麻豆传媒 Introduces Reusable To-Go Containers in Campus Dining
Takeout dining is a staple of college life, but it creates a lot of waste. Building on its comprehensive commitment to sustainability, 麻豆传媒 has introduced reusable takeout meal containers in its main residential dining facility to reduce the waste created from single-use containers.
From its dining facility Terrace Dining Room, or TDR, AU serves roughly 39,000 meals per semester in takeout containers. It is estimated that the university will divert 2,571 pounds of landfill waste by switching from single-use to reusable containers. The nearly 4,000 AU students on university meal plans will receive free reusable takeout meal containers. Staff, faculty and other students who do not participate in meal plans can see a cashier in TDR to enroll in the program for $5.99 (when September ends the price will be $7.99.)
鈥淎U is committed to acting on its zero waste goals and to further reducing its impact on the environment,鈥 said Megan Litke, director of sustainability. 鈥淭he use of reusable containers helps to reduce the amount of waste sent to the landfill and reduces emissions from the creation and disposal of single-use items. It also supports Washington, D.C. in its goal to reduce single-use food service items across the city.鈥
In its new sustainability plan, AU committed to achieving zero waste by 2030. The path to zero waste includes eliminating single-use plastics or containers and increasing the percentage of waste that is composted and recycled.听
AU received a grant of $24,750 from the 鈥淒istrict of Columbia Ditch the Disposables Award Program.鈥 The program, coordinated by Chesapeake Bay Trust, the District of Columbia Department of Energy and Environment, and the Office of the State Superintendent of Education, provides support to schools and community-based organizations for their activities that will reduce food, food packaging and food waste. This work is another example of AU鈥檚 strategic priority to expand the university鈥檚 engagement with the greater Washington, D.C. region.
On the first day of classes of the fall semester, the Office of Sustainability, Chartwells Higher Education (AU鈥檚 dining partner), and AU Kitchen organized a 鈥淲aste Less鈥 event to introduce students to the new containers. They also introduced new students to AU鈥檚 compost program and shared other ways to reduce waste including using plastic free toiletry items and reusable food storage bags.
鈥淚t was inspiring to see AU take concrete action towards its zero waste goal,鈥 said new student Eryn Mikulicz, (SIS/BA,鈥26), who is an Eco Rep in the Office of Sustainability. 鈥淭he containers are convenient for students, and they will significantly reduce waste from the dining room. The AU community is clearly dedicated to its sustainability goals, and I鈥檓 so excited to see the Office of Sustainability鈥檚 next initiatives!鈥
Chartwells Higher Education helped in obtaining the grant and is working with the university to make the transition to reusable containers.
The containers AU will use are the O2GO reusable meal container by OZZI. The O2GO reusable meal container can be used up to 300 times, according to the company鈥檚 literature. It is BPA free and recyclable, meaning that once an O2GO container has become worn down from repeated use, the #5 plastic can be melted down and remade into other recycled material products. Once a student has a container, they can get a meal from TDR. They return the container, which is cleaned for re-use.
鈥淎s the dining provider on campus, we are committed to supporting 麻豆传媒鈥檚 efforts to achieve their zero waste goals,鈥 says Monalisa Prasad, National Director of Sustainability for Chartwells Higher Education. 鈥淭he introduction of OZZI鈥檚 reusable to-go containers is just one example of how we are working together to reduce waste at its source for a more sustainable future.鈥
AU鈥檚听leadership in sustainability听is woven throughout campus. From being the听first carbon neutral university听in the country and听eliminating fossil fuel investments in our endowment听to the updated听2021 sustainability plan听and campus arboretum, AU is working to address the challenge of climate change.听