sustainability
we make local easy
It all starts in our community. Our culinarians and sustainability teams take pride in working with local food systems, along with third party certified suppliers across the country to ensure we are sourcing our food the right way. Our sustainability efforts don’t stop there. We work hard to utilizing reusables and compostable materials in our restaurants, ensure that our facilities follow sustainable practices, and align
ourselves with the goals of our campus and community.
our operations
sustainable practices extend to our facilities, where our team members work to ensure that daily operations contribute to a healthy environment.
Harvest Table partners with the campus to recycle cardboard and commingled items from all dining locations across campus. We are committed to minimizing our environmental footprint. Look for signs in our locations for information on where to put your recyclables.
We also use 100% recycled content office and copy paper, cups, and napkins in all dining locations on campus.
By dining trayless, you have helped positively impact the waste stream. Dining trayless minimizes food waste, conserves energy and water, and reduces the amount of cleaning chemicals entering the waste stream.
One hundred percent of dining services used fryer oil is recycled by Filta Fry to be used by LOCAL alternative fuel producers.
We are committed to supporting food insecurity efforts through our robust partnership with Jeremiah’s Inn.
contributing to a responsible food system
Our dining team strives every day to create a responsible dining program. From working to minimize waste, supporting local partners with responsible sourcing, and creating green dining facilities, we are always looking for new wats to care for our world through a sustainable food system.
responsible sourcing
Our chefs work closely with local food systems to source your food responsibly. To us, sustainable food means ingredients sourced are from third party certified as having been sustainably or responsibly produced and distributed.
Harvest Table is proud to support Clark University’s sustainability efforts with the Coolfood pledge – an initiative aimed at reducing the climate impact of the food we serve.
In partnership with the World Resources Institute, we’re working to cut greenhouse gas emissions from food purchases by at least 25% by 2030. You’ll see Coolfood Meal badges on our menus, highlighting dishes that meet rigorous standards for low carbon impact – helping you to make climate-friendly choices without sacrificing flavor.
Behind the scenes, our team tracks food purchase and measures its environmental impact using the Coolfood Calculator. Every bite makes a difference – and together, we’re working toward a more sustainable future.
At Harvest Table, we are dedicated to sourcing thoughtfully and minimizing our environmental footprint through better choices for people, planet, and community.
Whenever possible, we prioritize products free from antibiotics and added hormones, sourcing locally from trusted farms and producers across New England – including Fantini Bakery, Rhed’s Hot Sauce, Mi Tierra Tortillas, Polar Beverage, Hood, Kettle Cuisine Soup, Boston’s Best Coffee, and partners through Farm Fresh Rhode Island. When local options aren’t available, we collaborate with reliable regional and national partners who share our commitment to quality and sustainability.
To further reduce waste, we’ve eliminated individually wrapped condiments at many locations and are expanding composting initiatives in support of our zero-waste goals.
We also prioritize organic products for their health and environmental benefits, featuring vendors like Tractor Organic Beverages.
Don’t miss the Plant Power station at the Table, where exclusively vegan, made from scratch recipes take center stage. Plus, our customizable menus at Greens & Grains make it easy to build meals rich in plants.
Choosing plant forward meals is one of the most impactful ways to lower greenhouse gas emissions and help us meet our climate goals – one flavorful bite at a time.
We’re committed to making sustainable choices every step of the way. That’s why we’re increasing our scratch cooking – crafting more items like salad dressings, salsas, and soups from the freshest ingredients.
Along with our operation strategies like trayless dining and fryer oil recycling, together these practices help us serve great food while protecting our planet.
waste minimization
Compost bins are utilized at the Table to make dining more sustainable – one meal at a time – through our partnership with Black Earth Compost
To reduce the environmental impact of to-go dining and catered events, we’re prioritizing the use of compostable containers and cutlery wherever possible.
Together, we’re making strides toward a cleaner, greener campus.
We’re making it easier than ever to go green. In support of Clark’s commitment to waste reduction, we’re continuing our Choose to Reuse program at The Bistro and The Table. Just grab a reusable container and enjoy your meal with less waste. Choose to Reuse. Save money. Support a greener campus.
To further divert as much waste as possible from landfills, individually wrapped disposable utensils and condiments will no longer be available at many of our locations.
Too Good To Go is the world’s largest marketplace for surplus food, to help reduce food waste on campuses.
Through the Too Good To Go app, Harvest Table is reducing food waste by making sure that any surplus food can be enjoyed by the Clark community, at a great value! This important sustainability initiative kicked off at at The Bistro this Fall. Surplus food that has not been sold at The Bistro (such as salads, bagels, cookies, etc.) will be bagged and posted to the app for on-line purchase and in-store pick up. So far, more than 30 meals have been saved through this initiative!
Download the Too Good To Go app and check for availability to start saving Surprise Bags of delicious food while supporting sustainability at Clark!