In collaboration with the Office of Sustainability and as part of UB’s Climate Action Plan, Campus Dining & Shops has switched to new compostable cups with drink-thru lids at all its retail dining locations serving fountain beverages.

The cups, purchased through Coca-Cola, feature a distinctive new design and sturdier construction. The Coca-Cola ecotainer® compostable paper cup uses a plant-based Ingeo™ lining and paper from responsibly managed forests.

This expands an existing inventory of compostable products that includes napkins and to-go containers campuswide, and utensils at One World Café. One World Café also is outfitted with Organics receptacles for disposal of all compostable materials. These products, along with food waste, are picked up by Natural Upcycling, which converts organic waste into a renewable resource through its anaerobic digestion process.

“We are always looking for opportunities to move the needle,” says Eric Blackledge, executive director of Campus Dining & Shops. We have a chance to make a real impact, in both our waste diversion and composting education here on campus, of course with help from students, staff and visitors.”