The good, bad and ugly of campus
Since starting at Fanshawe College this fall, I have probably eaten at every restaurant, cafeteria, kiosk and vending machine on campus. In my search for the perfect snack, and while waiting in line to buy my cookies, I have begun to notice some pretty wasteful practices at most of Fanshawe's favourite eateries. Though the new recycling receptacles are a great help, I see packaging being wasted all over the school.
Environmentalists are urging consumers to not only follow the Three R's: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, but to consider a fourth option; PRECYCLE.
“Precycling” is the practice of considering a product's waste, packaging and environmental impact before making a purchase. This can include buying in bulk to reduce packaging, reading magazines and newspapers online and bringing cloth bags when shopping.
As a student, think about how many times a day you eat at school and how many napkins, spoons, stir sticks, water bottles and coffee cups you go through. Multiply that times the number of days in a semester and you realize that you too are a part of the bigger problem.
In a quick trip around the college last week, I was able to observe common practices in waste management and waste production at some of the lunch hour “hot spots.”
The Good
- Fanshawe has done a great job at placing recycling receptacles next to almost all garbage cans around the school. Most stations give you a choice of bottles, cans, paper or waste. Encouraging people to pause and separate their waste before simply dumping it in the trash. I especially like the “Pizza Boxes Only” bins. Genius!
- Some eateries are charging students 22 cents for cutlery taken without a food purchase. This is a great way to discourage people from taking more than they need and it encourages students and staff to consider bringing cutlery from home.
- Tim Horton's will give you 10 cents off of your hot beverage if you bring your own reusable mug or thermos. That might not seem like a lot, but if you usually buy a large coffee every day, that's a free coffee every two weeks. Did you know that Tim Horton's cups are recyclable too? Simply separate the lid from the cup and put the lid in the “plastic” bin and the cup in the “paper” bin.
- Most places offer napkins that are made from 100 per cent recycled materials. Some of the napkin dispensers even carry reminders to “take what you need” to discourage people from grabbing a handful of napkins for one sandwich. Simple, yet effective.
- In the Oasis, you can request a ceramic plate or bowl for your meal if you are going to be dining-in, eliminating the need for paper, plastic or Styrofoam plates.
The Bad
- Most places are using huge Styrofoam containers to serve their hot foods. Not only can these containers not be recycled, but they can be hazardous to your health. According to the National Geographic's Green Guide, when stored or heated, plastic packaging like Styrofoam may leach Carcinogen Styrene into foods. Styrene is suspected of disrupting hormones and harming developing bodies. Eew!
- In the Oasis, when you are ordering food, you receive a sheet of paper with your order written on it to then take to the cashier and pay. Is this really necessary? I understand the need to have accurate sales and reduce the risk of a wily student pulling a fast one on you, but there has to be a better option. One glance behind the cash will show you a devastating pile of these papers, overflowing onto the floor. Sure, this paper is probably recycled, but that's not good enough. There needs to be a more proactive approach. Over at the cafeteria in B Building, when you order a pita, they write your order on a small sticker that is then placed on your sandwich. This makes more sense to me.
The Ugly
- What is with the gift wrapped fruit!?! I had to do a double-take the other day when I noticed a basket of cellophane wrapped fruit, decorated with golden twist ties at the counter of Baja Flats. Fruit is already packaged, in a neat, biodegradable material that is also edible! Is someone really being paid to carefully make little apple presents for the students each morning? When I asked about it, I was told it was for sanitary purposes and a part of their commitment to health and safety. I say, wash your own fruit and save more needless plastics from ending up in the trash!
- Recently, I visited the Fanshawe Bookstore to purchase a reusable water bottle with our school logo on it (go Falcons!). I was blown away when I saw their promotional tie-in for buying a bottle: “Buy a Reusable Water Bottle; Receive a FREE Bottle of Dasani Water!” To this I say, huh? The purpose of buying the bottle was to avoid using disposable water bottles. I'll be filling up at the water fountain, not pouring over priced bottled water into my container. I laughed, shook my head and refused the “gift”.
The Bottom Line
The real issue of course is mass consumption, laziness and self-involved behaviour have lead to a generation of wasteful, negligent people. I'm not above this, but neither are you.
