ENVIRON/RCIDIV 391: Sustainability and the Campus Fall 2012

Samantha Fischer

Aaron Handley Maria Kim Jason Liu

Emily McMahan

Go Blue Box Changing how the University of

Michigan does Takeout

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Table of Contents 1. Executive Summary........................................................................................................ 3 2. Background...................................................................................................................... 4

2.1 Introduction...................................................................................................... 4 2.2 The Go Blue Box Team and Stakeholders......................................................... 4

i. Erb MBA/MS Team.............................................................................. 4 ii. Environment 391 Team....................................................................... 4

iii. Program Assistants.............................................................................. 5 iv. University Club Team........................................................................... 5

2.3 Go Blue Box Process.......................................................................................... 5 3. Goals.................................................................................................................................. 6 4. Methodology.................................................................................................................... 6

4.1 Pre-Pilot............................................................................................................ 6 i. Marketing............................................................................................ 6

ii. Operations........................................................................................... 6 4.2 Pilot................................................................................................................... 7

i. Marketing............................................................................................ 7 ii. Operations........................................................................................... 7

iii. Customer Feedback............................................................................. 7 iv. Expansion............................................................................................ 7

5. Findings............................................................................................................................. 8 5.1 Participation...................................................................................................... 8 5.2 Usage of Container Types................................................................................. 9 5.3 Customer Feedback.......................................................................................... 9 5.4 Life Cycle Analysis………………………………………………………………………………………. 10

6. Recommendations......................................................................................................... 11 6.1 Making Go Blue Box self-sustaining financially and operationally ……........... 11

i. Improving the process to track customers........................................ 11 ii. Financial support and customer incentives....................................... 11

a. Incentivizing the Go Blue Box program................................... 11 b. Integrating the program into the University Dining

Halls and Unions...................................................................... 12 6.2 Increasing marketing presence targeting students on campus ………............. 13

i. Improving marketing of Go Blue Box................................................ 13 ii. Developing a way to gather customer feedback............................... 14

6.3 Expanding the program to other University of Michigan locations................ 14 i. The Glass House Café........................................................................ 14

ii. Michigan League Beanster’s.............................................................. 15 iii. The Commons Café........................................................................... 15 iv. Recommendation for expansion……………………………………………..……. 16

7. Conclusion……………....……...……………………………………………............................................. 16 8. Appendix......................................................................................................................... 17 9. Endnotes......................................................................................................................... 33

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1. Executive Summary

The University of Michigan has committed to reduce waste by 40% from the 2006 levels by 2025. To assist in this goal, Erb Institute MBA/MS students and Environment 391 students began the Go Blue Box program through the help of the Planet Blue Student Innovation Fund (PBSIF). The program goal was to provide students, staff, and faculty at the University of Michigan with a reusable alternative to disposable takeout containers, ultimately reducing waste while further initiating a behavior change towards sustainability on campus.

The University Club was chosen as a pilot location due to an existing takeout infrastructure that, on average, consists of 50% of the 120 daily transactions. The Environment 391 team cooperated with Union managers to develop effective marketing strategies through advertisements, social networking, Union website postings, and press releases to the Ann Arbor media. Furthermore, the team co-developed operational details that allowed the pilot to align with the current dining, washing, and checkout systems in place at the University Club.

Since launch on November 5, 2012, the team tracked Go Blue Box use and customer satisfaction. Five weeks following the launch, the team found over 200 people registered for the program. With over 700 transactions, the Go Blue Box diverted over 700 disposable containers from the landfill. Due to success of the program since launch, the University Club suspended purchases of Styrofoam and plastic containers, leaving only the Go Blue Box and compostable containers. Likewise, after conducting personal interviews amongst customers, the team found feedback to be very positive with hopes of increased presence on campus in the future.

In order to ensure the future success of the Go Blue Box program, the Environment 391 team devised three main recommendations for its continuation:

• Make Go Blue Box self-sustaining financially and operationally • Increase marketing presence targeting students on campus • Expand the program to other University of Michigan locations To this point, the program has been extremely successful at the University Club.

However, endorsement of the Go Blue Box program by higher administration would not only increase use of the program and promote a culture of sustainability, but will also move the University of Michigan towards waste reduction in alignment with President Coleman’s sustainability goals.

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2. Background 2.1 Introduction

The University of Michigan aims to decrease waste by 40% of the 2006 levels by 2025 as stated in the Campus Sustainability Goals. To address this issue, there are several initiatives on campus promoting recycling and composting such as the Student Move-Out program, zero-waste sporting events, the Michigan League composting pilot program, and promotion of recycling and composting in University buildings. Reducing waste production requires cooperative step-by-step efforts and innovative methods to ensure a smooth, natural transition to a sustainable campus.

