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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, November 13, 2009
Contact: Lalena Price, Communications Coordinator 304-746-1989

Marshall cafeterias going without trays for a few days

Experiment expected to lessen university’s environmental impact on community

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall University’s cafeterias are going trayless for a few days to promote more environmentally responsible choices for students, faculty and staff during mealtimes.

Margie Phillips, sustainability manager for the university, is asking students to not use trays from Nov. 15 through 17 in Twin Towers Cafeteria and Harless Dining Hall in recognition of West Virginia Recycles Day. Diners will be asked to make their food choices without trays as an experiment to reduce food waste, lower energy costs, and make the Huntington campus more environmentally sustainable. 

“The reasoning behind going trayless is that when a student uses a tray, he or she walks around the cafeteria, putting food on the tray until space runs out,” Phillips explained. “If they don’t use trays, they make their selections more carefully and are generally more satisfied with their choices, which results in less food waste. No trays mean dishwashers have fewer dishes to wash, and that saves on water and energy.”

Many colleges and universities across the country have actually eliminated the cafeteria tray from their food service offerings. The University of California at Santa Cruz and Virginia Tech are examples of two that don’t offer a tray at the entrance of their cafeterias and the move is greatly reducing their environmental impact, Phillips explained.

“Dining facilities are one area in which we can work to lessen our environmental impact at Marshall,” Phillips said. “Generally speaking, cafeterias use five times more water, five times more energy and produce five times more waste than residence halls alone. Our students can give up the cafeteria tray and make a huge difference in the impact it has on our community.”

The idea to go trayless stems from the work of Residence Services, Sodexo and Marshall University’s new Sustainability Department.

For further information, contact:  Office of University Communications
Marshall University | 213 Old Main | Huntington, WV 25755-1090
Fax: (304) 696-3197