Students at the University of Manitoba in Canada have been complaining so much about the use of non-recyclable packaging at Degrees Diner that the diner has changed over to biodegradable packaging for good.
The change occurs at a moment that being Green is not just a Canadian issue, but also one for us here in the USA.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007 marked a change over from polystyrene containers to containers and lids made from corn and sugar cane.
“We have heard a lot of feedback from students about Styrofoam, about unenvironmentally friendly products on campus. It’s kind of a hot topic these days,” University of Manitoba Students Union vice-president Amanda Jonson said.
“But the No. 1 reason is just to take a leading step and say we are at least trying to take an initiative and be more environmentally responsible here on campus. And hopefully other people will catch on,not only on campus, but other food service options, other options all across the city and across Manitoba.”
With only a 0.25$ environmental levy per package, its a small fee for a campus that already has a composting program; just throw the empty container in the recycling bin and UMREG (on-campus recycling group) will make sure it is properly composted instead of landfilled.
Degrees Diner has boosted the motivation of not just those on-campus, but those off-campus will follow in their lead, as they notice what a difference being a little ethical means to their clients.
One thing is for sure, we can certainly expect something from this, and we can see how important composting is becoming to the mainstream commercial food industry and to our country’s elite of tomorrow.
The compostable biodegradable packaging in Manitoba is just one more example of a trend that is hitting Northern America on full; soon we will see even the USA with news like this, very soon.
