Gives reusable containers to students in residences

Kirsten Bolinger
Public relations assistant
Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia

Avondale College is giving students living on its Lake Macquarie campus reusable containers for takeaway meals as part of a renewed commitment to environmental sustainability.

Every student living on campus will receive two reusable 500-millilitre containers and will, with all other customers, drink from reusable cups. This will reduce the use of disposable containers and cups, reports director of Food Services Nick Hartigan. Cafeteria customers use, on average, 2000 containers and 4000 cups each week.

Students who prefer using disposable containers and cups will continue to be able to do so. Both will be available from the Out of the Box Cafe, but at a small price.

Nick will also collect food waste for reuse as chicken feed or compost in an environmentally friendly alternative to disposing of it in landfill. He will place two bins containing the waste on the loading dock of the cafeteria. Collection will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

These Green Avondale initiatives are the first to be announced since the launch of Avondale’s Environmental Sustainability Policy in June.