Changing Tradition

Mary Sue Coleman, president of the University of Michigan, recently announced a $14 million sustainability initiative for the school. Among the steps to improve campus sustainability is a particularly irksome one for students.

The U-M cafeterias plan to go green by going “tray-less.” The idea behind this is that it will prevent excess food waste because students will only be able to carry so much. Additionally, it will save the university money and resources because there will be fewer dishes to wash. Already, U-M has one entirely tray-less cafeteria (Betsy Barbour) and another will switch to the system next year.

While sustainability is a noble goal, many students see these initiatives as a way for the university to make itself look better without actually accomplishing anything. Perhaps going tray-less will help with food waste, but more likely, students will be forced to take multiple trips to the serving area. Without a tray, it’s impossible to grab (for example) a salad, a drink, and a plate of food. Students only have two hands, and trays are time savers.

Trays have become a staple of college, a tradition worth keeping. What will future students use as sleds? Cafeteria dining just won’t be the same.  But perhaps I am wrong. If going tray-less has been proven effective, then it is worth losing the tradition. Besides, the trays can be kept elsewhere so students can still use them in winter. After all, it would be wasteful to just throw them away.

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