2008 Woodie Awards
Styrofoam alternatives being considered after SGA rejects to-go container proposal
Renee Brown
Issue date: 2/14/07 Section: News
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The recent "To-Go Container" proposal that was presented at the SGA meeting last week was rejected, although members of the Environmental Club, University Recycling Committee and Dining Services are still searching for solutions, according to Dr. Brian Henning, chair of the University Recycling Committee and advisor of the Environmental Club.
The proposal dictated that students would receive their food on plates and could transfer the food to Styrofoam containers after they paid if they wished to eat their food elsewhere.
After a debate on the proposal, it was voted down by SGA. The proposal, and any other in the future, stated that one of its desired outcomes is to decrease the number of to-go containers being used, especially by students who get their food to go but still sit and eat in Patriot Hall.
According to Henning the problem is that "Recently the usage of Styrofoam to-go containers has increased dramatically. The manager of Dining Services, Howard Williams, estimates that students use 3,500 to-go containers every day, which means that students have used over 493,500 to-go containers so far this school year."
In an e-mail sent out to students on Monday, written by Henning for RECYCLE, explained that Styrofoam
takes millions of years to use them while eating in Patriot Hall.
"I felt that it would create additional work and expense
for cleaning the plates from which food was transferred and because of the possibility that students might find ways to abuse the proposed system," said Ralph Jones, SGA IT co-chair, who participated in the debate, and voted against the proposal.
In addition, SGA President Dan Long explained that SGA really wants to remedy the over-usage of the styrofoam to-go containers, but they just need to find the right proposal that the student body will be satisfied with.
"The main thing with this issue on the to-go containers is that in order for any policy in this area to be effective, the students here need to be in support of it or it will be a complete waste of time. Despite the fact that the proposal did not pass SGA, it is a good starting point to an ultimate solution," Long said.
The proposal dictated that students would receive their food on plates and could transfer the food to Styrofoam containers after they paid if they wished to eat their food elsewhere.
After a debate on the proposal, it was voted down by SGA. The proposal, and any other in the future, stated that one of its desired outcomes is to decrease the number of to-go containers being used, especially by students who get their food to go but still sit and eat in Patriot Hall.
According to Henning the problem is that "Recently the usage of Styrofoam to-go containers has increased dramatically. The manager of Dining Services, Howard Williams, estimates that students use 3,500 to-go containers every day, which means that students have used over 493,500 to-go containers so far this school year."
In an e-mail sent out to students on Monday, written by Henning for RECYCLE, explained that Styrofoam
takes millions of years to use them while eating in Patriot Hall.
"I felt that it would create additional work and expense
for cleaning the plates from which food was transferred and because of the possibility that students might find ways to abuse the proposed system," said Ralph Jones, SGA IT co-chair, who participated in the debate, and voted against the proposal.
In addition, SGA President Dan Long explained that SGA really wants to remedy the over-usage of the styrofoam to-go containers, but they just need to find the right proposal that the student body will be satisfied with.
"The main thing with this issue on the to-go containers is that in order for any policy in this area to be effective, the students here need to be in support of it or it will be a complete waste of time. Despite the fact that the proposal did not pass SGA, it is a good starting point to an ultimate solution," Long said.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 2
Dan Phelan
posted 2/15/07 @ 9:57 AM EST
Here is a quick and easy solution;
Lets start purchasing plastic or cardboard to-go containers.
That is the issue here right? WE want to get trays that are more environment friendly right? So are we thinking up these outrageous thoughtless proposals to make the students do more work, back up lines, force students to eat where they don't want to, make them pay extra for the container etc. (Continued…)
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