Mayo Clinic Food Services raises awareness about food waste
Mayo Clinic Food Services is hosting events to raise awareness about food waste, a global concern with major environmental, economic and humanitarian consequences. One of those events is Waste Not Wag A Lot from April 15–29. Mayo Clinic Food Services will offer dog-friendly treats for purchase through its Waste Not Wag A Lot program, which uses food scraps to make safe treats for pets. The program is available at Mayo Clinic in Arizona, Florida and Rochester, and Mayo Clinic Health System locations in Eau Claire and La Crosse.
For each large bag of treats purchased, Mayo Clinic Food Services will donate a bag of treats to a local humane society.
In 2023, the "Waste Not Wag A Lot" program diverted 332 pounds of waste from landfills and donated 614 bags of dog treats to local humane societies.
Mayo Clinic Food Services uses a variety of strategic tactics year-round to reduce waste and sustainability including waste sort and reuse, composting and waste diversion, and Hug Your Mug. Since its launch in November 2022, Mayo Clinic Food Service's Hug Your Mug program has been used over 50,000 times, diverting roughly 2,461 pounds of disposables from landfills.
Recognition for sustainability efforts
Five Mayo Clinic locations were recognized in 2023 by Practice Greenhealth, a national organization dedicated to improving the environmental performance of hospitals and healthcare facilities.
Mayo Clinic in Rochester received the Top 25 Award, Practice Greenhealth's highest honor for hospitals that are leaders in environmental sustainability through their programs and culture.
Mayo Clinic locations in Arizona, Florida and Rochester, and Mayo Clinic Health System locations in Eau Claire and La Crosse received the Greenhealth Emerald Award, which recognizes outstanding hospitals from the top 20% of applicants for sustainability programs.
Mayo Clinic in Rochester also received Practice Greenhealth's Circle of Excellence — Healthy Food recognition as a top-scoring hospital for sustainability efforts focused on food in addition to all-around sustainability.
More information
Learn more about Mayo Clinic’s environmental stewardship.