Daniel Lemos Since the fall of 2022, I’ve been immersed in the world of food waste reduction as a Food Waste Coordinator at the dining halls of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, working closely with the Leanpath system. Our primary mission has been to tackle food waste head-on by instilling a culture of accountability among […]
My Experience with Leanpath Read More »
What is Earth Day? The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970, celebrating the achievements of the environmental movement and raising awareness for conservation efforts. Today, over a billion people celebrate Earth Day around the world. Many Earth-focused events are happening all week around campus, check them out here. What’s happening on Campus?
Earth Day at UMass Read More »
Have you seen big boxes around campus collecting your trash? Those are rStream’s AuditPRO units. rStream, founded by UMass alumni Ian Goodine and Ethan Walko, is a greentech startup aimed at solving the sorting issue in our waste stream. The two have won numerous awards, including the 2021 Innovative Challenge and Engineering Senior Design Showcase,
What is Causing Bee Losses? In the winter alone, beekeepers usually lose up to 20% of their colony. Although that may sound alarming, some beekeepers–like UMass Dining’s local partner, Red Barn Honey–say that “if you’re not losing bees, you’re not keeping bees.” That is, bee populations will naturally fluctuate over time. Besides overwinter deaths, bee
Buzzing into Spring Part 2: The Biggest Threats to Bees Read More »
What is Pollination? Pollen is a powder-like substance that many plants produce for reproduction. You may already be familiar with pollen if you are part of the 25.7% of adults who experience seasonal pollen allergies–especially during the spring. Pollination is the process by which pollinators, such as honeybees, butterflies, bats, and birds, deposit pollen
Buzzing into Spring Part 1: The Importance of Pollinators Read More »
As environmentalists, it is safe to say that the global environment is currently changing. From warmer temperatures to overfishing, our decisions have an impact on the world. This defines the core basis of planetary health. Planetary Health is the health of human civilization and the state of the natural systems on which it depends. Planetary
What is Planetary Health? Read More »
UMass Dining is committed to reducing single-use plastics from infiltrating our environment and impacting environmental and human health. With this focus, UMass Dining creates new initiatives that incentivize students to make better, informed choices regarding their waste management. The exchange of knowledge is an essential factor for change and growth, so it is important to
Waste Reduction: A Focus On Reducing our Plastic Usage Read More »
When you go shopping for new clothes, what do you pay attention to before making a purchase? You may consider factors such as the latest fashion trends, price, and versatility–but how often do you think about the environmental impact of the clothing you wear? It may be difficult to believe that something as simple as
UMass Dining is the first university dining program to partner with My Emissions to analyze and rate the carbon impact for individual dishes using an A through E rating system. The A through E rating is based on the carbon intensity of the dish, looking at eachingredient and its lifecycle as a whole. The UMass
Everyday Food Choices Can Be Climate Action Read More »
Did you know that despite covering over 70% of the Earth’s surface, only 2% of the food we eat is supplied by the ocean? Although the first foods that come to mind when you think of the ocean may be animal products, such as fish, shrimp, and lobster, many people are also eating sea vegetables–specifically
Keeping Up With Kelp: A Delicious Partnership with Atlantic Sea Farms to Save Our Planet Read More »
