Sustainability
Our Initiative
Binghamton University Dining Services is dedicated to sustainability and pursues ways to positively impact the environment. We strive to improve the way we care for our employees, improve the food and services we provide and to be the best corporate citizens. In addition to many company initiatives like Sodexo’s Better Tomorrow 2025, we have implemented the following programs specific to Binghamton University.
Sustainable Food Sources
Local Vendors and Partners
Best Bagels in Town, located in Endwell, New York, provides bagels and cream cheese for the Resident Dining Halls, MarketPlace, ITC Cafe and Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences Café.
Mento Produce, located in Syracuse, New York, delivers produce to all our locations, including seasonal fruits and vegetables from farms within New York state.
Finger Lakes Coffee Roasters sources certified fair-trade and organic coffee beans from all over the world and skillfully roasts them in Victor, New York. This coffee is served at the Library Tower Café and Breakfast & Beyond.
Chobani, located in New Berlin, New York, provides prepackaged yogurt for each dining location.
Huff Ice Cream, based in Sydney, New York, provides ice cream novelties for the Resident Dining Halls.
Upstate Farms, located in Syracuse, New York, sources milk from farms across New York State and provides milk products for the campus.
Lupo’s, a family-owned business in Endicott, New York, provides marinated chicken breasts for the Resident Dining Halls.
Plant-Forward Dining
Click Here for an extensive guide to plant-forward dining options available in the Resident Dining Halls.
Sustainable Waste Management
Recycling
We recycle the following products on campus: cardboard, glass, aluminum, paper, metal and plastic.
Lean Path Technology
Lean Path is an automated food waste program that helps us to improve kitchen efficiency and prevent as much waste as possible.
Recycling fryer oil into Biofuel
French fries to fuel. Indeed, our fryer oil is recycled into biodiesel that is used to power a variety of vehicles-from delivery fleets to farm equipment.
Reusable Takeout Containers
We provide O2GO containers through the OZZI reusable container system at all four dining halls. Every student with a meal plan gets their first reusable container for free.
Food Recovery Network
The Food Recovery Network was founded in 2011 by a group of college students who work with colleges, universities, farms and food businesses to redirect surplus food to feed the community.
In response to concerns regarding student food insecurity, BUDS enacted a single- serve frozen meal program, distributing meals to the on-campus Food Pantry. These meals may include a complete meal or just a grain, vegetable or protein servingl
Stop Hunger Food Drives
Each semester, BUDS partners with Broome County CHOW (Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse) and the on-campus Food Pantry to provide a variety of food items to those in need through a week-long donation drive called Stop Hunger.
Eco Friendly Initiatives
Xpressnap
Tork® Xpressnap napkin dispensers save energy and waste. Energy is saved because less power is used to recycle paper products than to create them from virgin material. The napkins are made of 100% recycled paper and the dispenser will encourage customers to take (and waste) fewer napkins.
Food Scraps
Organic materials like food scrapsare diverted from the landfilland donated to a local pig farmer to be used as animal feed.
Bulk Condiments
Bulk condiment dispensers are available at most dining locations and can help reduce packaging and waste in comparison to individual packets.
Energy Star Appliances
ENERGY STAR®is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) voluntary program that helps businesses and individuals save money and protect our climate through superior energy efficiency. When replacing equipment, we choose Energy Star-rated appliances.
No Idling at Docks
We work with our vendors, catering staff and campus facility services staff to make sure all vehicles are turned off while they are parked in our loading docks.