The LSU location of City Pork is using trays and reusable plastic to reduce waste around campus.
In spring 2019, the City Pork at the Julian T. White Design Atrium in the LSU Design Building received a petition, signed by 125 people, stating there was too much plastic on campus from its store. Students complained that people were being careless, garbage cans were overflowing and plastic products were everywhere.
City Pork Assistant Manager Shane Segura said City Pork placed a sign in front of the register encouraging customers to use trays if they are eating close by in an effort to resolve the problem.
Segura wants students to use the trays even if they are going to be eating outside the building.
“It’s not going to hurt us to have to pick up these trays around campus,” Segura said.
The Design Building became home to City Pork in spring 2018, replacing the former Starbucks kiosk. The location is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and has a menu featuring sandwiches, salads, coffee and gelato, among other things. It also offers grab and go meal options for students who are in a rush.
Regulars have begun using the trays, and students have been appreciating the food even more, Segura said.
City Pork encourages students to draw on the trays for inspiration or sit and enjoy the patio area outside the building.
Students have been responding to the initiative, titled the Go Green Project, by using the trays when they can.
Natural resource ecology and management freshman Jamal Shehadeh said the Go Green Project makes him want to visit City Pork more frequently.
“Honestly, I always use the trays,” Shehadeh said. “It really helps. Think of all the trash going out.”
Some students would like to use the trays when they can, but still think there is more City Pork could do to promote environmentally friendly dining. Graphic design sophomore Angela Nguyen said the trays don’t affect how often she eats at the restaurant.
“If they are more efficient and offer it a little more I definitely think it would make me and other students want to come back more,” Nguyen said.
Some students still need to take their food with them, so City Pork chose to switch over to reusable plastic for the takeout boxes. At the bottom of each box is a triangle explaining the benefits of reusable plastic. Additionally, City Pork has changed many of its plastic products to the recycled version.
“We are still trying to cut back,” Segura said. “But when we got with our owner to talk about finding a more sustainable way to do this, they were right on board.”