Trayless Dining at Verney-Woolley
The V-Dub went trayless as of Wednesday, October 15, 2008! (V-Dub staff had been dining trayless since mid-September.) We conducted waste and energy audits and found this program to be extremely effective in reducing the use of water, electricit, heat and food waste at the V-Dub. Based on these audits, we may investigate trayless dining at the Refectory, where it is logistically more challenging. Trays will always be available for people with a disability or other physical or medical challenge.
Why Trayless?
It's an environmental and economic win-win. Here's the scoop on trayless dining:
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Reduces food waste and associated trucking for removal. A recent survey of 25 colleges found greater than a 25% reduction in food waste per person with trayless dining. That adds up when you serve thousands of customers every day!
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Conserves energy and water for washing. It takes 1/3 to 1/2 gallon of heated water to wash every tray.
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Reduces the usage of detergents and drying agents and their outflow into the water table.
Trayless Dining in the Media
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Trays soon to be a memory at V-Dub
– Brown Daily Herald -
Students doing balancing act as colleges drop cafeteria trays
– Boston Globe -
Will 'green' movement kill the meal tray?
– CNN -
US university campuses ban cafeteria trays in effort to go green
– Guardian -
Trash the Trays
– Harvard Crimson -
Latest go-green effort: Cafeterias dumping trays
– MSNBC -
Trayless dining reduces waste, saves energy
– Portland Press Herald -
Students take a crash course in Trayless Dining 101
– Star Tribune - Going Greener for Fall: UC’s Residential Restaurants Eliminate Food Trays
– UC News - More college cafeterias dump food trays
USA Today