10 Unique Ways Our Campuses are Celebrating Earth Day
From farmer’s markets to plant scavenger hunts, our creative campuses know how to get students excited about sustainability.
read moreEliminating Plastic Disposables at the University of Miami
Say hello to tree-free disposables. UM Dining is partnering
with Emerald Brand to make its operation even greener.
As UM Dining Director Michael Ross says, “After a lot of
hard work and research behind the scenes, we are excited
to transition to tree-free disposables this fall.”
MORE SUSTAINABLE OPTIONS REPLACING CURRENT
DISPOSABLES INCLUDE:
- Emerald Brand PLA straws are replacing plastic straws.
These new 100-percent compostable, biodegradable, treefree
straws are now available at all campus retail locations
and by request at the Hecht-Stanford and Mahoney-Pearson
Dining Halls (which have gone straw-free). - Dining halls and retail locations are now using tree-free
napkins, and kitchen and prep areas are using tree-free
paper towels. - Plastic take-out containers are converting to Emerald Brand.
Emerald uses natural agriculture fibers (food production byproducts)
to create these sustainable, disposable versions.
This bold initiative is a continued effort. Last year, all dining
locations replaced plastic bags with paper, and students
can opt to buy reusable bags. Green U and UM Dining
also work closely on environmentally conscious initiatives,
most recently by increasing recycling efforts campus-wide.
According to UM Sustainability Manager Teddy Lhoutellier,
“I am particularly excited about this initiative, as we
are on the forefront of universities taking an eco-friendly
approach to all aspects of dining.”
“We do not look at sustainability as an option, we view
it as a requirement,” says UM Dining Marketing Director
Meagan Clements. “To not only improve our program by
making a positive impact on the earth, but also have the
opportunity to partner with the passionate and environmentally
ethical people of Emerald has been rewarding
in so many ways.”
