More students plus less space equals more disposable dinnerware at Willie’s Food Court in Norris University Center, an equation some fear will place a heavier burden on the environment.
Norris eliminated its metal silverware and china plates this year to accommodate an increased number of students as well as potential Winter Quarter renovations.
“Given the volume of activity downstairs and the need to push as many people as we can through (the food court) and the format (of the food court), we went to disposable service,” said Bill Johnston, Norris executive director.
Johnston estimated that the amount of traffic through the food court has tripled since he came to NU in 1995, partly due to new meal plans offering meal equivalency at Norris.
“It’s not feasible to turn (china and silverware) around fast enough,” he said.
In addition, Johnston said, a proposed convenience store is scheduled to move into the space that had previously been used for dishwashing, between Willie’s Food Court and Sbarro.
But some students are upset that they no longer have the option of using china plates and metal silverware at Norris.
Alicia Woolslayer, a Weinberg sophomore, said she always preferred to use the metal silverware because it “reminded (her) of home,” and because it was more effective for cutting food.
“The plastic silverware breaks a lot when you try to cut meat,” she said.
Besides the inconvenience of flimsy dinnerware, some students said they also are bothered by the potential effect the change will have on the environment, especially in lieu of the garbage strike that ended last week.
“As individuals we collect and generate an absurd amount of waste,” said Matthew McCormick, a Weinberg senior who is co-chairman of Students for Ecological and Environmental Development. “I don’t see anyone taking steps to reduce that. The fact that the university is actually moving backwards needs to be changed.”
McCormick said SEED members plan to lobby for the return of washable dinnerware to Norris.
SEED co-chairwoman Tiffany Grobelski, a Weinberg sophomore, called the switch “outrageous” and expressed her concern that “they are probably producing a lot more waste now.”
Johnston admitted that the use of paper and plastic utensils has increased garbage levels, but he added that even with the recent garbage strike, Norris has “done OK so far.”
Johnston also said he has been working with students to develop and install six new recycling centers where Norris customers will be able to separate and recycle their paper, plastic and glass containers.
“We are trying to be as environmentally conscious as we can,” he said. “But we can only go as far as the capabilities (for recycling) in Evanston.”
Johnston said a lack of student participation could be another potential problem with the recycling system, which is set to be in place by the end of the Fall Quarter.
Some students, however, said they thought students would be willing to help make the new system work.
“It’s much more environmentally sound and it would take like two more seconds to do,” said Anne-Marie Jeannet, a Weinberg sophomore.
Sean Pyper, a first-year student at the Feinberg School of Medicine, said he hasn’t been inconvenienced by a similar recycling system at NU’s Chicago Campus.
“I don’t think it’s that complicated. Any intelligent person can throw their stuff in the right can,” he said.
