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March 2026 - Sustainability Blog

Happy March, Seahawks! Here at UNCW Dining Sustainability, nutrition isn't just about what fuels your body; it's also about how our food choices impact our campus, community, and environment. This month, we will highlight how we divert food waste from landfills to uplift our communities.

UNCW utilizes the EPA Wasted Food Scale to divert waste to be a productive resource. The EPA's Wasted Food Scale prioritizes actions that we can take to reduce food waste.  The main goal is to keep food out of landfills, down the drain, or to the incinerator whenever possible. 

Here at UNCW, this framework guides how we manage food and food waste responsibly from preparation -> plate -> post meal.

Preventing Waste

  • The most sustainable food is food that never becomes waste.  Through careful waste tracking management in both front and back of house, UNCW Dining works to reduce excess food before it's created. We encourage students to help fight post-consumer waste by engaging in our sustainability initiatives, such as Pick Your Portion in residential locations or Choose to Reuse in our retail spaces. Small actions make a big difference!

Feeding Our Community

  • Supporting our community, both on and off campus, is a core part of our operations and team culture. When excess consumable food is available, it goes to community members in need.  UNCW Dining partners with the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina to package and distribute food throughout Wilmington. At the Food Bank, excess food is packaged into disaster meals with a shelf life of up to a year. A large portion of these meals, and other donations, are brought back to Hawk’s Harvest, UNCW’s on-campus food pantry. This partnership allows us to bring food back on campus for students in need, creating a closed-loop system. In 2025, we were able to distribute over 1,000 meals to our community.

Composting

  • When food waste can't be prevented or donated, composting is the next best sustainable solution. UNCW Dining collects food scraps, compostable dinnerware, and other organic materials from dining halls to be composted rather than sent to the landfill. With the help of microorganisms and the New Hanover County Landfill, these materials are broken down into nutrient-rich compost that supports healthy soil in local ecosystems.  

Nutrition is about nourishing your body, your community, and your environment. UNCW Dining understands the importance of nutrition by creating a space that decreases food waste and helps our community on and off campus. By following the EPA's Wasted Food Scale and making mindful dining decisions, we are working together to create a healthier campus and Wilmington community!