Dining service operations utilize large amounts of energy and water while emitting liquid and solid wastes that all have to be effectively managed to reduce the environmental impact of this service.                                                                                                           

At UNC Charlotte the dining services function is fulfilled by a contractor, Chartwells Higher Education Dining Services.  Chartwells has implemented a number of sustainability initiatives within their within the three main categories of:                    

• Procurement/sourcing
• Healthy eating options
• Waste and recycling.

Procurement and Sourcing of foods

• Reducing the use of antibiotics in animal production.  Compass Group has entered into a number of partnerships with pork and chicken producers to source these meats that
• “Prohibits the purchase of pork in which antibiotics that belong to classes of compounds approved for use in human medicine have been used for growth promotion purposes.
• Requires suppliers to report and reduce antibiotic usage over time. The policy applies to all animals raised by suppliers for the duration of their lives. Similar requirements will apply to the company’s purchase of chicken.”  Source: Compass Group 2004
• Sourcing sustainability harvested seafood’s.  In 2006, Compass Group USA implemented a policy to purchase sustainability harvested seafood’s, under this policy Compass Group will
• Replace Atlantic cod, a species which leading conservationists have recommended consumers to avoid, with more the environmentally-sound Pacific cod, Pollock and other alternatives. Compass Group also plans to seek ways to decrease its use of shrimp and salmon that are farmed in an unsustainable manner. These two species are extremely popular with consumers but are of concern to environmentalists. The company will eliminate all other 'Avoid' species from the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch list, and increase its use of 'Best Choices. ‘Compass Group 2004
• Fair trade coffee is supplied on campus through the Ritizza coffee outlets and through board operations.
• Local food purchasing

Healthy Dining Options

A core responsibility of dining services is to offer healthy balanced food options.  Chartwells fulfills this function through its Balanced Choices program that highlights food choices that may lead to healthier a lifestyle.  The Balanced Choices program highlights low calorie, vegetarian, vegan, carbohydrates control and balanced menus.

Waste and recycling practices

Chartwells has implemented a number of onsite programs aimed at reducing wastes in the food production, serving and disposal phases of operations.                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Compass Group has developed “Trim Trax”, a food waste reduction program and green initiative. The aim of the program is to increase operations efficiency by tracking and measuring food waste and developing programs to reduce food waste in food production, amount of food produced and unused food.

Project Clean Plate encourages students to only take what they will eat to prevent unnecessary waste.  Students who return their plate empty and have not wasted food receive a small reward such as a coupon for retail redemption or a prize raffle. A secondary benefit of the program is to encourage healthy eating.

 UNC Charlotte's Crossroads Cafe has joined an increasing number of colleges and universities that have implemented Tray Less dining. The benefits realized from tray less dining are energy and water conservation, reduced use of cleaning chemicals and reduces waste food disposal costs.

Project Green Thumb is a reusable mug program.  Students, staff and faculty may purchase a 20oz mug for $9.95 and the cost of refills will be $0.89 for fountain beverage refills, and $1.15 for Ritazza gourmet coffee refills.  530 project green thumb mugs have been sold to date.

In 2000, the UNC Charlotte recycling department in conjunction with Chartwells established an in-vessel composting program.  Waste food is collected twice a day, during totaling an average of 120lbs per day in food scraps.   The resulting compost is then used on campus to by the grounds department as a soil enhancer.  For more information on UNC Charlotte’s composting program see http://facilities.uncc.edu/recycling-housekeeping/recycling/programs/composting/composting.