Brennan AngelCampus Dining started implementing a new plan Monday to make Cal Poly a more environmentally conscious school by replacing all polystyrene (plastic foam like Styrofoam) products with their biodegradable counterparts.
The first of the dining facilities to be affected is Julian’s, which replaced its polystyrene cups with a new, compostable alternative.
“My goal is to have Julian’s be foam-free by the end of February,” said Campus Dining associate director Alan Cushman. “I am expecting to beat that goal too.”
Since his arrival to Cal Poly in 1984, Cushman has been a constant supporter in the drive to make Cal Poly a sustainable, environmentally friendly campus. Beginning in 1995, he has helped Campus Dining win 11 consecutive awards from the Waste Reduction Awards Program.
With the recent availability of biodegradable cups, Cushman immediately jumped at the chance to make them available at Cal Poly. Working with the Integrated Waste Management Authority, school faculty and his staff, Cushman was able to purchase the new cups.
Polystyrene, which is neither recyclable or biodegradable, is the cheaper alternative for Campus Dining. Each plastic foam cup from Julian’s costs approximately 2 cents.
The environmentally friendly cups cost approximately 10 cents, with an additional 5 cents for the necessary paper insulators.
With the roughly 15-cent increase, students should expect to see a change in pricing at many of the Campus Dining facilities.
“Prices will not be affected this year, but they will increase next year,” Cushman said.
Students have had mixed feelings regarding the price change because of the environmental difference it will make.
“I think it depends. I probably would buy less depending on the increase,” said Dimitri Antoniou, an environmental management and protection junior.
The initial change will be difficult, Cushman said. Although the cup is environmentally friendly, its lid, a solid plastic, will not be biodegradable, but is recyclable. He hopes students will put in a conscious effort to place biodegradable products in their correct waste areas in the garbage cans and lids in the recyclable units for maximum sustainability.
Eventually, the lids will be replaced with biodegradable units, but those have yet to be made. There are plans for the creation of the lids through the design of Keith Vorst, an industrial technology professor, and his students in IT 435, Packaging Development. The group has designed a food carton that is made from potato starch and is completely biodegradable.
The class began research on the composting of the container on Feb. 12.
The container, which Cushman plans to use in the future, is made of the same material that the new lids will be created with.
Julian’s manager Patti Reaves did not have much information on the changing of the cups. When asked if she expected to see a change in business, Reaves said, “I have no clue. We’ll have to see.”
Cushman hopes to make the entire University Union polystyrene-free by the end of spring quarter and has even higher goals for the following year.
“My overall goal is by next fall all of Campus Dining will be polystyrene-free,” Cushman said.