Both The 459 and The 5 dining halls are on track to surpass their goal of a 20 percent reduction of food waste as part of the biannual Project: Clean Plate initiative.
This semester’s five-week program is nearing the end of its second week of measurement and has already reduced waste by nearly 5 percent in The 459 and 8 percent in The 5.
The initiative started with one week of unannounced measurement Sept. 24 through Sept. 30, according to charts posted in each dining hall.
The 5 recorded 1,581 pounds of waste the first week, and The 459 recorded 1,622 pounds. The goal is to reduce waste in The 5 to 1,265 pounds and in The 459 to 1,306 pounds.
Charlie Casrill, director of Resident Dining, said waste measurement is part of the weekly routine in the dining halls.
“Every day we go through the same routine,” Casrill said. “Food and plastics and papers are all sorted out in the dish room. We do get to see a daily and weekly usage.”
Casrill said Project: Clean Plate has been a program at the University for five years. Last year, The 5 reduced waste by 23.2 percent and The 459 reduced waste by almost 24 percent, he said.
Casrill said the initiative makes students more aware of wasteful habits. After the programs end, he said waste levels remain low for the duration of the semester.
Director of LSU Dining David Heidke said freshmen are a special target of Project: Clean Plate. He said the fall program is especially important because it raises awareness for new students who are unfamiliar with the all-you-care-to-eat serving style at the dining halls.
Seth Guilbeau, kinesiology freshman, said he had not yet heard of the program, but he thinks it is a good concept. He also said students should be more conservative with their food selections.
“Some people get a bunch of food and don’t eat it all. It is really wasteful, especially when some people don’t have food,” Guilbeau said.
LSU Dining shared Guilbeau’s concern for those less fortunate, Casrill said. LSU Dining will donate to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank when the program ends Nov. 11.
“If we reach our goal we have a set poundage amount that we donate,” Casrill said. “By each percent that we go over [our goal], there is an additional designated poundage amount we donate.”
The donation at the end of the program will coincide with the beginning of the Thanksgiving food drive, Casrill said.
 
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Contact Paul Braun at [email protected]