October is recognized as Campus Sustainability Month by The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), an initiative designed to engage and educate students, faculty, and staff at colleges and universities about sustainability and climate action. This annual event fosters a culture of environmental stewardship on campuses and encourages institutions to adopt practices that lower their carbon footprint. This year, a significant focus is placed on food waste management, particularly the innovative solutions being implemented across New England’s higher education institutions where food waste is being recycled through anaerobic digestion.
“Vanguard Renewables is excited to play a part in helping Massachusetts鈥� colleges and universities to reduce food waste and to repurpose that which can鈥檛 be eaten into something good for the planet 鈥� renewable energy,鈥� stated Kent Bartley, President, Organic Solutions, Vanguard Renewables. 鈥淎s Vanguard expands from coast to coast, it鈥檚 our hope that more colleges and universities will follow suit and realize there is a better way to dispose of food waste than landfills or incineration 鈥� and we are here to help.鈥�
In Massachusetts, several colleges and universities are actively tackling the pressing challenge of climate change. From community tree-planting initiatives to vibrant campus gardens, this next generation of students is committed to finding solutions. College students today are echoing the passionate calls of their peers who marched for climate action, reminding us that 鈥淭here is No Planet B.鈥� They are increasingly aware of the food waste being generated on their campuses and are questioning the fate of that excess food.
Many schools are collaborating with organizations like Vanguard Renewables, a leader in converting organic waste into renewable energy. By processing food waste alongside dairy manure via anaerobic digesters, these institutions are addressing food waste management challenges while promoting sustainability.
Notable examples in New England include Smith College, Amherst College, and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Each of these institutions is dedicated to cutting food waste, recycling surplus food, and raising awareness about the national food waste crisis. “As college students, we鈥檙e in a critical habit-forming period of our lives, making it the perfect time to develop sustainable lifestyles,鈥� stated Katie Lavrov, Class of 2027, Smith College. 鈥淏y supporting both local food systems and the transition away from fossil fuels, this system demonstrates just how feasible it is to reduce our environmental footprints. Smith’s commitment to these goals makes me proud to be a part of this community.”
Through partnerships with Vanguard Renewables, they are creating a closed-loop system that promotes sustainability鈥攃onnecting farms and campuses in a virtuous cycle. Amherst College stands out by competing in the 鈥淐ampus Race to Zero Waste,鈥� competing against more than 80 colleges and universities in the waste diversion category, highlighting the commitment to send zero food waste to landfills. This accomplishment illustrates the determination of the younger generation to care for the planet, with Vanguard Renewables proudly contributing to this crucial endeavor.
“The campus waste data we collected for the competition was very revealing,鈥� stated Wes Dripps, Director of Sustainability, Amherst College. 鈥淲e were surprised to find that almost 50% of our waste stream was made up of organic food waste.鈥�
Food waste significantly contributes to global greenhouse gas emissions, with approximately 40% of the United States鈥� food supply鈥攁round 133 billion pounds鈥攇oing to waste each year. The decomposition of this waste in landfills emits methane, a greenhouse gas that is far more potent than CO2. Addressing food waste is essential for effective climate mitigation; globally, if food waste were a country, it would rank as the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases.
鈥淲e have worked diligently to steadily develop and improve an organic waste diversion program that combines onsite composting of materials for reuse on campus, to a large-scale food waste collection program that involves recovering materials from the campus dining halls and retail food location,鈥� stated Michael Dufresne, Collection and Moving Manager, University of Massachusetts at Amherst. 鈥淥rganics diverted from the waste stream are used locally to produce energy and fertilizer enhancing the sustainability programs at the University of Mass.鈥