Those who frequent Stanford dining halls know that a noticeable shift occurred this fall: the once expansive 11-inch dining plates suddenly downsized to petite 8-inch counterparts. Amid dissatisfaction from many students, some dining halls reintroduced larger original plates alongside the smaller ones within weeks. Weekends brought yet another twist, with select spots reverting to exclusive use of the 11-inch plates. The variability prompted senior Tom Nguyen to observe, "People are walking around with all different sizes of bowls and plates; there's no consistency."
Stanford Residential & Dining Enterprises (R&DE) is responsible for this change. R&DE is a department within Stanford whose primary role is to oversee residential life and dining services for students, faculty, and other community members. It encompasses various divisions, including housing, dining, and conferences, all working towards a common goal of promoting sustainability.
R&DE justifies the addition of smaller plates in their Stanford Dining Food Waste Prevention Playbook, where they state, "...research indicates that going trayless, using smaller plates, and serving moderate portions can reduce the amount of food taken by students in all-you-care-to-eat environments such as dining halls.” According to the playbook, this allows students to plate only what they think they can eat, with the option to return for seconds, fostering mindful eating and reducing the likelihood of uneaten waste.
Undoubtedly, food waste presents a formidable environmental challenge, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, overflowing landfills, and resource depletion. It also worsens global hunger and food insecurity by discarding resources that could otherwise feed millions. In America, food waste accounts for an estimated 30-40% of our food supply, amounting to 133 billion pounds or $161 billion wasted in 2010, as reported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Reducing the disposal of perfectly edible food supports the department’s broader objective of advancing sustainable practices.
R&DE’s attempt to reduce food waste through smaller plates has garnered diverse reactions from the student body. An anonymous sophomore student states, "I do end up taking less food, but that's because I'm recovering from an eating disorder. It's hard to put food on my plate, especially when the plate is small because then it looks like I've put a lot of food already." In contrast, junior Cassady Hill shares, "I end up taking more food because in my mind, a smaller plate means I need more servings. Even though I feel the need to make multiple trips, I always end up getting way more food than I can eat.”
Nguyen, who relies on crutches to walk due to an ACL injury adds, "It's definitely an accessibility issue as well, not just for people like me who are injured but for any student who struggles with the dining hall process...But I know [Stanford] is trying to reduce food waste. If they can actually prove with data that smaller plates are reducing food waste, then I would feel better about this policy."
Although the R&DE website emphasizes plans for a sustainable future through "measuring, benchmarking, and assessing [their] performance," there is no recent data on student dining hall waste. A representative from the Sustainability division of R&DE revealed that apart from the introduction of some Winnow machines, which utilize AI to photograph and record waste content, there have been no concerted efforts to gather data on food waste in dining halls in recent years. The closest available data are reports from waste collectors who visually assess the fullness of garbage bins near dining halls.
The lack of data on dining hall waste poses challenges in ‘measuring, benchmarking, and assessing’ the efficacy of initiatives like smaller plates. Furthermore, even if Stanford were to possess such data, the inconsistency in plate sizes would impede accurate measurements of effectiveness.
The reduction in plate sizes is just one of several initiatives by R&DE aimed at advancing sustainability. The department also undertakes various practices within dining halls, including donating surplus food to organizations and recording pre-processed food waste to adjust purchasing quantities. These efforts distinguish R&DE from other dining facilities in the United States, demonstrating its commitment to sustainability.
However, the lack of data on dining hall waste poses challenges in assessing the effectiveness of initiatives like smaller plates. R&DE would benefit from conducting comprehensive assessments to measure the intended impact of these changes. Quarterly waste audits of dining hall bins, tracking plate sizes, and considering factors such as dining hall location and time of day could provide valuable insights. Additionally, any environmental intervention should prioritize the needs of all affected parties, including physically disabled students or those with eating challenges. For R&DE, this might involve organizing student group discussions facilitated by a neutral party to gather feedback.
Through thoughtful assessment and continued collaboration, R&DE can further its mission of creating a more environmentally conscious and equitable dining experience for the Stanford community and beyond.
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Aileen Chang is a senior at Stanford University, specializing in communications. Passionate about environmental sustainability, she has previously championed initiatives to combat food waste. Currently delving into the realm of environmental journalism, Aileen remains dedicated to shedding light on waste reduction strategies and advocating for a greener future.
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