Gonzaga University Promotes Sustainability through Composting Initiative

Mealtime is greener than ever for Gonzaga University students in Spokane, Wash., thanks to a new campus partnership for sustainability that turns dining hall food scraps into nutrient-rich compost for healthy gardens.

The initiative dramatically reduces the amount of waste generated in on-campus restaurants, and then repurposes it as garden compost. By tossing food scraps and food-soiled papers into a separate waste management bin, Gonzaga students and staff are diverting about 80 percent of dining hall waste.

The food is then composted at a facility and turned into a nutrient-rich soil amendment.

“For universities, grocery stores, event centers and many restaurants, diverting food waste for composting is the next big sustainability opportunity,” said Marco Gonzales of Waste Management, which has partnered with Gonzaga for the project. “With a well-designed program and good training for employees, many of our customers are reducing their waste significantly while converting organic material into a valuable product.” [Gonzaga University]