蜜桃传媒

UB’s work in decarbonization, sustainability and waste reduction is receiving more national recognition, this time through the efforts of Campus Dining and Shops (CDS).

CDS is being recognized with a 2025 sustainability award from the National Association of College and 蜜桃传媒 Food Services (NACUFS). CDS received a “silver” this year in the category of waste reduction.

The award highlights efforts to reduce single-use disposables, recycle and compost, divert waste, collect data on waste production, provide nourishment to food insecure students and educate consumers on the importance of reducing waste, including organics.

As a recipient, CDS emphasized its own initiatives, which include working with UB’s student chapter of the Food Recovery Network to recover nearly 30,000 pounds of food last year to serve as donated meals in the Buffalo community; positioning students at recycle, organics and trash stations to educate patrons about waste-sorting; and launching a reusable, refillable souvenir cup at UB football and basketball games.

“This marks the third consecutive year that our dining program has been nationally recognized for excellence,” says Eric Blackledge, executive director for CDS.

Last year, Sabor Latino, the fast-casual restaurant in the Student Union, received the grand prize from NACUFS for retail dining concept of the year. In 2023, the association awarded a grand prize to One World Café for its marketplace concept.

“These awards are among the most prestigious national honors in higher education food services and recognizes our leadership in the promotion, education and implementation of environmental sustainability across our campus dining operations,” Blackledge says.

Nicole Dell, director of operations for CDS, acknowledged Assistant Dining Director John Bottorff for his work reducing waste at CDS through innovative strategies with UB Sustainability and staff engagement.

CDS will receive its award in July at the association’s national conference in Salt Lake City.

“The UB Campus Dining and Shops team has been a key partner in advancing our climate action work and specifically our larger 10 in 10 carbon reduction strategy,” says Ryan McPherson, chief sustainability officer. “This award reinforces not only their commitment to greenhouse gas emissions reductions from our waste stream, but also their steadfast commitment to modeling sustainable dining across our campus community.”

Campus Dining and Shops, which is run by the Faculty Student Association as a not-for-profit corporation that contracts with UB to provide food services, continues to be a great campus partner helping UB realize its Climate Action Plan, says Christina Hernandez, senior associate vice president for Student Life and leader of UB’s Climate Action Taking Stock of Our Food committee.

They also are playing a key role in advancing UB’s Zero Waste & Circularity Strategic Plan and ensuring UB is on track to meet the elimination targets identified within SUNY’s policy to eliminate single-use plastics on campuses.

“As food service professionals, they are at the forefront of how and what we choose to grow, purchase, cook and serve, and are able to directly impact the sustainability challenge affecting the environmental footprint of the entire food sector,” Hernandez says. “The university has recognized this work by augmenting funding from the climate action fund to help scale even greater impact.”

The work between UB and CDS in advancing sustainability has been a decades-long partnership that, in addition to waste reduction, has created pioneering low-carbon menu choices.

This partnership also has resulted in the launch of a student-initiated greenhouse gas rating system for menus, labeling dishes with specific icons that inform the consumer how impactful their meal choice is for the environment. The system is one tool to nudge the UB community to make more plant-based choices that are healthier for people and the environment.

“They have helped shape our campus strategy around waste reduction, single-use plastics, composting and food recovery while doing this work with engaged students, faculty and staff through education, outreach and communication,” Hernandez says. “This award recognizes the campus efforts it takes to make progress in this space.”