Campus Dining Holds Dine-In Challenge During Earth Week

On average, students and dining center guests carry out over 2600 meals each day from Illinois State's three residential dining centers.  That accounts for over one-quarter of all meals served in an average day, and 18,000 total carryout meals in just one week.

This Earth Week, April 19-25, Campus Dining Services is holding its first Dine-In Challenge, which challenges the University community to reduce their total carryout from the residential dining centers by 15 percent.  That equals a reduction of 390 carryout meals per day and 2730 carryout meals over the week.  By succeeding, the campus community will have eliminated over one full day of carryout meals over the course of the week.

"The Dine-In Challenge is a great way to bring awareness to the number of carryout containers that we, as a campus, send to the landfill each week," said Arlene Hosea, director of Campus Dining.  "We aren't asking students to stop carrying out meals completely --- just to stop and think, 'do I need to carry out this time, or do I have time to dine in?'  We hope at least once during the week, they will choose to dine in instead of carrying out."

If every student chose to swap just one of their weekly carryout meals for a dine in meal, the goal would easily be met.  All carryout meals will be counted and tracked on to the Campus Dining Web site (www.Dining.ilstu.edu), as well as posted in the three dining centers, so students can see their progress during the Challenge.

"When Campus Dining Services brought the idea of the Dine-In Challenge to the Association of Residence Halls, I was excited about what results it could produce," said Amy Vito, vice president of the Association of Residence Halls. "I know how important it is for students to carry out their meals for various reasons, but the Dine-In Challenge falls during Earth Week -- and what better way to promote sustainability than this idea! I hope it encourages students take a second and ask themselves if they really NEED to carry out that day. Students can make a big impact by choosing to dine in instead of carrying out - and hopefully this program will help reinforce that!"

In addition to the week-long challenge, Campus Dining has also partnered with University Housing to hold a residence hall floor competition.  Floors have been challenged to create bulletin boards completely out of recycled materials promoting the Dine-In Challenge, as well as Earth Week/sustainability.  All bulletin boards will be judged by a team of representatives from Dining, Housing, and the Association of Residence Halls and prizes awarded to the best floor in each area (east, west, south, and Watterson).  Winning floors will be announced on Earth Day, April 22, and will receive a floor party package courtesy of Campus Dining during the final week of classes.  All floors participating in the contest must submit an entry form by April 7 at www.Dining.ilstu.edu.

For more information on the Dine-In Challenge, or the Residence Hall Bulletin Board Contest, please contact Campus Dining at (309) 438-8351 or campusdining@ilstu.edu.