Cups, Plates and Utensils

REQUIREMENT: All disposable plates, utensils, cups, et cetera must be 100% certified compostable.

REQUIREMENT: A compost bin must be available in all AS spaces and at all AS sponsored events.

RECOMMENDATION: AS spaces should have reusable cups, mugs, plates and utensils available for regular users. Infrequent users or guests may use compostable products.

AS spaces are obviously heavily used with plenty of students and staff passing through every day. For some, it is just a quick visit to turn in or pick up a form or check, while others spend hours working or studying here every week. If you consider AS your home, feel free to treat it that way! Bring a reusable cup, plate, and/or utensils to keep in your office to eliminate waste and cost from your daily snacks. If you don’t have enough reusables for larger meetings, retreats or events, AS requires that you use only compostable cups, plates, and utensils and that you dispose of them in a compost bin.

What you should do on a daily basis:

Don’t forget to bring your reusable water bottle with you wherever you go in AS! You can always fill up at the hydration station in the main lobby or at a water cooler. Encourage your office to keep a small collection of plates and cups, and utensils, and keep them clean! Some AS groups also give out reusable utensil sets at tabling events, so keep your eye out and keep a set in your bag!

What you should do if you need disposable items (for events, guests, etc):

  1. Decide how many of what items you need for your event and check the list here to determine the total cost. Make sure your group allocates enough funding to cover the expense. If you need a very large quantity of any one item (for a conference or if you want to stock your office for a year) contact Jessie Schmitt about a week ahead of time to make sure there’s enough in stock.
  2. Order your compostable items here. Be sure to allow at least 2 business days for your order to be filled before picking up.
  3. Pick up a Zero Waste Committee Compostable Products requisition form in the AS Admin office or at the Annex. Fill it out with your organization’s AS or OSL account number and have two of your group’s authorized signers sign the bottom.
  4. Bring the form to the AS Annex. The student desk attendant should have your items ready for you to pick up.
  5. If you are hosting an event, be sure to request event waste service with A.S. Recycling and let them know you will be providing compostable goods and need compost bins. If you’re using their event service, they can even save you a trip and pick up your compostable items from the Annex for you! If it is for your office, make sure everyone in your office knows the location of the nearest compost bin!