Sustainability

Housing and Food Services at Penn State Behrend is continuously developing its sustainability initiatives. It is our goal to be as “green” as possible by making environmentally focused choices while providing quality service and products for our students. Below is a list of our environmental programs and initiatives.

We recycle
Glass, steel, aluminum, office paper, toner cartridges, newspapers, and corrugated cardboard.

We Offer
Reusable to-go containers through our Green2Go program for students and guests to reduce the amount of waste going to landfills.

We Collect
All used frying oil. An outside company takes it and uses it in the production of farm animal feed and biodiesel.

We Cook
In batches to reduce waste.

We Challenge
Our staff to reduce waste and find new ways to be sustainable every day.

We Compost
All pre-consumer and post-consumer organic waste. Composting stops hundreds of pounds of food waste from going into landfills and produces rich soil that is used throughout campus for landscaping.

We Keep
Plastic bottles out of the waste stream by installing hydration stations in the residence halls - over 278,000 bottles so far.

We Clean
Efficiently with a Hobart CLP series Energy Star rated dishwasher that has Hobart’s exclusive Opti-Rinse™ technology. It uses less than half the rinse water and half the energy compared to models without it.

We Use
Napkins that are made from 100 percent recycled post-consumer content. They contain no bleach and no virgin paper fiber.

We Save
Electricity with motion sensor and timed lights in Dobbins Hall, as well as energy efficient lights where possible.

We Reduce
Paper waste with hand dryers in the bathrooms. The paper towels we use are made from 60 percent recycled materials and the trash liners are made from 70 percent recycled materials.

We Eat
With real china and glassware to reduce waste going to landfills.

We Donate
Leftover food from the serving lines to a local non-profit to help feed those in our community.

We Grow
A portion of our Basil, Thyme, Parsley, Cilantro, and Oregano in raised herb gardens outside Dobbins Dining Hall throughout the summer to be used in recipes in the Fall and Spring semesters.

We Install
Programmable thermostats throughout our dining facilities and residence halls to ensure the most efficient use of energy to heat and cool our buildings.

We Continue
To look for new ways to lessen our environmental impact, while continuing to offer our customers a pleasant, clean, and healthy dining facility.