Transporting Compost from the UMD Dining Services to the Land Lab & Sustainable Agriculture Project
The University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) has been actively participating in composting for many years. On average, UMD’s Dining Services alone produces 109,221.70 pounds of compostable waste per year. This waste consists of food and compostable cutlery, cups, plates, bowls and napkins. This is an expense to Dining Services, costing roughly $12,000 every year to have compost material brought to Western Lake Superior Sanitary District (WLSSD). Additionally, the University’s student farm, the UMD Land Lab, purchases over $1,000 worth of compost every year for their crops. Our hypothesis is that we can reduce the overall waste that is produced on campus through enhancing student involvement and reduce transport expenses by bringing food waste to the Land Lab. Case study research was utilized in order to examine potential cost savings, transportation, and labor logistics for alternatively bringing compost to the university farm. Methods included the following qualitative and quantitative data collection: corresponding with Dining Services, UMD Land Lab Director, and other universities, field observations and tours to better understand institutional composting. Findings suggest there is potential for cost reduction and educational opportunities associated with on-site composting between UMD and the Land Lab farm.