No more trays

The late John Belushi turned a plastic cafeteria tray into an ammunition holder in the 1978 college comedy classic, “Animal House.” Moments before starting a “food fight,” Blushi’s character piled food high on the tray.

Food fights weren’t a problem at Averett University, but the school was worried about food waste when it recently decided to remove plastic trays from its dining hall.

Averett hopes the decision will cut food waste by as much as 50 percent — and save the cost of washing the trays.

“It’s our way of helping the environment,” said Terry McGhee, head chef with Bon Appetit, the company that provides dining services at Averett.

Little things can make a big difference. Because they’re little, though, it’s hard to imagine them adding up to big savings. But Benjamin Franklin’s advice of a penny saved is a penny earned is as relevant as it is true today.

If we’ve truly left the era of cheap energy behind, then the simple things are going to grow larger in importance.

Most people can’t afford to put solar panels on their roof of their house or erect a windmill on their property. Replacing an older refrigerator or a heat pump isn’t something that can be done every few years.

For most people, most of the energy-saving things they can do right now include simple things such as buying low-flow showerheads, programmable thermostats and energy-efficient light bulbs, or making sure their car’s tire pressure is correct and getting regular tune-ups.

Back at Averett, Angel Guy, president of the student government association, has seen dining hall food waste over the years.

“The less (space) you have to put items on, the less waste you can make,” Guy said of eliminating plastic trays. “It makes you more conscious about the food you’re going to get.”

Averett University’s attempt to cut down on food waste by eliminating plastic cafeteria trays is a small idea that, over time, will save Averett University time and money. The larger lesson is that as we hunger for new technologies to help us achieve energy independence, we can’t forget that the little things have a way of adding up to big savings.