At the University of North Georgia’s Gainesville campus, food waste from busy student dining spaces is being redirected toward solutions that support both sustainability and student well-being.
The Nighthawk Food Hall offers favorites like Chick-fil-A, pasta and grill options. With hundreds of students eating daily, leftover food and packaging adds up quickly. Rather than letting that waste disappear into trash bins, UNG has taken steps to track and reduce its environmental footprint.
Campus Operations staff stated surplus and non-perishable goods that remain viable often end up in the UNG Food Pantry, also housed in the Student Center in room 341. The pantry provides free items to students, faculty and staff experiencing food insecurity. It relies on donations from campus drives and partnerships with dining services, ensuring that good food does not go unused.
UNG’s sustainability initiatives include a President’s Committee on Sustainability with representation from the Gainesville campus. The committee has encouraged pilot programs to track dining hall waste and look at potential composting options for the future
“On the Gainesville campus, we have been looking into reducing idling on campus (and some signage has gone into place). We have been exploring reducing parking on non-paved, natural areas to protect plant roots, reduce erosion and reduce pollutants. We have been teaming up with Hall County for some of our recycling needs. We also have the food pantry, which provides resources to students. We’ve been looking at expanding native plantings, having informational signage added to natural areas and areas of interest and reducing impact of landscaping”- Rachel Hughes, representative of the Gainesville campus for the President’s Committee of Sustainability
The goal remains the same, reduce waste, feed students and promote a culture of sustainability. If anyone is interested in volunteering at the UNG Food Pantry, please email [email protected]. The open hours of the pantry are Monday & Wednesday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Tuesday & Thursday, 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.