Almost all of the school's cafeterias are run by Chartwells, not including the Oasis and the Out Back Shack. To share your comments or concerns with them directly, you can visit this site www.dineoncampus.ca/fanshawe to complete a survey. Or you can visit them in person with your suggestions at their on-campus office in room D1012.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
Environmentalists are urging consumers to not only follow the Three R's: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, but to consider a fourth option; PRECYCLE.
“Precycling” is the practice of considering a product's waste, packaging and environmental impact before making a purchase. This can include buying in bulk to reduce packaging, reading magazines and newspapers online and bringing cloth bags when shopping.
As a student, think about how many times a day you eat at school and how many napkins, spoons, stir sticks, water bottles and coffee cups you go through. Multiply that times the number of days in a semester and you realize that you too are a part of the bigger problem.
In a quick trip around the college last week, I was able to observe common practices in waste management and waste production at some of the lunch hour “hot spots.”
The Good
- Fanshawe has done a great job at placing recycling receptacles next to almost all garbage cans around the school. Most stations give you a choice of bottles, cans, paper or waste. Encouraging people to pause and separate their waste before simply dumping it in the trash. I especially like the “Pizza Boxes Only” bins. Genius!
- Some eateries are charging students 22 cents for cutlery taken without a food purchase. This is a great way to discourage people from taking more than they need and it encourages students and staff to consider bringing cutlery from home.
- Tim Horton's will give you 10 cents off of your hot beverage if you bring your own reusable mug or thermos. That might not seem like a lot, but if you usually buy a large coffee every day, that's a free coffee every two weeks. Did you know that Tim Horton's cups are recyclable too? Simply separate the lid from the cup and put the lid in the “plastic” bin and the cup in the “paper” bin.
- Most places offer napkins that are made from 100 per cent recycled materials. Some of the napkin dispensers even carry reminders to “take what you need” to discourage people from grabbing a handful of napkins for one sandwich. Simple, yet effective.
- In the Oasis, you can request a ceramic plate or bowl for your meal if you are going to be dining-in, eliminating the need for paper, plastic or Styrofoam plates.
The Bad
- Most places are using huge Styrofoam containers to serve their hot foods. Not only can these containers not be recycled, but they can be hazardous to your health. According to the National Geographic's Green Guide, when stored or heated, plastic packaging like Styrofoam may leach Carcinogen Styrene into foods. Styrene is suspected of disrupting hormones and harming developing bodies. Eew!
- In the Oasis, when you are ordering food, you receive a sheet of paper with your order written on it to then take to the cashier and pay. Is this really necessary? I understand the need to have accurate sales and reduce the risk of a wily student pulling a fast one on you, but there has to be a better option. One glance behind the cash will show you a devastating pile of these papers, overflowing onto the floor. Sure, this paper is probably recycled, but that's not good enough. There needs to be a more proactive approach. Over at the cafeteria in B Building, when you order a pita, they write your order on a small sticker that is then placed on your sandwich. This makes more sense to me.
The Ugly
- What is with the gift wrapped fruit!?! I had to do a double-take the other day when I noticed a basket of cellophane wrapped fruit, decorated with golden twist ties at the counter of Baja Flats. Fruit is already packaged, in a neat, biodegradable material that is also edible! Is someone really being paid to carefully make little apple presents for the students each morning? When I asked about it, I was told it was for sanitary purposes and a part of their commitment to health and safety. I say, wash your own fruit and save more needless plastics from ending up in the trash!
- Recently, I visited the Fanshawe Bookstore to purchase a reusable water bottle with our school logo on it (go Falcons!). I was blown away when I saw their promotional tie-in for buying a bottle: “Buy a Reusable Water Bottle; Receive a FREE Bottle of Dasani Water!” To this I say, huh? The purpose of buying the bottle was to avoid using disposable water bottles. I'll be filling up at the water fountain, not pouring over priced bottled water into my container. I laughed, shook my head and refused the “gift”.
The Bottom Line
The real issue of course is mass consumption, laziness and self-involved behaviour have lead to a generation of wasteful, negligent people. I'm not above this, but neither are you.
Almost all of the school's cafeterias are run by Chartwells, not including the Oasis and the Out Back Shack. To share your comments or concerns with them directly, you can visit this site www.dineoncampus.ca/fanshawe to complete a survey. Or you can visit them in person with your suggestions at their on-campus office in room D1012.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
