Over the summer months Wilfrid Laurier University worked on the development of an eco take-out container project that students can utilize when purchasing food from any vendor on campus.
“It’s a way for students to save some money while helping the environment and contributing to a greener Laurier community,” said Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union president Laura Sheridan.
Students pay a $5 fee for their first eco container, which they can then return to either the Terrace or dining hall where it is sterilized and reused.
When the container is handed back in, students are given a plastic card that allows them to reclaim another container the next time they buy a meal, without having to pay again.
Students who have paid the $5 to opt into the program will have either a card or a container at all times.
The system works like the grocery store initiative of using reusable bags instead of paying $0.05 for a plastic bag.
In this way, students will be saving money in the long run, as they will not have to pay for the disposable take-out containers each time they eat on campus.
“We didn’t want to make it difficult for students; we wanted it to be able to be completely built into their habits and routine,” said Sheridan.
There are containers available in different sizes for different entrees such as soup, pasta and sandwiches.
Students can use their card to get whichever type of container they need for a particular meal.
“It’s a really unique initiative, it’s the first of its kind at a lot of the universities that are close to us,” said Sheridan.
