Spanning health, wellbeing, resilience, carbon emissions, water and circular resources, ASU works to empower its students, faculty and staff to eat as healthy, local, organic and low on the food chain as possible. ASU also aims to reduce waste and close food loops in order to transform our food system to create a positive impact on the environment. Starting in Sun Devil Dining and incorporated across the university, ASU offers a wide array of tools and programs to achieve a sustainable food system.
Commitments:
- Earn and retain at least 50 percent of the points in the food- and dining-related credits of the AASHE Sustainability Tracking and Rating System by fiscal year 2020.
- Eliminate food insecurity among ASU community members by fiscal year 2020.
- Provide local, organic gardening opportunities to all university community members by fiscal year 2021.
Programs
Borderlands
Add or split 60 pounds of vegetables to your diet for only $10. ASU hosts periodic Borderlands Produce On Wheels – With Out Waste food markets, in which vegetables from refrigerated food warehouses at the Arizona-Mexico border are brought to or near campus for anyone to buy. View the Tempe campus schedule. Volunteer to help with a market through Changemaker.
Campus Harvest
Help harvest dates from the date palms on campus, which are sold on campus, donated to non-profit organizations and used in desserts from ASU Dining Services.
Campus Seville Orange Harvest
Help ASU harvest the oranges on campus to be used in Engrained recipes and in catering at ASU events.
Engrained Cafe
Engrained Cafe's unique venue provides a modern ambiance within the restaurant and terrace space. Engrained recognizes the impact food has on our health, culture, environment and local economies. Engrained works with local farms and producers to bring local ingredients to the menu.
Fresh and Local Market
ASU community members and the public may buy fresh and local vegetables, fruits, other food supplies and a food truck lunch while on campus. The Tempe campus hosts Fresh and Local markets on Thursdays during moderate weather.
Poly Community Garden
The Poly Community Garden offers a space to grow local organic food, engage with peers and enjoy nature. Plots are leased to the campus community for individual gardening opportunities and shared plots are utilized for community food bank donations.
Sign up for your plot. Keep up on the latest news from the garden.
Tools
Composting
ASU composts most back-of-house organic material and is rolling out opportunities to compost in kitchenettes.
Decidedly Green Catering
For campus event catering needs, check out The Decidedly Green sustainable menu with vegan and vegetarian options, local and organic ingredients, Fair Trade beverages and sustainable seafood.
Fresh Start to the Week
Reduce the negative impact of the food you eat by committing to try some of the wide variety of non-animal protein options for some of your meals during the week at the Daily Roots station in any dining hall. You can also commit to go entirely vegetarian or vegan.
Sustainable Event Certification
ASU’s Sustainability Certification program offers a Green Event certification that includes several guidelines related to sustainable food systems for campus events.
Weigh the Waste
ASU Dining Services runs periodic programs to help students utilizing dining halls take only what they will actually eat in order to reduce the waste from over-plating.
