{"674710":{"#nid":"674710","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Reducing Food Waste with Innovative Tech Dining Initiatives","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn today\u0027s society, where sustainability and environmental consciousness are at the forefront of our concerns, Georgia Tech\u0027s Dining Services, within the cabinet area of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/students.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EStudent Engagement and Well-being\u003C\/a\u003E has taken significant strides to minimize food waste on campus. By implementing programs like \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.leanpath.com\/about\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ELeanPath\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/raccooneyesai.com\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ERaccoon Eyes\u003C\/a\u003E, they are bringing awareness and actively engaging in sustainable practices beneficial to the campus community and planet.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cToday\u2019s Georgia Tech Dining program cannot simply produce quality food at a competitive price,\u201d said Ryan Greene, Senior Director of Tech Dining. \u201cIt must operate with sustainable practices at the forefront, helping the institute meet its goal of zero waste as quickly as possible. For Tech Dining, the most exciting aspect of our sustainable priorities include innovation and technology, which closely align with Georgia Tech\u2019s strategic plan.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELeanPath is instrumental in monitoring pre-consumer (kitchen) waste, providing important data on food wastage patterns and trends. One of its key features is the ability to train staff in effective food waste reduction strategies, empowering them to make informed decisions that contribute to waste reduction. By utilizing LeanPath, Tech Dining has reduced its overall carbon footprint by minimizing food usage.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESince the implementation of LeanPath in each dining hall in May 2022, Tech Dining has:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cp\u003ETrained and developed staff in practices to reduce food waste.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\t\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cp\u003EPrevented $2,514 of food waste from occurring in 2023.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\t\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAlongside the LeanPath program is Raccoon Eyes, a visionary initiative \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.scheller.gatech.edu\/news\/ray-c-anderson-center-for-sustainable-business\/2023-05-11-sustainable-x-startup-spotlight-on-raccoon-eyes-on-a-mission-to-reduce-dining-hall-food-waste.html\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Efounded by Georgia Tech students.\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUtilized in each dining hall, Raccoon Eyes presents students with visuals of the food they waste as they dispose of it. This visual approach educates students about the impact of their actions and fosters a culture of responsibility toward food usage and waste reduction. Powered by vision and AI capabilities, the program streamlines feedback and analytics without the need for manual inputs or tedious processes. Since implementation, Racoon Eyes has:\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cp\u003ERecorded over 51,015 lbs. of post-consumer waste.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\t\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cp\u003EReceived 60,524 comments from students about their meals.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\t\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cp\u003EHelped managers on-site identify the top wasted food items so the chefs could adjust menus and recipes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\t\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cp\u003EHelped managers identify the times of day when the most food is wasted. For lunch, it is between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. and for dinner, it is between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\t\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u0027s Dining Services is taking the charge in sustainable food practices through initiatives like LeanPath and Raccoon Eyes. By leveraging technology, data-driven insights, and a commitment to environmental stewardship, they are setting a powerful example for other campuses and communities.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo learn more about Tech Dining\u0027s sustainability efforts, please visit \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/dining.gatech.edu\/sustainability\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/dining.gatech.edu\/sustainability\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn today\u0027s society, where sustainability and environmental consciousness are at the forefront of our concerns, Georgia Tech\u0027s Dining Services, within the cabinet area of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/students.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EStudent Engagement and Well-being\u003C\/a\u003E has taken significant strides to minimize food waste on campus. By implementing programs like \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.leanpath.com\/about\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ELeanPath\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/raccooneyesai.com\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ERaccoon Eyes\u003C\/a\u003E, they are bringing awareness and actively engaging in sustainable practices beneficial to the campus community and planet.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech\u0027s Dining Services uses two innovative programs to minimize food waste on campus. "}],"uid":"35052","created_gmt":"2024-05-14 15:06:53","changed_gmt":"2024-05-14 15:07:50","author":"mcarter80","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-05-14T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-05-14T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"1182","name":"General"},{"id":"652360","name":"Student Engagement and Well-Being"},{"id":"648297","name":"Tech Dining"},{"id":"499601","name":"Campus Services"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"168693","name":"campus sustainability"},{"id":"13447","name":"Georgia Tech dining"},{"id":"188148","name":"Tech Dining"},{"id":"1859","name":"dining services"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}