Wake up, Wildcats. Another new sustainability initiative has arrived on campus, and Butler and Mazzini are here to report on the matter. These past few months, Villanova’s Dining Services have been working closely with Villanova’s Office of Sustainability to create a new, reusable to-go box. Villanova’s definitely going green, but this week it’s with bold-blue boxes that combine our school pride with a sustainable mindset.
Trends come and go, but this one is here to stay. Reusable boxes are taking over the world of takeout, both in style and sustainability. Students are granted three days and unlimited use of this box at any dining hall they would like. Once the three days are up, students should return these boxes to their respective dining halls, where they can re-check out another box upon request.
Most students continue to get take-out with this new change, but some have opinions on how to improve the overall flow of the process. One complaint some students have articulated is that although they can use these to-go boxes at any dining location or cafe on campus, they can only be returned at the three major dining halls: Pit, Spit or St. Mary’s.
Sophomore Alexander Markatos mentioned how within three days he accumulated three to-go boxes, and they have been piling up in his dorm room.
“I love the idea of the to-go boxes and the fact that the school is making an effort to be sustainable. However, checking them in and out can be a hassle,” Markatos said. “Hopefully, with some tweaks, the system can really start to make an impact on sustainability in Villanova.”
Because students don’t necessarily go to these dining halls every day, they find themselves having to go out of their way to remember to return these boxes before the three-day mark. Sophomore student Katherine Breen provided her opinion on this new system.
“I would love to see them implement returning areas in the dorm buildings as well,” Breen said.
This idea would certainly make it easier for students to return boxes without having to return to each dining hall. Additionally, putting another return station in Conn or Bartley Exchange could increase the convenience and efficiency of this system. However, this would also require the dining hall staff to collect and monitor the takeout boxes in each of these additional places, which may be burdensome in their already busy days.
So, what’s the verdict? As of now, it seems like students are enjoying the new takeout system and using it just as much as the old cardboard boxes. Every change in life requires some time to get used to, but if it’s a step towards something better, the change is worth making.
The dining hall staff did not stop with these to-go containers. Instead, it chose to take an even larger leap forward in this race to sustainability by installing a TV screen that highlights the total amount of food waste produced on Villanova’s campus each day. The screens are strategically placed above the conveyor belt where people return plates, and students can watch as the numerical weight of food waste climbs with each additional plate brought up. Monitored by artificial intelligence, this raw, real-time data serves as a powerful reminder to students of the direct impact their choices can have on the environment.
So, Wildcats, the next time you go to the dining hall, remember that with each step you take towards sustainability, the smaller ecological footprint you are leaving behind. Dining Services and the Office of Sustainability appreciate your patience as we all work together to navigate through this change and hope that with student support, these initiatives can have a lasting impact on campus overall.
