Saint Xavier University had implemented eco-friendly changes to the diner in October.
Country House Staff, Mary Murphy says, “We had just started this eco-friendly movement this year, and the majority of the eco-friendly changes that we could have made have been applied to the diner for this year ~but we still want to tackle the task of “Shedding the Straws”.
“A Staff Member with RHA had said that we needed to change the use of Styrofoam and Plastic in the Diner and that she was voicing the Students’ concerns. Using plastic is the worst thing you could do to the environment,” Murphy continues.
Murphy added, “We were also pushed by RHA to make a change in what we use, and we were also influenced by suggestions given by different student groups.”
Murphy worked with, the Head of the Food Committee, Krystal Cole to ask students what kind of improvements they wanted implemented. Monthly Food Committee meetings have occurred since Country House joined SXU four years ago. Students could voice their concerns,and CHK could get feedback.
“During the committee meeting, everyone felt strongly about becoming eco-friendly so we immediately jumped into taking action and got rid of as much plastic as we could,” Murphy says.
In an effort to limit the use of plastic, the diner had swapped from plastic and styrofoam containers to biodegradable items and paperwares.
“Most of the items we have are made from recycled items and most are compostable. The coffee cups we have are recyclable, the paper boats are recyclable, the foil containers are also recyclable, but only used when needed. There are certain meals that we have to serve in plastic containers because, they contain broths, or liquids, and also food items that are stored in coolers. Compostable wares breakdown with moisture so we have to continue using plastic for certain items, but we have decreased the usage significantly.” Murphy adds.
Although the Diner has taken steps to become more eco-friendly, these changes come with a cost.
“We will not charge students for the container that they are already given with the food, but we will charge extra if students want to take an extra plate or container. The cost of the eco wares is high so we need to control the usage so we don’t take a bigger hit on our already high paper goods cost. By doing this, we will not have to charge additional money for food to cover the cost of the eco-friendly goods,” Murphy continues.
Saint Xavier University students have taken notice of the eco-friendly changes in the diner.
Miael Jackson, a Bio-Chem Major at Saint Xavier says, “I think that becoming eco-friendly was a good decision. I definitely think it is a step in the right direction, but I also do not think that the diner was able to completely get rid of all the plastic. I know that there are still plastic products in the diner.
Alex LaBudzki, a Finance Major at Saint Xavier says, “I am happy that Saint Xavier is stepping up their game in becoming an eco-friendly institution. I noticed the changes that were made right away, especially when they moved the utensils to where the cashiers are. I believe that it was a great decision to become eco-friendly. I think that the diner had implemented these changes well, especially getting rid of the styrofoam and charging for any extra containers or plates. I think making that decision was smart economically but also provides incentives in becoming more eco-friendly.”
There has been a lot of positive reactions to the changes made in the diner.
Murphy says, “We haven’t gotten many complaints about these changes, and I feel that a lot of people were on board with using biodegradable and recyclable items.”
“We also hope that one day we will be able to get on board with the Shedd the Straw Movement. This movement deals with getting rid of plastic straws since it is so harmful to the ocean. It is not possible at the moment, but hopefully, in the near future, we will not have straws in our diner anymore either,” Murphy finished.
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