Well perhaps you should think about the amount of plastic waste incurred by takeaway coffee from places like Starbucks on campus, the way food is prepackaged in campus cafes, and takeaway containers (polysterene containers used for takeaways at the Aspire). Maybe greater incentives need to be provided for the less concerned.

I’ve been asking for a reusable option to the takeaway containers in the SB campus cafeteria for nearly 2 years now – still waiting for answer. The current plastic takeaway containers are recyclable, but it would be far more sustainable if I could bring my own container – even if it meant having to buy a Sodexo approved container.

University Catering supplied our admissions days with individual UHT milk cartons and disposable cups. Not only were they non-recyclable and single use, they ended up contaminating the recycling waste because there was too much to fit in the landfill bin.

How about arranging with our preferred suppliers to return bulky packaging for re-use, at least for commonly used items (e.g., standard Lenovo equipment, which includes a lot of polystyrene)?

In my nearest cafe outlet on campus, almost every item is encapsulated in plastic – crisps, snacks, sandwiches, salads and drinks. Fresh fruit is the sole exception and hot food is offered in polystyrene boxes with plastic cutlery. The nearby vending machine also only contains plastic-wrapped products. Has there been any consideration of sustainable supplies for such outlets?

The cafe on E floor in the Medical School is still dispensing single-use plastic cutlery. The restaurant on D floor has changed to wooden ones (presumably made of sustainable wood), which is great, but our ‘green university’ accolades are let down by the plastic ones in use.

The Starbucks in the George Green library recently stopped giving discounts, when you bring a reusable coffee mug that is not Starbucks or UoN branded. Has this been revisited?

Hi Sanna. George Green is a University outlet, so the #WasteNott levy and discount pricing structure will apply – and any reusable cup can be used. If you have any issues requesting a hot drink in a reusable cup, please let us know by emailing wastenott@nottingham.ac.uk. Thanks – Rebecca

Why have you stopped using the excellent compostable cups which were available for a short while in the Exchange Building on Jubilee Campus? Given that we have extensive gardens on campus so composting on site is viable, this was a promising initiative.
Are the University of Nottingham plastic cups you are currently using recyclable?

The compostable cups which Caroline mentions seem like a great idea. These should be rolled out across campus and specialist bins made available to dispose of them. Great idea that they could then go into our own gardens. If a big thing was made of it I think everyone, students and staff alike would do this. I hate the rows and rows of plastic bottles available for meal deals in the Spar shop and Boots in Portland. What about cans instead?

The Coates café has single use plastic cutlery. These could be replaced by wooden ones as someone above suggested has been done elsewhere.
The jacket potato fillings are handed out in plastic disposable containers – why not just spoon them directly into the potato?! No container needed at all
The bread rolls are double wrapped in cling film and then a plastic bag. In a supermarket when you buy individual rolls they are unwrapped and you use tongs to serve yourself. No wrapping needed.

Every reduction effort is to be applauded but like some of the other commentators I have found that common sense seems in short supply, in my local restaurant you can take your own container for a salad – but it’s all ‘measured out’ in a plastic cup which is then discarded. Some further joined up thinking is needed. Thanks for the new water coolers, definitely needed when out and about.

I think the water coolers are a great starting point, but equally agree that there is more to be done.
Working on the recent University Open Day, I was disappointed that Trent Café only had disposable plastic cutlery. If we are to truly showcase our University as a Green University, surely open days would be an obvious place to do so.

I have been wondering for some time what happens to the plastic trays/lids that sandwiches arrive in from delivered catering. Am I correct in thinking that the components of the buffet menus are supplied by an external company, and not made in-house? If so, are the trays returned to the company or re-used? I wonder how many hundreds of these trays are used each day across our campuses? I would really appreciate some insight on this.

When ordering padded envelopes make sure that we purchase ones made of recycled shredded paper instead of bubble wrap.
Also get rid of the free plastic reusable cups in staff rooms.