The University’s Food Services department has saved $2,000 in the last year through the introduction of reusable plastic plates at Hamilton’s dining hall in an effort to conserve materials and cut waste costs.
Although students have been taking many of the new plates, the University still saved money by reducing waste, Food Services Director Tom Driscoll said. He said the University has conserved 198 dumpster loads of waste that would otherwise go to a landfill.
By eliminating paper plates and using other conservation methods, Driscoll said dumpster waste is reduced by one-third six days per week for nine months. Before the introduction of the plastic plates, the dining hall had three dumpsters to manage its daily waste, but now it only has two.
However, Driscoll said the University could save more money through cooperation with students who take the plates to their room, despite the availability of paper plates for to-go food.
“Five thousand dollars worth, or about half, of the plates were taken,” Driscoll said. “We are working with custodial staff, food staff, and we also set up a tent in the beginning of the year for students to learn to save plates.”
But some students say they do return the plates.
“For the most part, I don’t notice that students take the plates,” Shawn Molden, a freshman custodial worker at the Hamilton dining hall, said. “Some students might take the plates to their room for the night, but (they) usually bring them back.”
After finishing a meal at Common Grounds Cafe, freshman Erin O’Brien and her friend said they have not taken any plates to their dorm room.
“We have enough of our own dishes,” O’Brien said, laughing.
Despite theft, the program is still effective. Normally, the University spends 4.5 cents on every paper plate. In 2002, before the use of plastic plates, the department spent $23,000 on paper goods. It now spends $10,000 on paper and plastic plates each, with the price of every reusable plate at $1. Additionally, it saves the maintenance price of one dumpster.
Driscoll said if every plastic plate is used 35 times, it becomes cost-
effective.
The department also purchased an Earth Tub, which is a composting machine that manages food waste in the dining hall, Driscoll said. The Earth Tub project is a partnership with the Environmental Studies Service Learning Program. In the program, Coordinator Steve Mital supervises groups of University students to tackle conservation
issues.
One of the program’s projects studied how the EMU could better conserve its waste.
“Two years ago, we did a food waste audit at the EMU — which means we dumpster dived — and created a pie chart that showed what portion of food was recyclable, how much of the waste was Subway and other factors,” Mital said. He added that the Service Learning Program is in its fourth year working with conservation matters that apply to the community as well as to the University, such as transportation alternatives and energy management.
In the short run, the Earth Tub would reduce dumpster costs, but in the long run, the savings are incalculable, Mital said.

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