Reduction: Social Sustainability
- ISU Dining has a strong relationship with Food at First, a local non-profit organization that supplies meals and food items to Ames community members in need. Donations include perishable food items (typically during academic breaks) and items from campus events, as well as packaged retail products past their sell by date.
- Through a partnership with Goodwill Industries, the ISU Department of Residence collected reusable and recyclable housewares and clothing items during Spring 2017 move out, resulting in 11 tons of material being diverted from the waste stream to serve communities in need.
- All of Iowa State's residential dining facilities are “tray-less,” encouraging diners to take and eat portions that better match their needs and appetites.
- ISU Surplus reduces the disposal of reusable office and operations equipment and supplies by first redistributing these items to other ISU departments and business units and then offering these items for sale to outside entities and the general public.