As a part of this transition, Erb Institute students Rich Grousset, Raphael Meyer, and David Yang applied for and were awarded a Planet Blue Student Innovation Fund (PBSIF) grant in January of 2012. The grant was used to pilot a reusable takeout container program within the Michigan Union’s University Club, called “Go Blue Box”. The Go Blue Box program offers both soup and clamshell takeout containers for use at the University Club. The team decided that this restaurant was an excellent first partner, as their clientele are roughly half takeout customers. Furthermore, the basic infrastructure of this lunch-only restaurant allows for effective marketing, in addition to easy management and tracking of containers.

Prior to the Go Blue Box, a reusable takeout container program had not been attempted at the University of Michigan. Across the country, Universities who found themselves in similar situations have already made the switch to a reusable container system. According to a study by Eckerd College, approximately 200 schools have initiated a reusable container program since September 2009 i . This includes comparable institutions such as Duke University, Brown University, the University of Texas, and the University of Vermont. Life cycle analyses show these programs minimize the environmental footprints of their respective campuses, while also decreasing costs for participating establishments. Likewise, these programs provide a platform for environmental education for students, staff, and faculty, thus facilitating the behavioral shift towards sustainability.

Nearly all University of Michigan food vendors and restaurants use disposable containers, which largely contributes to the 10,000 tons of waste produced annually. Many of the University vendors use Styrofoam containers, which take hundreds of years to degrade. Therefore, a full scale implementation of the Go Blue Box program would greatly reduce waste.

2.2 The Go Blue Box Team and Stakeholders

i. Erb MBA/MS Team: The founders and project sponsors for Go Blue Box are Erb Institute MBA/MS

students Rich Grousset, David Yang and Raphael Meyer. Rich is the project manager, David is the primary contact for marketing, and Raphael manages operations.

ii. Environment 391 team:

The Environment 391 team is made of a diverse group of students, motivated to increase sustainability on the University of Michigan Campus. Aaron Handley is the

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Project Manager, Samantha Fischer is the Lead Collaborator, Emily McMahan is the Student Project Sponsor and Support Liaison, Jason Liu is the Lead Research Analyst/Writer, and Maria Kim is the Lead Presenter. To better improve group efficiency and performance, sub-groups were created to manage marketing and operations projects.

iii. Program Assistants:

In order to ensure the program runs smoothly, the team saw a need for a Program Assistant (PA). The current PAs are Rohit Narayan and DJ Mason. Their responsibilities include the distribution, tracking, and customer interaction for the Go Blue Box program.

iv. University Club team:

The University Club was an essential part of the Go Blue Box pilot. This establishment is managed by Michelle Dedo. Michelle assisted in co-designing the pilot into their current system, and currently oversees the work of the Program Assistants. Laura Seagram, the Michigan Unions Marketing Specialist, provided valuable input by co-designing effective table tent advertisements, website content, information sheets, and signage with members of the Go Blue Box team.

2.3 Go Blue Box Process

1. The customer enters the Michigan Union and is prompted to participate in the pilot program by a Go Blue Box sign.

2. At the front of the University Club, the Program Assistant (PA) advertises the program and displays the containers.

3. For first time customers, the PA records the their email, name, and affiliation with the University of Michigan. Furthermore, the customer agrees to the terms and conditions of the Go Blue Box contract.

4. The customer is given a Go Blue Box to fill with a delicious meal. 5. After filling the Go Blue Box with food, the customer makes their way to the cashier

to pay for their lunch. This is in addition to a five dollar deposit for a clamshell or a three dollar deposit for a soup container to participate.

6. To return the used container, the customer can bring back the Go Blue Box to the receptacle outside the University Club during normal hours of operation (11am to 2pm). After hours, Go Blue Boxes can be returned to the CIC (Campus Information Center) desk.

7. When the customer returns the Go Blue Box, the Program Assistant or CIC clerk issues a Go Blue Box card for their next takeout meal at the University Club or a clean container.

8. Each use of a Go Blue Box enters the customer into a weekly drawing to receive five dollars off their next meal.

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3. Goals The overarching goal of the Go Blue Box program was to create a program that would

provide students, staff, and faculty at the University of Michigan with a reusable, environmentally friendly, and sustainable takeout container option on campus. The following goals were used to guide the Go Blue Box team:

1. Devise a marketing plan to spark interest in the Go Blue Box program 2. Create incentives for using the Go Blue Box instead of disposable takeout

containers 3. Consult with University Club management to integrate the Go Blue Box into the

current system 4. Develop an effective tracking system to manage Go Blue Box transactions 5. Build a survey to collect feedback from Go Blue Box users 6. Observe the Go Blue Box program and design a strategy for further expansion

4. Methodology During the implementation of the Go Blue Box program, the team focused on four main

topics: marketing, operations, customer feedback and expansion of the program. 4.1 Pre-Pilot

