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Ferrum
welcomes green initiatives, more students
The college hopes to lessen its footprint on the
environment by moving to trayless dining and paper products
in its cafeteria.
By
Janelle Rucker
981-3159
FERRUM -- Students head back to classes today at Ferrum
College to a more ecologically friendly campus.
In a time when green is the new black, a student's hands
are the new cafeteria tray -- literally.
Along with other colleges and universities across the
country, Ferrum will no longer have food trays in its
cafeteria.
"Trayless dining" is shown to reduce food waste, energy
consumption and water use, according to a news release from
the university.
The college contends that the lack of a tray could also
help reduce the "freshman 15" -- the approximately 15 pounds
some students are said to gain during their first year of
college.
College officials hope eliminating the convenience of a
tray will make students think twice about what they choose
to eat and carry.
According to a July study by Aramark Higher Education,
the cost savings and energy conservation aren't the only
reason for getting rid of trays.
The move would also support education and awareness of
environmental issues and decreases discharge into landfills.
Aramark, a dining and conference center management
company, studied 186,000 meals at 25 colleges and
universities. The result? A 20 percent to 30 percent
reduction per person in food waste.
Along with the lack of trays, the cafeteria will provide
paper products, making the move from plastic foam to
biodegradable items.
"With the second-oldest environmental science program in
the nation, I think it is especially important for us to
make every effort in this area," said Cheryl Elkins,
assistant director of food services.
Ferrum students will also return to a larger student
body.
Following a three-year trend, enrollment at the private,
liberal arts college has increased.
More than 1,300 students from 18 states and five foreign
countries will walk the campus, the largest enrollment in 24
years.
The 2004 marketing plan set in motion increases in
academic programs and diversity, said college President
Jennifer Braaten, making the school more attractive to
prospective students.
"In the past several years, we have not only made
dramatic improvements to our campus facilities, but also in
our academic, athletic and experiential learning programs,"
she said. "Directly communicating these new initiatives to
prospective students is one of the main reasons for our
success."
The continued increase in enrollment continues to drive
development on campus.
Last weekend, students moved into the new Margaret M.
Clark Hall, the third dorm built in three years.
The 61-unit dorm will house 120 students and one resident
adviser and also shows signs of the college's commitment to
green practices.
Each of the rooms is equipped with heating and cooling
units with motion sensors. If a student is away from the
room awhile, the unit will automatically set itself to a
more energy-efficient temperature. The unit will return to
the set temperature when someone enters the room again. |
