What We're Doing on Campus

The Irvine Green Business Certification demonstrates our ongoing commitment to incorporating sustainable practices at every level of our operation. The designation signals that we conduct our business using strategies that improve employee wellness and productivity, energy savings, water efficiency, resource stewardship, and reduce CO2 emissions.

We take pride in being part of the growing green business community of the City of Irvine and the California Green Business Network!

One Mile Meals is UCI’s first on-campus vertical garden! Located on the patio of The Anteatery, it grows leafy greens and herbs. Compared to traditional farming, this aeroponic garden uses 90% less water, grows 2-3 times faster, and can grow 10 times the amount of food in the same amount of space. All of the produce is used within The Anteatery.

We host Wiping Out Waste events to educate students about the environmental impact of food waste and empower them with the tools needed to reduce their environmental footprint.

Twice a quarter we collect, weigh, and record solid food waste thrown out by diners during a single meal period. Throughout the event, our interns provide diners with simple tips to reduce food waste and celebrate when students do not have any waste.

On average, UCI Diners waste around 1.6 ounces of food per meal, which is equivalent to approximately 35,000 meals wasted per year. As of January 2019, The Anteatery holds the campus record of having the lowest waste of only 0.5 ounces of food wasted per person!

Through the years, we’ve found that a strong visual imprint is most impactful in shifting perceptions about food waste. Therefore, we host Love Your Food, Don’t Waste each quarter at both dining halls.

Over 2 hours, our interns sort post-consumer food waste to create a display and survey students on their dining habits and reasons they may waste food. The display clearly demonstrates how overloading one's plate can create excess waste.

We provide guests with the following waste-minimizing tips:
1. Ask for Smaller Portions
2. Go Back for Seconds
3. It’s Okay to Be Picky

With sustainable circularity in mind, we redesigned our residential dining program to reduce the use of single-use plastics and other disposable products. Our reusable clamshell boxes and cups help us do just that! With thousands of residents who may wish to take their meal to-go during any meal period, we have saved countless disposables from the landfill!

UCI Dining sources food from many local farmers, growers, and distributors. Check out the list below to see which farms we purchase from!

• Advantage Produce (Los Angeles, CA)
• Babe Farms (Santa Maria, CA)
• Bee Sweet Citrus (Fowler, CA)
• Bolthouse Farms (Bakersfield, CA)
• Bonita Farms (Riverside, CA)
• Boskovich Farms (Oxnard, CA)
• Fresh Origins (San Marcos, CA)
• Grimmway Farms (Bakersfield, CA)
• Harris Ranch University of California (Coalinga, CA)
• Hollandia (San Marcos, CA)
• J. Hellman (Los Angeles, CA)
• Lakeside Organic Gardens Holtville (Holtville, CA)
• Muranaka Farms (Los Angeles, CA)
• Fresh Point (City of Industry, CA)
• The Garlic Company (Shafter, CA)

Our partners change throughout the year depending on seasonality and availability.

As of May 4, 2018, UCI has become a certified Fair Trade University! Fair Trade is an economic system that ensures consumers that the products they buy were grown, harvested, crafted, and traded in ways that improve lives and protect the environment.

• Green Cleaning Products
• Recycling
• Cage-Free Eggs
• Group House Pork
• Fryer Oil Recycling
• Energy & Water Conservation
• Sustainable Take-Out Containers