Campus Life / Dining
Look Ma! No Tray!

Story by Travis Kaya '10 / Photo by Carrie Rosema

To save money and cut waste, Pomona will join many other educational institutions next year in ditching its cafeteria trays. With an all-you-can-eat policy and range of menu options, students sometimes fill their plates with extra servings that go untouched. “Going trayless makes sense,” says Stephanie Almeida ’11, chair of the student-led Food Committee. “Not having trays will certainly be inconvenient for some students in that it will require an extra trip or two, however I expect that it will also make students more mindful of the quantity of food they are taking.”

In an experiment conducted by the committee last year, it was estimated that removing trays reduced food waste by more than 16 percent. Also, dining hall workers will no longer have to spend time washing trays, and the measure will translate into big savings for the College on food costs. “Last year it was the environment impact that was the impetus, but this year it stems from budgetary concerns,” says Sustainability Coordinator Bowen Patterson ’06. “There are really important benefits.” Pomona is making the move with the four other undergraduate Claremont Colleges to ensure that dining halls are tray-less across the board, part of a national trend at colleges and universities.