Going Trayless to Save Water and Energy

College campuses throughout the country have found a new way to save water and energy: stop providing trays in campus cafeterias. Not only does the move save water and energy by foregoing the need to wash thousands of trays each day, but it also cuts down on food waste, which as we learned earlier accounts for a lot more water consumption than you’d expect.

Listen to the story on NPR, or read an article from Time Magazine.

Going tray-less is just another example of the many strategies that lie outside the purview of traditional water conservation programs, but can save substantial amounts of both water and energy.

Another creative approach mentioned in the Time Magazine article is the tomato and herb garden at the University of Maryland that was built on top of a dining facility and is watered, in part, by condensation from their refrigeration system. This one project combines green roofs, water reclamation and local/sustainable farming to save water and energy, reduce storm water runoff and educate people on the benefits of these practices.

Do the college campuses and cafeterias in your city use trays? Maybe they should reconsider.