Campus restaurant one of five in state to be certified green

Engrained in The Connection has become certified by the Green Restaurant Association (GRA), a national organization that creates ways for the restaurant industry to reduce its harmful impact on the environment.  

The campus dining restaurant is one of five in the state to be a Green Certified Restaurant. 

Aaron Johnson, food service director for The Connection and sustainability manager for Campus Dining, said the certification adds value to an already successful sustainability program at Grand Valley.

“We had meetings with GRA to outline the expectations, then once we had the checklist, we provided evidence for each standard that we met,” said Johnson. 

The standards include seven categories: energy, food, water, waste, disposables, chemicals and pollution reduction, and furnishings and building materials. 

The Connection, a 24,000 square-foot food service and classroom building, achieved LEED Silver certification in 2010. The food service space practices sustainability by using local produce, managing waste through composting and recycling, and using environmentally friendly products, such as biodegradable cups and disposable-ware.  

Learn more about how restaurants across campus are using sustainable practices at www.gvsu.edu/campusdine/sustainability-68.htm .