Trent University’s dining facilities are seeing stars as Lady Eaton College (LEC) becomes the second eatery at Trent to receive a “3 Star Certified Green Restaurant” designation – making Trent home to the only two certified facilities of their kind at a Canadian university.  

Trent previously made headlines in May 2019 when its Gzowski Dining Hall became the very first (and only) campus dining facility to receive the prestigious designation from the Green Restaurant Association (GRA). With the designation of a second facility, Trent continues to demonstrate its outstanding leadership in environmental sustainability.

“The Lady Eaton College dining hall’s 3 Star certification is a reflection of Trent’s commitment to sustainability in on-campus dining,” says Mark Murdoch, director of Trent University Foodservices. “LEC received an even higher score than Gzowski did, which shows how Trent continues to strive for higher standards in sustainable food production and preparation. This can be a significant source of waste and greenhouse gas emissions, and we are making sure that any guest on campus can easily make sustainable dining choices.”

Restaurants with a 3 Star Green Certification must meet transparent, evidence-based certification standards in energy, water, waste, food, chemicals, and use of disposables. As a top-five most sustainable university in Canada according to GreenMetric’s 2019 global university survey, Trent welcomed GRA’s comprehensive evaluation, including a behind-the-scenes analysis to ensure that green choices are being made at every level of operation. The certification process verified Trent’s best practices, such as the elimination of polystyrene food containers and disposable plastic cutlery, as well as less visible operational efficiencies such as water use, recycling programs, and pre-consumer food waste.

GRA recognized 60 environmental steps taken by LEC, and awarded it a total score of 191.63 – well above the 175 points needed to earn the certification. The dining hall earned points for sustainable choices including using recycled paper products, an energy star dishwasher, and low energy, mercury-free lighting.

“In this certification, we were able to build on what we learned at Gzowski College to maintain high sustainability standards at dining halls across campus,” Mr. Murdoch added. “LEC’s 3 Star certification complements the GreenMetric sustainable university ranking, showing how Trent incorporates sustainability into many different aspects of campus operations.”

Founded in 1990, the GRA is an international non-profit organization that is the leading voice within the industry. The GRA operates across Canada and the U.S. and has made it accessible for thousands of restaurants to become more environmentally sustainable.