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Sustainable Dining Initiative: Transitioning from Styrofoam to Corn Plastic at Virginia Tech

Explore how Virginia Tech aims to replace Styrofoam with biodegradable corn plastic in dining halls to address environmental concerns and protect health. Discover cost analysis, obstacles, and alternatives involved in this sustainable proposal.

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Sustainable Dining Initiative: Transitioning from Styrofoam to Corn Plastic at Virginia Tech

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  1. Styrofoam in VT Dining Halls Proposal: Corn Plastic By: Taber Carpenter, Erin Walker & Renee Denbow

  2. Dining Services http://www.studentprograms.vt.edu/vtour/owens.php http://www.studentprograms.vt.edu/vtour/westend.php • Virginia Tech’s Purchase Recap Listings at Owens Food Court for the week of October 16-22: • 14,200 Styrofoam three-compartment containers • 11,400 large Styrofoam one compartment containers • 11,000 small Styrofoam one compartment containers • 1,000 Styrofoam cups. • Obstacles • Alternatives http://www.studentprograms.vt.edu/vtour/hokiegrill.php

  3. Environmental Concerns Americans dispose of 25 billion Styrofoam coffee cups yearly • Not Biodegradable • Landfills • Oceans • Animals http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=landfill+photos

  4. Waste http://www.zerowasteamerica.org/Statistics.htm

  5. Health Concerns • Styrene • Short term effects • Long term effects http://www.indexstock.com/content/topsearches/Styrofoam_photos.asp It is possible to consume as much as .0025% of styrene from a single use

  6. Health Concerns 79% of survey respondents said they are unaware of the harmful health effects • Benzene • Short term effects • Long term effects Colorless liquid hydrocarbon; carcinogenic http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=benzene+photos

  7. Corn Plastic 1% of the 11.8 billion bushels of corn produced in the U.S. last year was used in the production of corn plastic • Biodegradable • Renewable resources • No health concerns http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;_ylt=A9ibyGaDeztHtGkA5RKJzbkF?p=corn+&y=Search&ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-501&x=wrt&js=1&ni=18

  8. Cost Analysis • Options to fund increase in cost • Additional fee per carryout container • Increase in cost of meal plans • Increase in cost of meals

  9. Solution: Corn Plastic • Slow implementation • Composting • Raising Money http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;_ylt=A9gnMiNNejtH7p8AKyWJzbkF?p=corn+field&y=Search&ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-501&x=wrt&js=1&ni=18

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