https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/203852600

The US EPA is hosting a webinar on their recent initiative called Food Recovery Challenge. I highly recommend signing up for this webinar at the link I provided above and you will be able to get help with waste audits in dining halls at this webinar. You will be connected to the contact in your state from EPA who can help. Spread the word to all University Food Service Managers! Thanks Gayle Hubert US EPA Region 7

I did a pilot program last spring during earth week called, "weigh the waste." It involved standing outside the dishroom with a bucket on a scale and asking students to throw anything they could have eaten, but didn't, in the bucket. Students were able to see the weight increase as the lunch period or dinner period went on. The next day I displayed numbers on how much food was wasted, broken down by person, and how many people that food could have fed. It definitely got students talking about food waste and there was actually some controversy. Many students didn't understand the importance of food waste; that is something I need to demonstrate better. There are many other schools who have done a similar project, it has the ability to change a lot. Good luck

UC Davis Dining Services has conducted audits of customer meal waste in the residential facilities.

2009 - http://dining.ucdavis.edu/documents/FoodWasteActivity-Nov.09.pdf
2010 - http://dining.ucdavis.edu/documents/FoodWasteActivityNovember2010_000.pdf
2011 - http://dining.ucdavis.edu/documents/FoodWasteActivityApril2011FINALREPOR...

Nearly every customer (mostly students) was actively involved by placing their waste into the proper containers, with the help from student staff and volunteers.

We have not conducted an audit of all waste generated at the facility, if that is what you are looking for. We have done that with the residence halls: http://www.housing.ucdavis.edu/__pdf/category_specific/sustainability/uc...