ACU Dining is going green, replacing more than 6,500 Styrofoam to-go cartons with 500 To Go Green plastic containers. An average of 150 Styrofoam boxes are used per meal on campus,  a number ACU considered too high. To reduce waste, the university launched the To Go Green program March 5. The green initiative allows students, faculty and staff to enjoy take-out food while preserving the environment. After eating their meal and removing the extra food from the container, the participant must return it to one of the drop-off locations found in the Bean or any campus café. The container is then exchanged for a To Go Green membership card that is required for the next to-go purchase. Participants are required to give their e-mail address and student account number for tracking purposes.

Kristin Goodspeed, freshman broadcasting major from Argyle, grabs a new, reusable to-go container in the Bean on Monday. (Photo by Kelsi Williamson)

“This is our first run,” said Daniela Smallwood, marketing coordinator of ACU Dining. “At some point we would like to phase out Styrofoam completely.”

Participants are also allowed to purchase the containers for personal use for $5. However, if the containers are lost or stolen, participants must pay a another $5 replacement fee.

Five hundred containers are available, and so far, 174 students, faculty and staff are taking advantage of the program. Smallwood said ACU Dining’s goal is to have 250 participants by April 22, which also happens to be Earth Day.

ACU Dining looks forward to adding this initiative to the other ways it has chosen to go green in the past, said Anthony Williams, chief auxiliary services officer. Items such as dishwashers that use only eco-friendly chemicals, benches made from wood from renewable sources and LED lighting that adjusts to natural light are only stepping stones to the organization’s future earth-friendly plans.

“We’ve had this program in the making for some time now, and it’s great to see it come to fruition,” Williams said. “This is just the beginning; we want to continue to partner with the student body in regards to green and sustainable programs, which are an important part of supporting the 21st Century Vision.”

ACU Dining’s Facebook page, ACU Dining Rocks, provides additional information about the To Go Green movement as well as other ACU Dining promotions.