Friday, February 08, 2019

Dub’s Café, a campus dining facility at UNCW, recently became the first 3 Star Certified Green Restaurant® in Wilmington. The dining venue’s certification is yet another step in support of the university’s dedication to sustainability.

“UNCW, and the UNC System, have large sustainability goals,” UNCW Chief Sustainability Officer Kathryn Pohlman said. “Those goals cannot be attained without smaller, more focused achievements. Becoming a Certified Green Restaurant is a great recognition for some of these achievements like purchasing local foods, reducing energy use and increasing waste diverted from the landfill.”

Aramark Sustainability Coordinator Marie Davis explained that in March 2018, a GRA consultant was led through the dining facility by UNCW staff on FaceTime to collect data on the different steps being taken to meet GRA certification standards. A total of 56 new environmental steps were implemented, like using biodegradable dish detergent and installing faucet aerators. Dub’s Café officially became a 3 Star Certified Green Restaurant in August 2018.

“Certifications like this are important,” Davis said, “because they provide a transparent and concrete measurement of the current environmental practices in our dining operations and provide guidance for future steps for increased sustainability.”

As a Certified Green Restaurant, Dub’s Café now preserves up to 92,725 kWh of electricity and 491,548 gallons of water, saving $8,887 a year and creating an 80 percent reduction in waste through their recycling and composting program.

“Students are some of the biggest sustainability supporters,” Pohlman said. “They see their future in everything, down to a straw, and they are demanding attention for sustainable action. We are the first in the city to receive this recognition. As a role model in the community, UNCW has the power to influence innovation and excellence.”

A celebration event will be held in the Warwick Center on Feb. 14 from 11:15 a.m. to noon to recognize the people who made this achievement possible. The event is open to the public.

--Tyler Anne Whichard ’19