Sustainable Dining

Waste Reduction & Diversion

• Bostwick reusable to-go container: Each student has access to one free reusable to-go container in Bostwick Marketplace. When you're done with your meal, you can exchange the rinsed container for a new washed and sanitized one.
• Trayless dining: When Bostwick Marketplace went trayless in 2011, there was an immediate reduction of 150 pounds in waste per day. That program continues today.
• Reusable glassware: To reduce the amount of paper waste in disposable drink cups, all eat-in orders at the 7th Street Café are served in reusable glassware and china.
• Pre-consumer waste diversion: Bison Kitchen diverts a portion of pre-consumer food waste, such as carrot tops and broccoli stems, for feeding primates kept on campus by Bucknell’s Animal Behavior Program. We also divert a portion of pre-consumer fruit and vegetable waste into the campus composting program.
• Biodigester: A biodigester in Bostwick converts consumer food waste to gray water that is then sent to a water treatment plant, removing the waste from a landfill. 

Sustainable Packaging

Bucknell Dining supports using environmentally friendly supplies, including:

• Recycled, unbleached paper napkins
• Reusable glassware and china for eat-in orders at the 7th Street Café 
• Paper straws only in all dining venues
• "Tree free" sugar cane pulp plates in retail and catering
• Recyclable wooden utensils used in retail and catering
• Recyclable plastic beverage bottles and aluminum cans
• Replacing plastic with paper packaging at the Bison
• Degradable plastic bags

Single Stream Recycling

All Bucknell University Dining locations offer containers for single stream recycling, a system in which all recyclable materials are placed, unsorted, into one recycling bin and sorted by processing equipment at a material recovery facility.

Recycling at Bucknell

Local, Sustainable & Humane Sourcing

Bucknell Dining uses purchasing guidelines that place heavy emphasis on locally sourced and sustainable products. We also believe in keeping as much money in our local economy as possible. Therefore, roughly 30% of our food and supply budget is spent locally. The following are examples of some of those partnerships.

• Blue Ribbon Dairy: All milk and dairy products used on campus are purchased through Blue Ribbon Dairy, a company located in Pittston, Pa. Their products use RBGH-free milk from farms in the Lehigh and Central valleys.
• Cage-free eggs: All of our shell eggs are from Kreider Farms in Lancaster, Pa., which is certified cage-free, American Humane.
• Country Store Meats: All pork products are purchased from the local Country Store Brand Meats located just 20 miles up the road.
• Direct and fair trade coffees: Several varieties of direct and fair trade coffees are available at all on-campus dining locations and through Bucknell Catering.
• Jubilee Beef: Our burgers and beef products are all from Jubilee Hilltop Ranch, a family-owned farm located in Osterburg, Pa.
• On-site Farming: The Bison and Bostwick house indoor Babylon Micro-Farms to grow herbs and greens for use in our recipes all year long. These hydroponic systems use 96% less water and 55% less plastic than traditional farming methods, as well as zero pesticides and zero miles of transport. The farms have on-site compostable growth mediums and planting materials are all recyclable. 
• Orontes Yogurt: Located in Winfield, Pa., Orontes Yogurt is sold at retail locations, such as The Bison. It is also used in Bostwick for self-service and at the Smoothie Bar. Orontes Yogurt uses A2A2 milk produced by local grass-fed cows.
• Plant-based menus: Several dining venues feature V2, a vegan entrée station.
• Seasonal local produce: With partners from such vendors as Kegel's Produce and Miller's Greenhouses, we can purchase fruits and vegetables from local farmers when their items are in season.
• Susquehanna Mills: Located in Montoursville, Pa., Susquehanna Mills provides all fryer oil used on campus. Not only is this a local purchase but the oil from Susquehanna Mills is part of a closed-loop system that converts waste oil to biodiesel.

The Bucknell Farm

In addition to the purchasing measures outlined above, Bucknell plans to increase it's local food sourcing by growing food right on campus. The 5-acre Bucknell Farm serves both an educational purpose and as a site to grow food for Bison Kitchen.

Explore the Bucknell Farm