Eco2Go container return rates are on the plummet; compared to previous years, University Housing and Dining Services has noticed a decrease in the number of containers being returned to circulation.
Introduced in 2015, Eco2Go is a service provided by UHDS for customers—those in the dorms, students and anyone who eats at the dining halls—that offers reusable takeout containers. Their purpose is to prevent plastic and other forms of single-use disposal from reaching the landfill for environmental sustainability.
Research from the United Nations Environment Programme has shown that properly using reusable containers, such as Eco2Go, is increasingly beneficial for the environment. With proper care and use of containers, returning them promptly in good condition can make a positive impact.
When using the containers, customers are expected to enjoy their food to-go, empty remaining scraps in the trash or compost, then leave the containers open when they return them to one of the designated Eco2Go return bins across campus.
These bins are located in every dining hall, on the first floor of each residence hall and at multiple locations throughout campus. A map of these places can be found on the UHDS website under the sustainability page.
To fulfill the purpose of this program, customers must follow the above-listed steps. As described by Kerry Paterson, the director of UHDS, this program is based on an honor system with the belief that customers will return containers as requested. When this doesn’t happen, there are economic and environmental implications.
Economically, every container misplaced, along with utensils or other dishware, results in a cost that adds up over time. To sustain the services offered by UHDS, these items must be replaced.
Environmentally, when a container incorrectly ends up in the landfill, this results in a plastic container being added to the impact of that landfill.
With the decrease in Eco2Go container returns, there have been attempts by UHDS to properly enforce their return.
As described by Paterson: “We continue to do outreach and education to our customers, asking them to empty and return the containers. We also utilize the Eco-Reps in the residence halls to assist with messaging to the residential students around returns, including having students complete a pledge to return the containers correctly.”
OSU’s Eco-Representatives are workers who move student experience forward with sustainability. They are responsible for encouraging this culture in the residence halls by educating residents about sustainable lifestyles and resources, such as the return of Eco2Go bins, according to OSU’s Eco-Reps website.
According to Paterson, UHDS is seeing lower rates of return on the Eco2Go containers and are needing to purchase more containers for circulation as supplies run low.
Fey Miyazaki, a zoology major who works for UHDS at McNary Dining Center, describes her experience with Eco2Go containers as positive, although they are not 100% successful.
As an employee, she has noticed the trend that students tend to take their food to-go, using Eco2Go containers. She believes this is more convenient for students because they can take food back to their dorms or eat with friends elsewhere.
As a student, Miyazaki has noticed that students tend to follow the directions with containers, but has seen several instances where they have been discarded in the landfill or some other improper means, which can result in leftover food becoming moldy.
She also attests to students incorrectly keeping them for their own purposes, such as tupperware, because of their practicality. With there being thousands of containers in circulation, it is easy for customers to improperly collect them.
For students interested in working to make a positive impact on their environment, UHDS offered a variety of ways to make a difference.
“The most sustainable option is to eat in at a dining center, where we’re using standard plates, bowls, etc.,” Paterson said. “For folks who need the flexibility of food to go, please join with us in advancing campus sustainability and return the Eco2Go containers—empty and within 24 hours, if possible.”
UHDS Manager Sunshine Christensen recommended student organizations on campus as a way to get involved, such as the WASTE Sustainability Club, which has the mission to engage students and the community in waste reduction at OSU by providing educational programming and opportunities for action.
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