Three times a day, seven days a week, the kitchen crew at Andrew Commons prepares enough food to feed a small army, better known as the Lawrence University student body. However, what happens to the food that isn’t eaten? At many schools and homes, this leftover food is thrown away, its ultimate destination being a landfill where it is fated to rot away. However, thanks to the Lawrence University Food Recovery Network (FRN), the uneaten food here at Lawrence escapes this destiny, instead going to those in need.
The FRN, which meets every Saturday at 2 p.m. in Andrew Commons, is just one way students can help impact their community and planet, according to Co-President junior Elizabeth Williams.
“[The FRN] is a good place for people who are interested in making a tangible sustainable difference,” Williams said. “We’re just one college, but our impact on the landfills is not insignificant, and it absolutely matters how much we’re throwing away.”
Although Lawrence may seem small, in the 2023-24 school year the FRN was able to recover 3,023 lbs. of leftover food from being thrown away, which equates to 23,172 lbs. (10.5 metric tons) of CO2 being emitted from landfills. Since 2014, the FRN has recovered 21,416.47 lbs. of food from the dining hall overall.
The FRN at Lawrence is a chapter of a national project dedicated to fighting food waste. After completing food safety training, volunteers package up the leftover food from Andrew Commons. The food is then picked up by the Salvation Army, which uses it to help feed those in need in Appleton.
The FRN benefits the community by “serving those in Appleton fighting food insecurity, often facing homelessness, and keeping the shelters running,” Williams said.
Aside from the positive local impact, the FRN also has a broader influence on the planet. When leftover food is thrown away, most of the time it ends up decaying in a landfill. During this process, the food emits greenhouse gases, which leads to the overall warming of our planet.
The FRN also offers a space for collaboration amongst students, especially those who are concerned about sustainability. Additionally, the club offers a chance to explore an unseen part of campus for most students: the kitchens.
“[Getting to work in a kitchen] is just a different side of campus. It’s cool to be a part of this relationship between the campus and the community. […] I think it’s really important to engage with the people who are serving you and just connect [with them],” Williams said. “It’s always fun for me when there’s someone who [is] volunteering [for the first time] to show them around the kitchen. And sometimes people are really surprised by all the stuff that’s going on back there, and they’re just excited to see everything.”
Williams encourages any interested students to try out volunteering with the FRN.
“[Those interested] don’t need any experience; we would have them complete our food safety training, and then the rest is just showing up to our volunteer time,” Williams said. “We would love to have them.”