University campus Leading As part of efforts toward a more sustainable future, student eating habits have become a major focus. University-sponsored and student-led sustainability organizations have partnered with campus dining services to implement programs to eliminate wasteful, expensive, single-use packaging from campuses. In recent years, dorm dining halls and campus restaurants have seen an increase in take-out meals, generating a lot of waste on campus.
Changes are happening on campuses to support efforts to reach sustainability goals. Campuses are implementing and improving reusable take-out programs, making reusables free and using a system where students borrow containers (like borrowing a library book) and return them after use. use, The success of these programs is due to the fact that the system reduces waste, encourages students to actively participate in sustainability programs, and rewards users for positive sustainability behaviors. In short, these programs are changing the paradigm of the takeout experience.
Eliminating plastic from waste is also one of the key goals of these systems. More plastic, even if it is recyclable or reusable, will not solve the plastic problem. Unfortunately, most plastic, even reusable plastic, ends up in the trash. To make matters worse, plastic cups and containers release microplastics that end up in the food and drinks students pick up.
Preventing endocrine disruption
A study Polypropylene, polystyrene, polyethylene, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) takeaway containers have been found to contaminate food with microplastics, meaning that a student ordering takeaway food every other day could ingest as many as 200 microplastic particles a week. From those containers. In another study The effects of these particles in our diet can disrupt hormones, growth and development.College campuses are places where students should thrive, and take-out containers should not pose a risk to their health.
Education and awareness campaigns are essential to the success of these efforts. Students need to understand the importance of eliminating single-use plastics and how their actions contribute to sustainability goals. Campus dining services can play a key role by providing information and incentives to help students choose reusable options.
Many student ID issuers Trade, board, Touch Netand Atriumare developing integrations with reusable checkout systems to allow students to seamlessly and easily access and track their containers. These apps can send reminders to return containers and provide information about the program’s environmental impact. Seeing how much waste has been removed from the trash and how much water and emissions have been saved is a powerful motivator for adopting ongoing sustainability efforts. This data also allows higher education teams to access information to track how well they are meeting their sustainability goals.
Developing Good Habits for Life
As the University expands these sustainable efforts, it sets a powerful example for other institutions and the community. The impact of eliminating single-use plastics from campus goes beyond the immediate reduction in waste. It fosters a culture of sustainability that students carry into their future careers and lives, amplifying the positive effects.
for example, Carleton University’s loss rate of reusable items After implementing the tracking system, waste decreased from nearly 60% to less than 1%, allowing the campus to participate in truly circular takeaways. The data stream generated helped evaluate the impact of sustainability initiatives and promoted zero-waste practices in Carleton’s broader community. Carleton’s model was shared with the City of Northfield, Riverbend Nature Park and the Carleton Sustainability Office as part of their Master Recyclers and Composters program, which supports individuals and organizations in finding, developing and adopting other zero-waste practices.
To bring reusable takeaway items onto campus, careful steps must be taken:
Understand the need for reusable items on campus
It’s important to understand specifically how plastic-free and reusable products can benefit your campus. Questions to investigate include:
- Do you have an existing reusable program? What improvements do your programs need to make, for example, to prevent high loss rates or reduce the use of plastic containers?
- Are there sustainability or zero waste goals across campus?
- Do you have any sustainability goals specific to food and beverage?
- Is there a demand from students for reusable programs? Have students tried to promote reusable programs in the past?
Understanding the current state of campus dining
Dining operations may vary by campus and these differences may affect implementation. Here are some questions to consider:
- Do you manage your dining operations yourself or do you outsource them to a foodservice provider such as Sodexo, Aramark or Compass Group?
- What dining model is currently being offered on campus? Is food available for take-out from the all-you-can-eat dining hall? Are there retail restaurants on campus? Is there order-ahead capability?
Identify staff stakeholders
Collaboration with staff is essential to implementing and executing a reusable project.
- Identify sustainability champions in your sustainability office, dining services, and auxiliary services departments. Set up meetings with these champions and ask for their recommendations for implementing sustainability programs.
- Identify the decision maker who will ultimately decide whether to sign the contract. Often, the decision maker will be in a role such as a dining director or an auxiliary services director.
Identify the implementation route
There may be multiple groups on campus that can advocate for reusable programs. Often these groups have opportunities for students to showcase or collaborate on sustainability-related projects. Find these groups and get in touch with or join them to learn more about these opportunities.
- Student Government (including the Student Government Sustainability Section)
- Dining and Sustainability Student Interns
- Independent student groups such as the Sustainability Club and Green Club
Find funding opportunities
Most campuses recognize the need for green initiatives and have fundraising mechanisms in place, so understanding a reusable takeout program can translate into immediate cost savings.
- How are sustainability efforts funded on campus? Are there green funds or grants? Are efforts funded directly by Dining Services?
- What does your funding process look like? Identify application deadlines, which could occur at the beginning of the semester, every two weeks, or on an ongoing basis.
Conclusion: Take the first step
Getting started on a reuse program on campus can be challenging. You need to learn about the need for reuse, understand the current dining situation, identify stakeholders, and consider funding pathways for a reuse program. To summarize, the action steps are:
- Understand the need for a reusable program on campus.
- Set up meetings with advocates within the Sustainability Office and Dining Services.
- Identify funding opportunities for reusables programs.
- Identify decision makers and schedule meetings.
Eliminating plastic from university dining facilities is an important step in addressing the broader problem of plastic pollution. By adopting reusable containers, strengthening infrastructure, and promoting education, campuses can significantly reduce their environmental impact. These efforts benefit the environment and prepare students to be conscientious, responsible sustainability practitioners. As more institutions adopt these practices, the collective impact could make great strides toward a more sustainable future.
About the Author
Alison Cobb: usefulhas developed an easy-to-use, technology-enabled reusable foodservice container that has seen a 99% return rate during initial implementation.
