Mannix College, a Catholic residential college at Monash University, has collected a number of nominations and awards this year for its ‘Green Cuisine: Waste Not, Want Not’ program.
As well as recently picking up the university’s Diamond Award and Residential Community Award, the student-led sustainability initiative has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Student Engagement category of the prestigious 2024 Green Gown Awards Australasia, which recognise exceptional sustainability initiatives being undertaken by higher education institutions in Australia and New Zealand.
This recognition highlights the college’s commitment to caring for our common home through responsible environmental stewardship and an innovative approach to managing food waste, setting a benchmark for other institutions.
Since 2022, Mannix College, in partnership with Monash City Council, has taken significant steps to transform food waste from its dining hall into valuable compost. In less than a year, this initiative—which involves the more than 300 university students who reside at the college—has successfully diverted a remarkable 9,600 kilograms of food waste from landfills. To put this into perspective, that’s the equivalent weight of six or seven medium-sized family cars.
Mannix College creates a space in which passionate students can propel sustainability initiatives forward with the right support. ‘Our college exists to create good citizens with good values,’ Principal Andrew Swan says, giving students ‘agency, encouragement and opportunity to lead and make a change for the benefit of other people’.
Students are given a budget and resources to pursue these initiatives. ‘We give them positions of responsibility in the community, and everyone identifies the students as leaders of sustainability—which gives them a certain level of influence,’ Mr Swan says.
With the ‘Green Cuisine’ initiative, the process begins with organic waste bins strategically placed in the dining hall, where students are encouraged to dispose of food scraps responsibly. These bins are then emptied into larger food and garden waste bins serviced by the council. The collected waste is transported to local commercial composting facilities, where it is converted into nutrient-rich compost. This compost is then used to nourish Victorian gardens and farms, closing the loop on food waste.
Managing food waste from the three daily meals served at Mannix College was no small feat. It required strong environmental leadership, ongoing education and active student participation. The college’s decision to join Monash Council’s School Food Waste Recycling Program in 2023 was a turning point, enabling the institution to overhaul its waste-management practices and significantly reduce its environmental footprint.
‘The entire Mannix community has united to drive the success of this project,’ Mr Swan says. ‘The active participation of students, faculty, dining services and administrative staff has been vital in integrating sustainable practices into our everyday operations.’
Student Amity Lee, Deputy Chair of the Sustainability Committee, says, ‘It’s such a cool feeling being able to see the change happening around the college, especially the bins project. It’s second nature now. Everyone knows food waste goes in the green bins, and everything else goes in the other bins.’
Residents of the college, along with 20 staff members, participated in educational campaigns, workshops and training sessions, promoting awareness and proper waste segregation practices. Students led the grassroots efforts, including social media projects and community volunteering, while staff provided support by procuring materials and reporting on outcomes.
‘The positive impact of our collective efforts is palpable, influencing individuals, our community and the organisational culture at Mannix College,’ Mr Swan says. ‘Each meal here contributes to our sustainability journey, a testament to the dedication of our entire community.’
As a finalist in the Green Gown Awards, Mannix College’s Green Cuisine project shows what can be achieved when a community comes together with a shared commitment to sustainability. As the college eagerly awaits the Stage 2 judging and the announcement of the winners in November, it remains hopeful that this initiative will inspire other institutions to adopt similar practices, contributing to a more sustainable future.
The ‘Green Cuisine’ initiative is just one several other initiatives that students at Mannix College have led. Mr Swan describes these projects as ‘an ecosystem of good work’, while emphasising that ‘the college exists for so much more than being a home away from home for students. It exists as a place where students can actually work out who they are.’
‘I’ve known these students from the day they moved in, and they walk taller,’ Mr Swan says. ‘They move through the world with a greater confidence because they know they’re making the world a better place.’
Banner Image: Mannix College students stand next to green bins provided by the Monash Council.
All photos courtesy of Mannix College.