Staff Editorial: Less eco-impact, but still more to do

Last November, The Hawk published an editorial in which we challenged members of the university administration to reconsider the Styrofoam to-go containers being offered in the Crimson Café. Though immensely popular, these containers were adding to an already big problem here at St. Joe’s: we like to throw a lot of stuff away.

Members of the Sustainability Committee and Dining Services responded admirably, creating a survey that aimed at compiling data about how and why students use the to-go containers. The point of getting this information was to come up with better solutions—ways in which students could still have the convenience of taking food on the go, but without continuing the environmental cost.

Students responded, and the option for a rinse and recycle to-go container was instituted in the Crimson Café earlier this semester. It was meant to serve both the needs of students and the needs of the environment.

But the problem is that this option isn’t being used as originally planned. In fact, the students that we’ve talked to and surveyed have indicated that neither they nor their friends who use the to-go option ever recycle the containers. This means that while the new to-go containers program has good intentions, dozens of Styrofoam containers are still making their way to the trash on campus.

Part of this issue stems from students being unaware that these containers can, in fact, be recycled. But there are other important and significant factors involved in this problem, too. Students need to consider the environmental impact of their habits and should be willing to make the extra effort by rinsing and recycling these containers.

By the same token, the best ideas are the ones that use individuals’ self-interest to promote good consequences. The paucity of an environmental budget at St. Joe’s has led to limited numbers of recycling cans, particularly in outdoor areas of campus. There’s also little likelihood that students will wash containers in bathrooms or sinks in residence halls. If Hawk Hill is going to be a greener campus, it needs to be easier to make the right choices. This starts by making recycling a bottle or Styrofoam container as easy as throwing them away, or by removing the option of having materials on campus that are not eco-friendly or biodegradable.

One option that has been presented in our discussions has been to reinstate the use of dinnerware (plates and metal utensils) that used to be the norm for students leaving the Crimson Café. This is a good option because plates can be returned, washed, and reused in a convenient way.

However, because the theft of these plates and utensils was part of the original reasoning behind the Styrofoam to-go program, we believe that an accountability system should be in place for students who opt to take plates out of the dining area. Perhaps a sign-out or fines system could be put in place for students so they can use an eco-friendly dining option while also reducing the costs for Aramark and the university.

But this is only one of many ideas that will undoubtedly come from further dialogue and conversation. This campus has talented, innovative, and creative students, faculty, and staff. Let’s put our heads together once again and talk about solutions to this and other environmental challenges at St. Joe’s that can be both easy and responsible for the university community to utilize.

The Hawk Staff