorganisms in cow manure, generating biogas, mainly methane and carbon dioxide. This biogas can be processed into renewable natural gas, while the remaining byproducts create biofertilizer. Through this method, colleges can cut down their carbon emissions, using renewable natural gas from campus food waste to fuel operations, aiding in their climate goals for 2030 and beyond.
Educational Programs and Community Involvement
During Campus Sustainability Month, several New England institutions ramp up food waste management efforts with anaerobic digestion projects and promote community involvement. Events like waste audits and composting programs engage students directly, encouraging them to analyze waste generation and consider more mindful purchasing and consumption habits.
Broader Climate Action and Policy
These colleges’ sustainability initiatives support larger climate goals at the state and national levels. New England states are strengthening policies to lower emissions and improve waste management. For instance, Massachusetts has achieved a 13.2% reduction through its organic waste ban, although more action is needed. As these students graduate, they carry the lessons learned on campus into their lives, likely influencing both personal and policy-level changes.
Hopefully, all of us, even those long out of school, can take inspiration from today’s students and their dedication to a sustainable future.
Massachusetts Colleges and Universities Leading in Climate Action
Massachusetts institutions are tackling climate challenges head-on. Students are involved in community efforts like tree planting and campus gardens, demonstrating a commitment to environmental solutions. Across the state and beyond, college students are searching for meaningful ways to contribute, inspired by movements like the 2019 Youth March on Climate, where activists emphasized the urgency with slogans like “There is No Planet B.”
At campus dining halls, students are asking where uneaten food ends up. Many institutions still send it to landfills, but some, like those in Massachusetts, are choosing more sustainable paths. Vanguard Renewables, a company specializing in converting food waste into renewable energy, partners with several Massachusetts schools. By blending food waste with dairy manure in an anaerobic digester, Vanguard helps recycle waste into energy, showcasing a promising strategy for reducing campus food waste.
Smith College, Amherst College, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst are leaders in this effort. They focus on minimizing food waste, recycling unusable portions, and spreading awareness about the food waste crisis. Vanguard Renewables collaborates with these schools to complete a sustainable cycle: waste from campuses returns to local farms as renewable energy. Amherst College’s success in the “Campus Race to Zero Waste” demonstrates the power of these initiatives, with the college ranking seventh nationwide in waste diversion in 2024.
Understanding the Food Waste Crisis
Food waste is a significant environmental issue, producing large amounts of greenhouse gases. In the U.S., around 40% of the food supply is discarded—an annual total of 133 billion pounds. When this waste decays in landfills, it releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas that intensifies global warming. Globally, food waste ranks as the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, following China and the United States. Addressing this issue is thus a critical part of climate action.
Anaerobic Digestion: An Innovative Approach
Anaerobic digestion breaks down organic matter like food waste using microorganisms in cow manure, generating biogas, mainly methane and carbon dioxide. This biogas can be processed into renewable natural gas, while the remaining byproducts create biofertilizer. Through this method, colleges can cut down their carbon emissions, using renewable natural gas from campus food waste to fuel operations, aiding in their climate goals for 2030 and beyond.
Educational Programs and Community Involvement
During Campus Sustainability Month, several New England institutions ramp up food waste management efforts with anaerobic digestion projects and promote community involvement. Events like waste audits and composting programs engage students directly, encouraging them to analyze waste generation and consider more mindful purchasing and consumption habits.
Broader Climate Action and Policy
These colleges’ sustainability initiatives support larger climate goals at the state and national levels. New England states are strengthening policies to lower emissions and improve waste management. For instance, Massachusetts has achieved a 13.2% reduction through its organic waste ban, although more action is needed. As these students graduate, they carry the lessons learned on campus into their lives, likely influencing both personal and policy-level changes.
Hopefully, all of us, even those long out of school, can take inspiration from today’s students and their dedication to a sustainable future.
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