CDT Fall 2022 - 43

As of 2018, state of the art Cougar Woods Dining Hall
earned a Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design (LEED) silver certification; and Moody Towers
Dining Commons, received the prestigious Level 1
Green Restaurant certification. Woods boasts extensive
natural lighting, plumbing that affords an estimated 20
percent reduction in water usage, and high efficiency
heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HvAC),
as well as Energy Star appliances that result in a 30
percent energy cut. All campus dining halls are trayless
and strawless, with no Styrofoam or bottled water,
and reusable dining ware. The campus is committed to
recycling packaging material and extends its efforts to
include recycling cooking oil. What's more, within its
sun-drenched corridors, two Farmshelf units tout fresh
herbs and vegetables with the opportunity for mere
minutes to pass between harvest and service. How
much more local could you get?
In addition to tangible resource conservation, Green
Restaurant certification also includes an education
and transparency component as part of its point
system. Rising to the occasion, UH hosts a Skip the
Straw campaign, Love Food Not Waste, BYOBottle,
Earth Week, Waste Warrior, and Campus Race to Zero
Waste. Alongside HowGood, a research company with
the world's largest ingredient database, UH Dining
seeks to empower students to choose environmentally
sustainable options that promote the company's
net-zero goals. By assessing eight key metrics
(emissions, processing, water usage, soil health, land
use, working conditions, biodiversity, and animal
welfare), brand-specific recipes are analyzed and
rated, with corresponding labeling provided to guests,
so that future leaders are equipped to make more
informed, wholesome choices. Further, with social and
sustainable responsibility practices tied into the dining
program, students are fitted for making healthier
nutritional choices, while furthering a healthier
environment. Hey, who doesn't like feeding two birds
with one scone?
54% of meal options served
are vegan or vegetarian.
Beyond a mere environmental focus, UH Cougars are
deeply concerned with the welfare of their own-on
campus and the surrounding community. That is why
UH Dining orders from local companies, like Slow
Dough, further diminishing the University's footprint by
reducing automotive emissions otherwise associated
with lengthier transport. Notably, nine percent of all
purchases go to support historically underutilized
businesses. At a recent Celebrity Chef event, more than
BEST PRACTICES FOR A BRIGHTER TOMORROW | CAMPUS DINING TODAY
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CDT Fall 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of CDT Fall 2022
