Removal of trays could save money and waistlines
Chris Etling - February 21st, 2008The newest trend in college sustainability across the nation has nothing to do with recycling, carpooling or new emission standards. Instead, it deals with universities getting rid of an old, familiar mainstay – trays in cafeterias.
At first, the change seems miniscule and more of a hassle than it’s worth. They’re just trays, after all. If anything, there is the potential for more inconvenience as students juggle a handful of plates and glasses back to their tables before beginning their mass consumption. All the trays do is help students get from one place to another with their debatably tasty treats, right?
But a closer look at the situation shows that this is actually a cost-efficient and environmentally sound choice. When cafeteria-goers are stripped of their familiar tray, they take smaller portions and make fewer trips back to the lines to get more food. The volume of heated water consumed to wash the aforementioned trays goes down. Students are unable to pile food on their trays that then goes untouched or barely noticed, and the amount of grub wasted decreases.
According to an article by the San Diego Union-Tribune, the switch to a trayless cafeteria at San Diego State University saved the school about $14,000 on food in the fall 2006 semester. Also, thanks in part to more controlled portions, the dining hall sold 3,000 additional meals that semester, which garnered them $90,000 more revenue. None of those numbers take into account the money saved from reduced water and cleaning supply usage, or the reduced workload for staff members.
If NAU were to implement this change, they could improve the quality of eateries on campus while saving themselves some cash in a year where the state deficit threatens to cut into university budgets. With the additional money, on-campus dining could add more menu options or open up a new place to eat. And the best part of all is that it preserves resources on a campus that prides itself on its environmental prowess.
Sure, this potential solution is not without its flaws. Without trays, the cost of replacing dishes will probably rise as students push the limits of how much they can carry in one trip and certain accidents occur. Regardless of the change, food will always go to waste in a cafeteria setting because of misguided patrons taking too much food or bad food quality sending entrees to the garbage can after one bite.
If anything, the change should and would be unnecessary if some students and other cafeteria visitors could exercise a lesson in moderation. The school, like many others, already has signs in place asking people to only take what they plan on eating, rather than making a mountain of food on their tray in one trip. But like most signs with no direct consequences for ignoring them, they are rarely heeded.
Still, for something so simple and seemingly effective, it’s almost ludicrous to not consider getting rid of trays as a viable possibility. Coupled with other conservation programs – such as switching to biodegradable materials or turning used grease into biodiesel for cars – it would be the next step in a recent trend of greener practices at college cafeterias.
The administration should seriously consider dumping trays from on-campus locations. While the switch would involve some adjustment on the part of students, continuing the movement toward sustainability is nothing less than très bien.