Mel Rising Dawn Cordeiro
News Editor
Returning students may have noticed the changes that occurred this summer in the dining hall, such as a new system with eat-in dishes to avoid excess trash as well as changes in the foods being offered. This change comes in light of a new environmentally friendly upgrade. The Donovan Dining Hall announced on its Instagram that the dining hall is now a four-star rated dining facility after being certified through The Green Restaurant Association. Their Instagram post states that “we are now home to one of only three Certified Green Restaurants in the Ocean State, and are the only dining establishment in RI with the highest possible ranking!”
This recognition is the result of the hard work and dedication of the Donovan Dining staff as well as students and faculty who have made suggestions for improvements. Thanks to the dining center’s hard work and multiple visits with The Green Restaurant Association, the Don has lowered RIC’s carbon footprint while finding sustainable and student-friendly ways to provide healthy food options for the RIC community.
The Green Restaurant Association has been certifying restaurants since 1990. Restaurants are ranked using a four-star method with a points system to earn stars. Points are earned among eight categories: water used, energy used, waste produced, reusable and disposable plates and utensils, chemicals and pollution, food quality, building and furnishing and education and transparency. These standards aim “to provide a transparent way to measure each restaurant’s environmental accomplishments, while providing a pathway for the next steps to increase environmental sustainability.”
This certification is not that different from the Hospitality Green Certification Program run by the state. The state, however, does not recognize campus dining halls and provides more ongoing technical assistance and advertisement. Traditional restaurants are eligible for both certifications based on the number of points they receive.
Indeed, the Don is not a traditional restaurant, but it can be thought of as a grab-and-go restaurant for the RIC community. The Don is the only college facility in RI who have obtained the prestigious four stars.
The Don joins five of Brown University’s dining venues, The Village restaurant in Provdeince Jewelry District, Arooga’s Grille House & Sports Bar in Warwick and Hope Street Pizza located on the East Side of Providence. Other restaurants and campus dining halls are looking to follow suit.
At the time of publishing, no one from the Don could be reached for comment.
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