Reduce Waste: Lose the Cafeteria Trays
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 03.25.08
Put down that tray, Snow White; studies at universities have shown that diners think twice about loading up on food when they cannot carry it so easily. This reduces waste, helps the campus bottom line and the students' waistline. According to Inside Higher Ed, “More and more campuses are looking at this from both an environmental perspective and an economic one,” said Varun Avasthi, director of dining services at Colby College, which experiments with trayless policies. “If you’re not wasting as much food you’re not buying as much food.”
At Alfred University, food and beverage waste dropped between 30 and 50 percent, totalling 1,000 pounds of solid waste and 1123 gallons of liquid waste every week.
Students aren't happy, arguing that it is none of the college's business how much food they take.
“Unfortunately, there are some habits that need to be broken,” said Avasthi, who is also Maine’s district manager for food service provider Sodexho. “There are logistical issues, sure. Students don’t want to go back up and get another glass. That’s where the pushback typically occurs. It’s a convenience factor. We’re so used to having everything all the time whenever we want it.” ::Inside Higher Ed via http://blogs.wsj.com/informedreader/2008/01/30/a-novel-way-to-cut-waste-lose-the-cafeteria-trays/?mod=WSJBlog
I am a college student and few people use trays at my school. Instead of using plates people take the disposable plastic take out containers even if they are eating in a dining hall. They are easier to carry without a tray and you can get more food because they have tall sides.
If everyone were using plates and not taking trays I think it would work well. As it is I see a lot more waste from the take out containers and left over food in them.
To not bring this down too much the environmental club at the school has started recycling the take out containers and separating the food waste from other waste. We are starting an organic garden next year and I believe some of the food waste will be used in a compost pile.
How about just putting up a sign that says "one glass per person"...
I've always found it to be better to ask for what you want (students to cut down on waste) than to force them into inconvenience without explaining the purpose.
If I was a student there I'd be mad..."where's my tray!"
To Chad:
Every now and then we'll stumble upon a buffet/cafeteria in a tourist spot (West Virginia, Virginia and down the coast) that has a sign that reads "Take as much as you like, but please take only what you will eat. Thank you. " I'm sure that some people at least think twice about it, but I always see a lot of food left on the plates taken from the table so for the most part it doesn't really work. I've asked a few people what they think of the sign and they don't get it. They say if they pay for it why should anyone care what they do with it. You kind of have to make it harder for them to take as much in the first place to get a tangible result. I grew up with that mindset of take only what you need and it's always bothered me that people would throw out so much. It's just wasteful. Especially when it comes to food.
I wonder if the results would be the same if it was just harder to get the trays. I know that since putting a sign up at work that though the cups we use were made from corn, they encourage you to bring your own cup instead -- they even placed the cups in the pantry to keep people from wanting to use those cups-- I asked if they had seen a significant decrease in people getting cups and they said they had. I wonder if simply putting a barrier between you and the cups help. It's sort of like how if you have to ask a person to give you seconds, you won't ask, but if you can get it yourself, you will eat and waste more. Very curious.
I'm a college student and my school recently decided to get rid of trays entirely due to this issue being raised. Some students are upset about it, but it is something I think will pass with time. It decreases food purchased, and wasted hauled away that cannot be composted.
Unintended side effect -- students who have a mobility issue end up struggling, making unnecessary (and embarrassing) messes or being singled out by having to ask for assistance or being the only ones "allowed" trays.
Years ago, I went to visit my brother and ate with him in the secondary smaller cafeteria on his campus. Because they had fewer supplies in the smaller facility, each patron came in, picked up a tray, paid/swiped their ID, then they were watched as they took one plate, one glass, one bowl (if needed) and a silverware bundle with one (nice, big) napkin.
For second helpings, glasses were meant to be reused, and plates had to be traded in, dirty for clean, which happened in a separate area from the buffets, so an intentional effort was involved. There were people who did so, but a lot of food waste and need for dish washing was eliminated.