Sustainable Initiatives

We strive to continually decrease our output and be strategic in waste reduction in all areas. We work in tandem with our food service partner to implement the following strategies.

Our Commitment

While ultimately we do not have any control over where students, staff, and faculty put their waste, we do our very best to help educate consumers so they can correctly dispose of their waste.

In March 2019, we redesigned the waste room in Colman Commons in OPH to provide physical examples of what goes where in order to eliminate questions or any areas of confusion. We have taken actual items sold on campus, emptied them, cleaned them, and glued them to the walls above the place where they need to be thrown – Glass/Metal Recycling, Plastic Recycling, Garbage, Food Waste, Liquid Waste. We have also installed a sink for liquid waste and a strainer to catch the solids in order to ensure proper disposal.

Our Commitment

As of the fall of 2013, UTM banned the sale of single use plastic (SUP) water bottles. To ensure the community still has ample access to clean drinking water whenever they need it UTM added new water fountains and upgraded existing water fountains across campus. The design of the new water fountains is such that community members can easily fill their reusable bottles at the fountains without getting water everywhere or spilling their beverage.

To ensure that everyone on campus has access to reusable water bottles, the department of Hospitality & Ancillary Services has given out over 6,575 reusable water bottles to the community.

Find the news story here and here.

Our Commitment

In order to decrease the amount of waste from single-use plates, cups and cutlery, we use china, reusable hard plastic cups, and metal silverware in Colman Commons in OPH. We also have buckets set up in the waste room for all like-style plates, bowls, cutlery, and cups for efficient dishwashing (fewer cycles = less water and soap). 

Our Commitment

As of 2018, UTM non-branded food service locations banned the use of plastic single-use straws. They have been replaced with paper straws, which are recyclable.

Green Cleaning

Our Commitment

Our food service partner uses environmentally friendly cleaning products to avoid harmful chemicals in food service locations.
 

Organic Waste

Our Commitment

We have installed a dehydrator in Colman Commons and the Davis Building which has decreased our organic food output by an estimated 50%.