WKU News

Western Kentucky University’s Fresh Food Company and Hilltopper Hub have achieved 3 Star Certified Green Restaurant® status from the Green Restaurant Association.

The organization noted that WKU’s three Green Restaurants -- Fresh Food Company, Hilltopper Hub and Chick-fil-A -- have implemented comprehensive composting and recycling programs to divert 90% of their waste from landfills, decreasing their waste on average by 90,000 pounds a year.

The three WKU Restaurant Group facilities have taken more than 80 environmental steps and earned over 500 GreenPoints™ in environmental categories, including Energy, Water, Waste, Reusables & Disposables, Chemicals & Pollution, Food, and Building & Furnishing.

“The WKU Restaurant Group is committed to showcasing our commitment to sustainability,” said Alex Meredith, Sustainability Coordinator for WKU Restaurant Group. “We are excited about this recognition and will continue to explore other sustainable initiatives that will allow us to continue to support the university’s sustainability goals.”

Hilltopper Hub, which became WKU’s second Green Restaurant in June 2021, implemented 56 environmental steps and achieved 201.58 GreenPoints™ to earn the recertification upgrade. Hilltopper Hub is located in Hilltopper Hall.

Fresh Food Company, which became WKU’s first Green Restaurant in January 2020, implemented 46 environmental steps and achieved 187.2 GreenPoints™ to earn the recertification upgrade. Fresh Food Company is located in the Downing Student Union.

“Green Dining Certification documents our holistic commitment to sustainability, accounting for food sourcing, food preparation, waste generation, education and outreach, and more, particularly when considering we improved our certification level by two tiers between our first and second evaluation periods,” said Dr. Leslie North, WKU’s Director of Sustainability. “Collectively, the green dining practices we have committed to as part of this certification position our campus community to make informed choices about their food, health, and the environment. In essence, as cliché as it may sound, we aren’t just serving food; we are serving a sustainable future. I am so grateful for the commitment of our Aramark team to sustainability, proud of the meaningful projects we’ve been able to do together, and excited for what we will do next. I truly believe partnerships make everything possible, and this incredible certification achievement is yet another demonstrated example of that.”

To achieve Green Restaurant certification, a facility must earn a specific number of points across multiple categories, including water use, energy use, and food sourcing.

North said the certification process covers areas such as using locally sourced food, using Energy Star appliances, offering education programs for staff to minimize waste in food preparation, using composting and recycling waste diversion practices, not using non-biodegradable polystyrene foam products, minimizing chemical use, pollution reduction and diversifying food options to meet a variety of cultural, dietary and religious needs.

Contact: Alex Meredith, meredith-alexandra@aramark.com.

- WKU -

Western Kentucky University prides itself on positioning its students, faculty and staff for long term success. As a student-centered, applied research university, WKU helps students expand on classroom learning by integrating education with real-world applications in the communities we serve. Our hilltop campus is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, which was recently named by Reader’s Digest as one of the nicest towns in America, just an hour’s drive from Nashville, Tennessee.