Lauren • Duke University • PGC 16 Greenest
To Whom It May Concern:
I would like to bring to your attention concerns regarding the amount of
waste generated by Marketplace when its dishwashing machines are
malfunctioning. Whenever Marketplace is unable to wash its reusable dinnerware, it
necessarily provides disposable dinnerware for students to use. These disposable
items are usually composed of polystyrene, which comprises the hard plastic in
disposable utensils and the Styrofoam in plates and bowls. The Marketplace
dishwashing equipment has malfunctioned three times this school year, most
recently for approximately a week. Especially after this most recent incident, a
number of students have been taking increasing issue with the disposable
dinnerware provided, because, as you may be well aware, polystyrene is not a
biodegradable material.
I’m wondering, firstly, whether it is officially permissible to bring reusable
containers to Marketplace when only disposable dinnerware is available, and if not,
what it would take to make it so. I, along with other eco-conscious students, don’t
feel comfortable being forced to use disposable items when in possession of
personal reusable items. I have brought a personal bowl twice and have been served
in it without issue both times; I’d like to know whether or not this could be
publicized as an officially approved possibility. Additionally, if possible, I would also
be interested in knowing what causes the washing equipment to break so
frequently.
I understand that Duke Dining strives for sustainability, and it is
commendable that food waste is regularly composted. Given this, it is somewhat
confusing that more environmentally responsible options are not made available
when Marketplace is unable to wash dishes. Providing non-compostable
dinnerware, I would imagine, prohibits the composting of post-consumer waste. It
seems to me that this could be easily avoided: A few times during the most recent
washing equipment malfunction, biodegradable plates were indeed available, but
only in select areas of Marketplace; the majority of plates provided was still
composed of Styrofoam. Since compostable plates were offered at one point in time,
I would like to know whether Marketplace would be able to transition to using
exclusively compostable dinnerware when reusables cannot be provided.
Below is a table of prices for compostable dinner items from Be a Green
Company. You can find a more comprehensive list of their products here:
http://www.beagreencompany.org/index3.php?cPath=63
Item
9” diameter dinner plate
6” diameter dessert plate
12 oz cup
12 oz bowl
Quantity
500
1000
1000
1000
Price
$70
$75
$121
$87
Lauren • Duke University • PGC 16 Greenest
Fork
Knife
Spoon
1000
1000
1000
$65
$65
$65
I realize that Duke may a pre-approved vendor policy I am unaware of. If you
are unable to purchase items from Be a Green Company, another company called
Ultra Green (http://www.ultragreenhome.com) also produces compostable dinner
items (for which I could not find direct prices) and distributes through the following
North Carolina companies: Bunzl,
Joshen Paper, and
Southeastern Paper.
If none of these are approved vendors, I would love to work with you to find
an approved vendor that distributes compostable materials, or alternatively, we
could work to approve one of these vendors and supply Marketplace (and
potentially other dining areas on campus, like the Freeman Center for Jewish Life)
with compostable materials. If all the utensils, cups, plates, and bowls are
compostable, all post-consumer waste will be eligible for composting at Brooks
Contractor, and malfunctioning washing equipment will no longer send food waste
to be landfilled.
I am happy to help in any way I can in order to realize this proposition. If you
require any additional information, please don’t hesitate to contact me at
ls240@duke.edu. If you require assistance transitioning to a more sustainable
dining policy, I can assemble a task team with either or both the Duke
Environmental Alliance and Dorm Eco-Representatives. Please let me know of any
way we can move this forward. Thank you for your consideration!
Sincerely,
Lauren Shum
Pratt School of Engineering ‘17
Lauren • Duke University • PGC 16 Greenest
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Lauren • Duke University • PGC 16 Greenest