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UCO introduces new food recovery program that helps environment, students


Students at The University of Central Oklahoma are taking advantage of a new food recovery program that promotes sustainable practices on campus. (KOKH){p}{/p}
Students at The University of Central Oklahoma are taking advantage of a new food recovery program that promotes sustainable practices on campus. (KOKH)

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Students at The University of Central Oklahoma are taking advantage of a new food recovery program that promotes sustainable practices on campus.

The program "Broncho Bites" is an on-campus initiative that will reduce food waste and provide free meals to the UCO community.

"As we saw and thought about all the food that was getting thrown away into landfills, and sent to landfills from our campus cafeteria and campus restaurants, it really started to grate on us," said Mark Walvoord with UCO. "We wanted to recover the food, get it to people who needed it, or even if they didn't, just to keep it from going to the landfill."

According to Walvoord, when food goes into the landfill and decomposes, it makes methane gas.

"Methane's 20 times more potent of a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide is and so we want it [Broncho Bites] for environmental reasons for social justice reasons," Walvoord said.

The program launched this week after UCO received a $32,000 grant in July from The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality to help fund it.

"The volunteers go as soon as the lunch shift is over at our campus cafeteria, Ayers Kitchen, Chartwells is our food vendor over there, so they're the ones partnering with us to pull the prepared food that hasn't been set out, put it in the freezer," said Walvoord. "We come the next day as soon as lunch rush ends and pack that up in compostable food containers."

All students, faculty, and staff can take advantage of the new Broncho Bites program, all they have to do is scan their ID cards, and grab a couple of boxes of food out of the fridge on campus.

So far, students are enjoying the program.

"I love it. It gives an opportunity for students to come get food if they can't afford it," said UCO student, Kaitlyn Chriss. "And then when it's not used it's taken to a compost bin and then turned into dirt for campus."

"I think it's great, I've definitely taken advantage of it," said UCO student, Evelyn Withington.

Students and staff can sign up for text alerts to find out when the fridge is stocked daily.

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