 "Photo: Steven Gold")
In an attempt to create a greener environment on campus by reducing waste and preserving resources, Dining Services has gone trayless.
Irene Felker, administrative assistant of Dining Services, stated in an e-mail message that the idea to go trayless has been in the works for several months.
"Starting last Spring Semester, Dining Services began to test the idea of trayless dining during Earth Week and included questions regarding trayless dining in the Spring Dining Styles survey," Felker said.
She said the decision to go trayless was widely encouraged by student leaders on campus.
"Representatives from the Student Government Association and Resident Student Association were contacted and wholeheartedly support the efforts to go trayless," Felker said.
She said research provided by Aramark, the food service provider on campus, shows the environmental benefits of Dining Services' plan.
"It was found that it takes between one-third and one-half gallon of heated water to properly clean a tray using a dishwasher," she said. "It was also found that the average person reduced the amount of food waste per meal by two ounces. With thousands of meals served per day, even the smallest amounts of savings will result in significant contributions in waste and energy reduction."
Julian Dautremont-Smith, associate director for the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, which serves as an informational resource to universities that are creating programs to decrease their negative effects on the environment, said going trayless is a simple way to go green.
"Going trayless is one of the easiest ways to do something for the environment," Dautremont-Smith said. "It saves enormous food, energy and water waste."
Felker said she remains confident that trayless dining will help achieve the goal of becoming a more environmentally friendly campus.
"The trayless dining initiative is another step toward achieving the goal of becoming a 'Green' university," she said. "We will be joining many universities and colleges across the nation that realize trayless dining considerably reduces energy and water usage, while also reducing the amount of solid waste being contributed to landfill."
Senior Owen Smith, who created the Facebook group "Protest Dining Services Trayless Initiative," said he disagrees with the university's decision to switch to trayless dining.
"I think the idea was poorly thought out and does not take into consideration the many inconveniences and difficulties it will cause," Smith said. "For example, people juggling plates, utensils and glasses have a higher risk of dropping items and wasting food."
He said he deems sustainability important and necessary but he does not agree with the methods used by the university.
"I am absolutely in favor of the sustainability initiative," Smith said. "However, I am opposed to ideas of little or no sustenance. The same people telling us not to use trays water the lawns of the university, consuming thousands of gallons."
The university's actions seem inconsistent and contradictory, he said.
"I think if the university continues to pour water on the lawn for the purpose of having an attractive image, they may as well let us have trays to keep the customers happy," Smith said.
He said he remains skeptical about the effectiveness of the dining halls without trays.
"I wouldn't mind giving up my tray if it actually made a significant difference," Smith said. "But it doesn't - other methods of conservation are much more effective and less inconvenient."
Felker said Dining Services and the rest of the university remain committed to introducing new programs to benefit the environment in addition to the removal of trays on campus.
"This year we have introduced the Eat Green program and increased the availability of reusable and refillable containers for use at our locations," she said. "We have been committed to expand our support of local vendors, purchase produce from local farms, reduce the amount of solid waste from our locations and increase our recyclables."
Felker said she believes in addition to these other changes, trayless dining halls will make a significant difference at the university.
"We truly feel that trayless dining is one of the largest potential areas that any campus can use to reduce its carbon footprint," she said.
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