Dining Sustainability
Employed by Dining Services, W&M’s team of Dining Sustainability interns are responsible for some of our most successful campus sustainability initiatives. These interns manage the campus wide composting program, distribute freshly grown produce from their hydroponics wall, and more! Learn more about their initiatives below or email [[compost]] to get involved.
Compost
William & Mary’s compost program helps to reimagine the waste cycle by turning our food scraps into nutrient rich organic fertilizer. In collaboration with Dining Services and Student Assembly, the campus compost program has expanded to a fleet of 15 public compost bins that are serviced by a team of Dining Sustainability interns using their Green Fee funded electric golf cart.
To find the nearest public compost location, check out this interactive map!
Compost from our campus is transported to an industrial compost facility. This allows us to accept any organic material including all food scraps, bioplastics, untreated paper, and anything labeled ‘compostable’.
In 2023, William & Mary divert 290,125 lbs of food waste! This prevented an estimate 197,865 lbs of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere.
Composting at Events
Will you have compostables at your next event? Dining Sustainability is committed to ensuring that those items end up in the proper bin! Use the form below to request a compost bin for your next event. Dining Sustainability interns will service and deliver the bin at no charge.
Request a Compost Bin for an Event
Composting Off-Campus
Dining Sustainability will come curbside to pick up your compost for students, faculty, and staff who live on the streets immediately surrounding campus. Check out the link below to see if you live within the pick up boundary and to be added to the collection route!
Hydroponics
Dining Sustainability interns manage the hydroponics system in Commons Dining Hall. This system utilizes flowing water and nutrients to grow plants without soil. This system reduces our food miles and gives students access to freshly harvested produce.
More information about sustainability in our dining halls can be found via W&M Dining.
