Syracuse University’s Dynamic Sustainability Lab and a team of student researchers set out to address a growing sustainability challenge: food waste in institutional dining. As part of the project, the Lab wanted to understand the greenhouse gas emissions associated with food waste from the University’s dining halls. They partnered with Persefoni to calculate these emissions.
Understanding the Climate Impacts of Dining Hall Waste
Working across six campus dining halls, the team tracked more than 71,000 pounds of food waste in just one month — equivalent to the carbon emissions from three months of natural gas usage in an average American home.
To understand the carbon implications of this waste, the team turned to Persefoni. Using data collected through Leanpath — a food waste tracking tool — students uploaded waste categories, volumes, and sources into Persefoni’s carbon accounting platform. They used the software to calculate 610 kgCO2e in emissions associated solely with food disposal. The process helped them identify hotspots like plate waste and overproduction in specific dining halls.
Using Data to Drive Action
Carbon accounting enabled the team to zero in on effective strategies for emissions reductions. It provided a measurable baseline for Syracuse University’s dining operations and highlighted waste hotspots. The data supported new strategies to reduce waste and emissions, including enhanced staff training, changes to portion sizes, and expanded use of student-led audits.
By leveraging Persefoni’s carbon accounting tools alongside Leanpath tracking, the Syracuse team was able to link food service operations to climate outcomes, laying the groundwork for future sustainability initiatives across the university.
Partnership Publications
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