First-year students and their families are introduced to the college's sustainability ethic—and its great food—at the Luther Zero Waste Picnic during orientation in August.

Over 1,000 people gather on Luther's central campus to take part in the picnic. Grass Run Farm Burgers and other local foods are served on more than 1,500 flatbread plates—all made in the Luther bakery and all of which were composted after the event. Additionally, real glasses and silverware are used in an effort to eliminate the waste from thousands of paper or plastic utensils.

As guests learn about sustainability at Luther and the benefits of local foods, they are encouraged to take only what they can eat and compost all they could not finish—scraping leftovers onto a compost pile and tossing the edible plates onto Plate Mountain. The event demonstrates to incoming students that Luther is committed to sustainability, a message many will carry throughout their four years at Luther and beyond.

Planning for the event is a collaboration between the Luther Student Life Office and Luther Dining Services.