How do I get my new mug?
- At the beginning of the 2019-20 school year, sophomores (and sophomore febs) and first years will receive their mugs from their ResLife team, and juniors, junior febs, seniors, and senior febs can retrieve theirs from their campus mailboxes.
- All incoming classes henceforth will be given a to-go mug when they arrive on campus for orientation
- Disposable to-go cups will no longer be provided in the dining halls starting the third week of the Fall 2019 semester.
- Along with your new mug, each student will also be receiving a free to-go box carabiner! Visit go/to-go for more details on this program
- Students returning from abroad in J Term should check their mailbox to get their new cups. All students should have one by the first Wednesday of the term.
Why are we implementing this program?
- Dining currently spends ~$30,000~ a year on disposable to-go cups, amounting to a significant waste of resources. By purchasing everyone a reusable mug and eliminating the disposable ones, Dining Services can both reduce costs and increase sustainability
- The savings from this program are already being directed towards providing a to-go container carabiner to every student at school free of charge instead of the current $5 deposit system, for more information on the to-go container system visit go/to-go
- We want to improve campus sustainability by decreasing waste in the dining halls and reducing resource consumption. We hope to provide a safe, healthy, and environmentally-friendly to-go cup alternative that accounts for student needs and provides maximum convenience to staff, students, and members of the community.
Who has been working on this?
- The SGA Environmental Affairs Committee has been working on this project all year together with Dining Services. About 50 people were involved in a pilot program during Spring 2019 to test out the Ecoffee cups.
What do I do if I don’t want my Ecoffee cup or I am done with it?
- There will be an opportunity to drop your cup off at a designated location to be sent back to Ecoffee to recycle.
I’m a February admit or I will be abroad in the fall, will I still get a cup?
- Students returning from abroad in J Term or Spring should check their mailboxes for a cup, everyone should have one by the first Wednesday of the term.
What is the Ecoffee cup made out of?
- According to the manufacturer, Ecoffee cups are made with natural fibre, corn starch and resin. It’s BPA, BPS and phthalate free. The lid and sleeve are made with matte, food-grade silicone which is latex-free and designed especially for hot liquids. It has a re-sealable ‘no-drip’ lid, making it perfect to take with you everywhere you go. The whole product (cup, lid and sleeve) is dishwasher safe and should last for years if treated nicely. (from https://ecoffeecup.eco/about-us/ )
I didn’t receive a mug, what should I do?
- If you are a first year or sophomore (feb), check in with your FYC/RA about your cup, your commons should have one for you.
- If there was no cup in your mailbox, contact Environmental Affairs Committee Directors Emma Clinton (eclinton@middlebury.edu) and Raechel Zeller (rrzeller@middlebury.edu)
I have an opinion/feedback about this program that I would like to share.
- We want to know your thoughts! If you have any questions/comments, head over to go/cupfeedback