Boozel Dining Hall Wins Prestigious Green Restaurant Certification

Boozel Dining Hall at Slippery Rock University has earned Certified Green Restaurant certification from the Green Restaurant Association. The achievement marks a major milestone for sustainable dining and eco-friendly campus dining on SRU's Central Loop.

How Boozel Dining Hall Achieved Certification

The dining hall earned more than 165 GreenPoints by implementing 39 environmental initiatives under the Green Restaurant Association certification program. These efforts support waste reduction, energy efficiency, and sustainable dining practices.

A comprehensive recycling system for plastics, glass, aluminum, cardboard, and paper plays a key role. While the average restaurant produces around 100,000 pounds of waste each year, Boozel Dining Hall now diverts nearly 50,000 pounds from landfills annually.

Sustainability Steps Behind the Recognition

The dining hall introduced several eco-friendly dining initiatives. It operates a bottle filling station instead of selling bottled water, donates surplus food to local food banks, and uses bulk condiment dispensers to reduce packaging waste.

Disposable dishware has been replaced with reusable plates, bowls, mugs, glasses, and cutlery. Energy-saving upgrades include occupancy sensors and strip curtains on walk-in coolers, helping reduce electricity use. Plant-based dining has also expanded, with vegetarian and vegan meals making up more than half of all main dishes.

What Certification Means for SRU and the Region

Green Restaurant Association CEO Michael Oshman praised the university's commitment. He said Boozel Dining Hall sets a strong example for restaurants across Pennsylvania and the United States.

Chris Cole, SRU's assistant vice president for auxiliary operations and student services, said the certification reflects the university's commitment to sustainability and responsible resource management. He also credited food service partner Aramark for supporting the achievement.

The Green Restaurant Association has certified restaurants since 1990. It evaluates sustainability across seven categories, including energy, water, waste, food, chemicals, reusables, and building materials. More information is available at dinegreen.com.