Drury eliminates trays in the Commons to save energy and eliminate some pollution

By Daniel Kieffer

If you have been around the Commons lately, you have most likely seen the newest advertisements stuck into your napkin holders. The Commons is going trayless.

That’s right. No longer will you be able to put your peas on one plate, potatoes on another, chicken on another and salad on another because you don’t like them to get mixed. Well, you can, it is just going to take you a couple more trips.

Sustainability came to the Drury forefront beginning with the 2005-2006 convocation theme of Sustainability. Ever since, Drury has remained dedicated to developing and implementing sustainable practices across campus. As part of the ever-expanding Green Initiative at Drury, the removal of the trays will help to make the campus more sustainable.

Trayless dining:

• Conserves energy by eliminating the need to heat water for tray washing
• Saves one-third to one-half gallon of water per tray
• Reduces chemicals, detergents, drying agents and sanitizers
• Reduces food waste by 25 to 30 percent per person
• Encourages students to participate in a "green" initiative that has both a personal and community impact
• Reinforces a healthy lifestyle.

The initial proposal to go trayless was a joint decision by Aladdin Food Services and the Think Green student organization. The President's Council on Sustainability supported the proposal.

It will no longer be common practice for a student to walk in to the Commons and grab a tray. Trays will be available by request for any specific needs. Additionally, Aladdin Food Services will still use some trays in the dishwashing process. The people at the window will take your plates and put them onto trays that they will recycle through their process. The benefit is that instead of washing 500 trays at the end of a meal, there will only be 50 to clean.

In addition to furthering Drury’s goal as a leader in sustainability, the trayless campaign also helps promote wellness on campus. Students are still encouraged to eat their fill, but with the limited amount of hands to hold plates, it is hoped that people will not overeat. This, in turn, will lead to a reduction in food waste.

The new Trayless Revolution will begin Tuesday, Feb. 17.