In an attempt to cut back on the use of disposable containers, Stanford Dining is distributing reusable thermoses this week to all students with meal plans.

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Courtesy of Stanford Dining

In the latest effort to promote sustainability on campus, Stanford Dining is distributing a thermos and carrying case to every student with a meal plan in dining halls throughout the week.

“Our objective is to have students use the thermoses instead of non-reusable cups,” said Karen Andrews, associate director of Stanford Dining, in a press release. “That will help us reduce our purchases of disposables, and thereby decrease our waste.”

Each 20 ounce thermos comes with its own carrying case and bears the slogan, “Be cool, stay hot, live green.” The thermoses can preserve the temperature of both hot and cold liquids.

The reusable thermoses are part of Stanford Dining’s LiveGreen campaign. Past projects include composting in student residences, providing biodegradable to-go containers and purchasing organic food from local producers.

“LiveGreen has a lot of initiatives, so everyone’s involved and constantly thinking of new projects we can take on,” said Erin Gaines ‘07, sustainable foods coordinator for Stanford Dining. “The thermos distribution is very visible to students, but it’s just one part of the culture of sustainability we are trying to create.”

While current projects suggest environmentally-friendly options to students, the LiveGreen campaign has more active plans in mind for the future.

“Stanford Dining is going to start charging students 35 cents for disposable cups to encourage the use of the LiveGreen reusable thermoses and therefore reduce waste and costs,” Gaines wrote in an email to The Daily.

Some students are dissatisfied with the new thermoses and the rules that go with them.

“I think the thermoses are a move in the right direction, as long as people aren’t throwing those away as well,” said Emily Bachelder ‘10. “But it’s obnoxious and underhanded to give us something without saying what they’re taking away.”

“I think a rewards system would be better,” she added.

According to Gaines, some students are having trouble with properly using the thermoses, leading to messy spills.

“Maybe we should attach directions or something,” Gaines said. “You’re not supposed to drink directly from the thermos; you’re supposed to pour liquid from the thermos into something else, like the cap, which is shaped like a small cup.”

In addition to the thermos distribution, LiveGreen is organizing other projects across campus. Students are currently working on the creation of a program to recycle cooking oil into bio-diesel fuel. To learn more or get involved, visit Stanford Dining online at http://dining.stanford.edu and click on “Sustainable Dining” under the “Students” tab.