Removing trays from the Terrace Dining Room results in less waste produced, an AU environmental science class announced Wednesday, on Earth Day.
Professor Kiho Kim's class removed trays on six randomly selected sample days starting in February and measured the amount of waste left on plates. They compared the amount of remaining waste to the amount left on days where trays are provided.
During the tray-less days, the class found there was 14.4 percent less solid waste at lunchtime and there was 47.1 percent less solid waste at dinnertime. TDR produces upwards of 700 pounds of waste per week, The Eagle previously reported.
"I wasn't really that surprised [by the results], because I figured other schools wouldn't have mandated removing trays if there weren't results," said Taylor Sutton, a sophomore in the School of Communication and the School of International Service.
Professor Kim's class also found that diners used fewer plates and bowls when there were no trays. Reducing dishes could lead to less water and energy use, the class hypothesized.
"I don't think many students would even notice if the trays disappeared," said Gabrielle Gorder, a junior in SOC. "If someone mentioned it, they would. But I doubt it really impacts many students. If it's true, that it really does reduce waste, then get rid of the trays."
The class investigated tray removal because they believed reducing waste on a local level would help reduce waste and energy produced on a global level, Sarah Sobecki, a communications student surveying student reactions, wrote in an e-mail.
The Environmental Issues class examined how to produce the smallest environmental footprint possible throughout the semester, seeking to connect local behavior to global issues, according to Sobecki.
Some AU students said they did not use a tray, even before the study was conducted.
"I've never used a tray, from day one freshman year," said Mara Dasilva, a junior in the School of Communication and the Kogod School of Business. "I thought they were cumbersome and awkward. I always just took one plate, and grabbed my drink with one hand."
Other students might feel differently than her about having trays at TDR, she said.
"A lot of the athletes, they get four cups of PowerAde and milk," DaSilva said. "There are people who like the trays. I don't think you can get rid of them at this point, because there are some people who like trays."
One student said all trays shouldn't be removed from TDR until a solution could be found for the hot plates burning fingers people's fingers.
"I think it's good there's a decrease in waste when we don't use trays, but until they solve the problem of the plates being super hot without the trays, I probably won't switch over much," said freshman David Bradshaw, a student in SOC and the School of Public Affairs. "Right now, it's hard to walk around with the plates if they've just come out of the dryer."
You can reach this staff writer at klitvin@theeagleonline.com.
