In September of 2013 Osgoode decided to reconstitute the Food Services Advisory Group in order to ensure that students’ expectations regarding the food services at Osgoode Hall were being satisfied. From an environmental perspective, how and what we choose to consume are easy and effective ways to decrease our carbon footprint. As the effects of climate change begin to manifest themselves throughout world, it has become painfully clear that displacing the environmental costs of consumption onto future generations is neither a moral nor a rational option. By re-forming the Advisory Group, the student body was given the opportunity to collaborate with the Osgoode administration and the staff of Aramark to help facilitate our ability to make sustainable choices.
The principle issues addressed at the Food Services meeting centered on the inability of the student body to make informed, sustainable choices at the Osgoode Bistro. Compostable coffee cups were replaced by non-recyclable cups, re-usable cutlery were replaced with plastic utensils, and bottled water (an item that has drawn the ire of students across Canada) was available for purchase. These changes meant that students who wished to eat or drink on campus had no other option but to produce unnecessary waste, and thereby increase their carbon footprint. Both Aramark and the Osgoode administration were extremely open to all suggestions regarding initiatives to decrease the Bistro’s environmental impact, displaying interests congruent with those of the student body.
First up was the issue of the coffee cups. Unfortunately by using Starbucks coffee the Bistro was required to use Starbucks’ brand of disposable coffee cups. This meant that instead of using the compostable cups of the past, Starbucks cups reigned supreme. As coffee is the lifeblood of any academic institution (an Osgoode without caffeine would be akin to “Night of the Living Dead”), it is simply not an option for students to go without. Fortunately many students have taken it upon themselves to purchase re-usable mugs and Aramark has provided a discount for those who have made the effort. However, we all have days when we forget to bring our travel mugs, and buying multiple re-usable mugs is contrary to an attempt to reduce one’s carbon footprint. Therefore, many eco-minded students ended up using the disposable cups despite having a legitimate desire to reduce waste. When we raised this issue, Aramark, though unable to bring back compostable cups, agreed to supply the Bistro with reusable mugs available to anyone who wishes to purchase coffee (no deposit necessary). The administration, in an effort to ensure that the mugs find their way back to the Bistro, has proposed to create drop sites on both floors, for used mugs. Once these are in place, there will be no reason a Starbucks cup ever needs to find itself in an Osgoode trashcan!
Next on the docket was the cutlery situation. Due to a shockingly high loss rate the Bistro was forced to provide students with plastic cutlery. Aramark went through several sets of metal utensils before plastic was brought in. [The Missing Forks!] Plastic cutlery is both an aesthetically and environmentally poor choice. Thanks to Robyn Blumberg’s Fork Drive campaign Aramark was willing to provide Osgoode with yet another set of reusable metal cutlery, provided that we provide the replacements (which we now have thanks to all those who donated this past week!). It is important to remember that metal cutlery is sustainable only when it is re-used! By forgetting to return your forks and knives to the Bistro or allowing them to find their way into your apartment you are de-incentivizing Aramark’s continued support of our sustainability initiatives. Our initiatives will only produce positive results as long as the student body utilizes and supports them.
Finally we dealt with the issue of bottled water. Over the past few years there has been a continued push to remove bottled water from University campuses. York has joined that movement and Aramark happily supports the initiative and is looking to withdraw all bottled water by 2015! While the delay is regrettable, the time is necessary to ensure that alternatives are in place. To this end Aramark, has provided re-usable plastic water cups that can be filled at any of the water fill stations throughout the school. Again, please make sure that these items make their way back to the Bistro!
An awareness of the need to conserve rather than consume has been reflected through the collaboration of Sustainability Committee and the re-formed Food Services Advisory Group. This awareness will hopefully shared and expressed through the choices made by the student body. Do your part and take advantage of the changes made at the Bistro. If anyone has further ideas as to how we can improve and reduce our environmental impact feel free to get in touch with the Osgoode Sustainability Committee in person or through Facebook!