Address Indirect Emissions

Choose to Reuse Launches

On February 1, 2023, BU Dining Services launched “Choose to Reuse,” a reusable to-go container program integrated into the ordering platform Grubhub, the University’s contracted point of sale vendor. This program is designed to help the University achieve the goals of the Zero Waste Plan by reducing waste from disposable take-out containers. As a result, the University won the Gold Sustainability Award in Waste Management from NACUFS, the National Association of College & University Food Services.

Initially launched at seven dining concepts in the George Sherman Union Food Hall, the program expanded to Saxbys, Late Nite Cafe @ Warren Towers, Late Nite Cafe @ West Campus, Bay State Underground, and Night Kitchen Fenway in the fall 2023 semester.

Choose to Reuse incentivizes the community to choose a reusable to-go container or the ‘Dine In’ option, where plated food is available. A fee is added to the order when a customer decides to have their food served in a disposable take-out container. Further, convenient ordering choices on the Grubhub app and multiple return locations demonstrate how a seamless Zero Waste program can be easily adopted into the culture of an institution like BU.

In November, the program reached the 100,000 containers used landmark. Through the end of 2023, the program has a 96% on-time return rate. The University continues to evaluate further campus locations to expand this award-winning program.

Food Waste Collection

To help reach the University’s Zero Waste goal, the University has expanded food waste diversion efforts through increased collection points and the roll-out of food waste collection in public-facing areas. Most notably, every waste sorting station in the Center for Computing & Data Sciences has a food waste bin. In 2023, the University expanded access to food waste collection through residential pilot programs, improved management of event food waste, and the addition of new food waste pickup locations such as Chequers and at the Medical Student Residences (MSR) at the BU Medical Campus.

In addition to academic and dining areas, a residential food waste collection program was piloted in three buildings, MSR, 14 Buswell Street, and a portion of 10 Buick Street. Modeled after the City of Boston’s residential food waste program, the pilot focused on apartment-style living and was designed to provide the resources necessary for residents to divert their kitchen food waste from the trash. The pilot program offered an opportunity for our team to understand the opportunities and challenges of running such a program within different residential areas and will inform the next phase of residential food waste diversion.

University Waste Bin Standardization

In 2020, the University launched Interior Waste Bin Standards, a roadmap for standardizing the type of bins used, placement and pairing of bins, and signage on campus. Recommendation 13 in the Zero Waste Plan calls to standardize and expand the collection of recycling, trash, and organics. In the summer of 2023, the University received its first large shipment and began to deploy the new system. These bins are meant to make it easier for community members to identify where to dispose of waste and correctly sort recyclables, trash, and, in certain areas, food waste.

Strengthening our Resource Management Processes

To help track progress towards our Zero Waste goal, our resource management partner, Casella, installed compactor monitoring technology on the University’s dedicated trash and recycling trucks and at various loading docks on campus. This technology provides accurate data, allowing us to see our diversion rates on campus more clearly and helps us understand how we can better reach our Zero Waste goal. This real-time data collection helps reduce the number of truck hauls on our campuses, which increases efficiency, reduces costs, and minimizes greenhouse gas emissions.