Removal of trays good for college, students
Upon returning to campus, students found trays absent from Sodexo. Despite the hassle it provides students, this is a fantastic idea.
In an effort to become more environmentally-friendly and to reduce its carbon footprint, the college’s administration approved going trayless in Sodexo. So far, it seems to be a thorn in the side of most students, who complain about the hassle of trying to carry out multiple plates and food items at the same time. It’s true; no trays in Sodexo is quite a pain and very inconvenient. But the fact of the matter is that this program is working to help Franklin become more environmentally friendly. Food Services Director Les Petroff provided The Franklin with several statistics and reasons to support the decision for going trayless. First, there is a greater likelihood for wasted food with the use of trays. The USDA estimates that Americans waste roughly 25 percent of all food produced in the United States every year. That food accounts for 12 percent of all landfill weight. It breaks down to about 1.3 pounds of waste per person on a daily basis. In other words, students and faculty at Franklin waste more than 1,400 pounds of food every day. Cutting back on that amount of wasted food is absolutely a necessity. Petroff estimated that the school will have a reduction of about 1,000 gallons of water usage every week due to not having to wash the trays. This also means less detergents, food and grease ends up going down the drain. Also, without having trays, students are encouraged to eat less, which improves overall student health. The only downside to the issue is that students are annoyed by having to carry plates out without the use of trays. Dining Services has made it clear that students can go back in to get more food multiple times during one meal period. Going trayless in Sodexo is having a positive effect on the environment around us and is helping students to be more aware of how much they are eating. The concept of going trayless has no real downsides. Many organizations are doing their part to help reduce their carbon footprint and help the environment, and The Franklin applauds the school for doing the same.
