Eat IN-itiative reduces takeout, but may not reach project goal

New statistics show Dining Services' Eat IN-itiative has so far been successful in reducing takeout container use, officials said, but the department still may not reach its overall goal for this semester.

The goal of the initiative is to decrease takeout container use from 66 containers per dining plan last semester to 56 this semester, about a 15 percent drop. However, container usage is only down three containers per plan through March, said Dining Services spokesman Bart Hipple. For March, the average containers per student with a dining plan decreased from 19.34 containers to 17.77 containers.

The initiative is aimed at reducing waste as a part of the university-wide push for environmental sustainability. Dining Services has also introduced new takeout containers made from Bagasse instead of plastic foam as part of the department's sustainability efforts.

"We want to make everyone more aware about increasing sustainability," said Sam Lengyel, chair of the Resident Hall Association's Dining Services advisory board. "We've been telling orientation advisers to point it out to incoming students."

As an added incentive for students to use takeout containers less, Dining Services and the RHA are introducing a raffle to reward students who eat in the dining halls.

During the week of April 20, every student with a dining plan who uses a tray and plates instead of a Bagasse takeout container for lunch and dinner will be automatically entered into the raffle, Hipple said.

At the end of the week, Dining Services will hold a drawing for 162 prizes, including Terrapin Express shopping sprees, coupons for late-night parties at the dining halls and stacks of free refill coupons for dining hall beverages. About $2,500 in prizes will be offered, Hipple said.

"Usage [of the containers] is better than it was last year," Hipple said. "We want to reward students and encourage better usage next year."

The initiative, which began last fall, generally uses posters in the dining and dorms and signs on tables to both remind students to eat at the dining halls and discourage the usage of takeout containers.

Beyond the environmental effects, Dining Services director Colleen Wright-Riva thinks getting more students to eat in the dining halls could foster more camaraderie between them.

"I want more people to eat in because it increases the sense of community," Wright-Riva said.

Sophomore letters and sciences major Michelle Miranda said she might eat in more during the raffle, but takeout containers are more convenient overall.

"I like to take it back to my dorm, or sometimes [the servers] just give it to me," Miranda said. "Sometimes it's more convenient because food fits in better; it falls off of the plates."

Sophomore pre-veterinary major Vanly Nguyen held a similar attitude, but was not as inclined to end her takeout usage because of the raffle.

"I get takeout all the time because I like to come back to my room and eat while I do other things," Nguyen said.

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