Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 65.95
Liaison Susan Powers
Submission Date Feb. 12, 2016
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Clarkson University
IN-2: Innovation 2

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 1.00 Susan Powers
Assoc. Dir. Sustainability
ISE
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Title or keywords related to the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome:
Reusable To-Go Boxes Charge to Generate Sustainability Funds and Reduce Waste

A brief description of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome:

In January of 2015 Clarkson began charging consumers $0.50 for the use of a disposable to-go box in all campus dining halls. Aramark, our food provider, simultaneously provided all students with one free reusable to-go box. The practice stemmed fro two separate student-led Sustainability Fund projects that investigated options for reducing the waste associated with dining services. The first group identified the Ozzi Machines as one option for organizing such a massive shift in the culture of eating on the run and convenient disposal of containers. The initial voluntary and no-cost implementation of re-useable to-go boxes had very limited success and change in behavior. The second project related the issue to environmental economics and the need to impose a price on materials that are interpreted as being free, but that have both real internal and external costs.


A brief description of any positive measurable outcomes associated with the innovation (if not reported above):

This project reduced disposable to-go box usage by approximately 37,000 boxes per month (down to ~1,500 disposable boxes per month). It has saved approximately 2-3 hours a day of custodial labor by eliminating an estimated 60 trash bags a day.


A letter of affirmation from an individual with relevant expertise:
Which of the following STARS subcategories does the innovation most closely relate to? (Select all that apply up to a maximum of five):
Yes or No
Curriculum No
Research No
Campus Engagement Yes
Public Engagement No
Air & Climate No
Buildings No
Dining Services Yes
Energy No
Grounds No
Purchasing Yes
Transportation No
Waste Yes
Water No
Coordination, Planning & Governance No
Diversity & Affordability No
Health, Wellbeing & Work No
Investment No

Other topic(s) that the innovation relates to that are not listed above:
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The website URL where information about the innovation is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

see also the rotating feature videos at http://www.clarkson.edu/green/index.html


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