Despite some improvements, University attempts to “go green” are not consistent.

For the past couple of years, students have been working very hard to increase environmental awareness at campus eateries. This fall, unlike any other semester, there is a visible change in the way our food is served. No longer are we forced to take our Styrofoam take-out containers to the tables in the back dining room. Reusable plates and cutlery are now the norm and take-out containers are biodegradable-definitely a step in the right direction.

For all the improvements Lackmann appears to have made, try eating anywhere on campus besides the Student Center and the environmentally-friendly changes are barely noticeable. Every day at Bits and Bytes, students eat their country chicken sandwiches, made-to-order salads and pizza slices from plastic throw-away containers. There is no reusable cutlery and even the to-stay option involves plastic ware that is neither biodegradable nor recyclable.

If the bowls in the Student Center Café can be replaced with earth-friendly alternatives, why can’t we have the same in Bits and Bytes, the Hofstra Deli or Kate and Willy’s? It is helpful that wraps and fries come in plastic baskets for those who are sitting in at the only eatery on the residential side of campus. But since so many use it for a quick run in between weekend shows or homework sessions, Kate and Willy’s would benefit from incorporating the cardboard boxes into their take-out regime.

We are certainly pleased at the steps the University has taken. No longer is Styrofoam used throughout campus, polluting our trash cans and landfills with its non-decomposable evil. The Styrofoam has been replaced with compostable cardboard. The plastic bowls and boxes we used to throw away after teriyaki bowls and pasta from the Organic Grille are now paper boxes-much healthier for the environment. We only wish that the efforts were campus-wide. If we’re going to set an example, let’s make it consistent.