Food Waste Trends, Environmental Impacts, and Composting as a Potential Solution at Winslow Dining Hall at Murray State University
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Junior
Major
Environmental Science
Minor
Wildlife and Conservation Biology and Spanish double minor
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Dr. Robin Zhang
Presentation Format
Poster Presentation
Abstract/Description
Food waste is an important contributor to climate change, and composting is the easiest way to fix this issue. Little research is found on the contribution of food waste at the dining halls on college campuses. This study quantified Winslow Dining Hall’s contribution to this global issue by analyzing Murray State University’s pre-waste data collected in Leanpath. It was found that though the same waste trends have been present in the latest three semesters, such as sharp decreases during academic breaks, food waste at Winslow Dining Hall has had an overall decrease since the Fall 2022 semester. Overproduction had been the main contributor to the waste in this facility until the current Fall 2023 semester, in which trim waste took its place. This overall suggests that Winslow Dining Hall has effectively minimized pre-consumer food waste due to overproduction since Fall 2022. The potential benefit of composting was also analyzed, showing that Winslow’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions from food waste would be cut in half if composting were to be adopted as a solution. Other solutions include educating employees on the importance of minimizing food waste and finding a way to benefit the college and residential community by composting. Though this study only analyzed pre-consumer waste from one dining hall, it is important to start local and work one step at a time towards working together to minimize greenhouse gas emissions.
Fall Scholars Week 2023 Event
Earth and Environment Sciences Poster Session
Food Waste Trends, Environmental Impacts, and Composting as a Potential Solution at Winslow Dining Hall at Murray State University
Food waste is an important contributor to climate change, and composting is the easiest way to fix this issue. Little research is found on the contribution of food waste at the dining halls on college campuses. This study quantified Winslow Dining Hall’s contribution to this global issue by analyzing Murray State University’s pre-waste data collected in Leanpath. It was found that though the same waste trends have been present in the latest three semesters, such as sharp decreases during academic breaks, food waste at Winslow Dining Hall has had an overall decrease since the Fall 2022 semester. Overproduction had been the main contributor to the waste in this facility until the current Fall 2023 semester, in which trim waste took its place. This overall suggests that Winslow Dining Hall has effectively minimized pre-consumer food waste due to overproduction since Fall 2022. The potential benefit of composting was also analyzed, showing that Winslow’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions from food waste would be cut in half if composting were to be adopted as a solution. Other solutions include educating employees on the importance of minimizing food waste and finding a way to benefit the college and residential community by composting. Though this study only analyzed pre-consumer waste from one dining hall, it is important to start local and work one step at a time towards working together to minimize greenhouse gas emissions.