During the pre-pilot stage, the team formulated a marketing and operations plan for the Go Blue Box program. These plans engaged the manager of the University Club and the Marketing Specialist, both of whom helped advertise and launch the Go Blue Box pilot.

i. Marketing: The marketing materials developed by the Go Blue Box team targeted existing

University Club takeout patrons, informing them of the program. A majority of the Go Blue Box marketing materials focused on educating consumers on environmental benefits associated with using the Go Blue Box. The printed material was placed at the door and inside the University Club in the form of an easel, table tents, and flyers (see Figure 1, 2, and 3 in Appendix). Digital and social media marketing, Facebook page and the Go Blue Box website (see Figure 4 and 5 in Appendix), were focused on creating brand awareness by promoting the Go Blue Box to the student body.

ii. Operations:

In order to successfully implement the Go Blue Box program, several documents were needed to establish overall pilot goals, operating procedures, and agreements. In order to satisfy these needs, the team formulated a customer contract (see Figure 6 in Appendix), an operations document (see Figure 7 in Appendix), and tracking metrics.

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The operations document details the customer scenarios for the pilot program, University Club operations procedures, and Program Assistant responsibilities.

The operations document outlines the process at the University Club, and serves as a training document for Program Assistants. Supporting documents were also developed to facilitate customer sign up and inventory tracking (see Figure 8 in Appendix). The online documents enabled the Go Blue Box team to analyze the customer database and address issues as they arose. The contract was developed as a separate document and displayed at the Program Assistant table to communicate policies and expectations.

4.2 Pilot

i. Marketing: Initial marketing materials raised awareness and promoted the program in the

Union. The Go Blue Box team managed continuous posting on the Facebook page announcing the winner of the weekly Go Blue Box drawing, launch dates, and special waste facts. The Go Blue Box team submitted a press release shortly after the launch to the University Record and pursued other publications for press coverage such as the Michigan Daily and AnnArbor.com.

ii. Operations:

The operations team met with Program Assistants and Michelle, the manager of the University Club, each Friday for weekly updates and troubleshooting. In addition, the tracking system developed was analyzed weekly to understand the progress of the pilot and key areas for improvement.

iii. Customer Feedback:

Our Program Assistants were our primary resource for gathering customer feedback. Each time they received a comment or complaint they documented them in a supporting document developed by the Go Blue Box team. In addition, the Go Blue Box team conducted interviews on University Club customers, asking specific questions on their experience and thanking them for participating. This produced valuable and personal customer data to be used in the future of the program.

iv. Expansion:

The most critical goal the Go Blue Box team had for the pilot program was analyzing its effectiveness and where else this program would be suitable on campus. In order to achieve this goal, the Go Blue Box team identified three potential locations for the program to expand and a list of questions for the potential partners. Questions for Potential New Locations: ● Have you heard about the Go Blue Box program? ● Do you have take out options? How are these options currently packaged? ● How many customers are taking out their meals on a daily basis?

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● What would be some challenges in implementing this kind of container program? ● What would have to change in order for it to be successful? ● How could we help you implement this program?

5. Findings 5.1 Participation

There are approximately 120 transactions at the University Club each day, and about half of these account for takeout. As of December 7th, 2012, (the fifth week since the pilot launch), 217 customers have signed up for the Go Blue Box program. Of the participating customers, most are staff and faculty with 147 participating individuals, while the remaining 70 are University of Michigan students. In addition, roughly 30 transactions were recorded each day since launch (see Figure 9 in Appendix). The number of new staff, faculty, and students participating each day remained fairly constant over the early part of the pilot period. Faculty and staff consistently made up a larger portion of the customers.

However, customer participation increased dramatically on November 30th when the team hosted a “Go Blue Box Mob” as a mass publicity event. “Mobs” entail extreme advertising to potential customers, urging participation on one specific day. This was intended to spark awareness of the program on campus. As a result of the mob, the number of new customers was 500% higher among students than staff and faculty on that day. Although the event increased awareness of the program, the transaction record of the following week showed a return to the previous transaction rates. This may be explained by the fact that in general, students are not as frequent customers at the University Club.

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The manager of the University Club hypothesized that the overall decline in new customers since the launch is a result of participants reaching a limit in the total number of takeout customers. Finding a way to increase the frequency of customer visits would benefit the program.

Although this program has only been running for five weeks, it is making a significant difference in waste generation. If each transaction is considered to be equivalent to the use of one disposable container, 710 containers have been diverted from waste landfills. At this rate, in a school year of 30 weeks, 4,260 containers can be diverted from landfills from the University Club alone (see Figure 10 of Appendix). 5.2 Usage of Container Types

Most of the customers use clamshells. The majority of customers who purchase soup

are continuing to use the disposable soup containers. The team was unable to find the percentage of regular soup customers who use the reusable containers in place of the waxed paper containers. Due to the lack of interest amongst University Club customers, the Go Blue Box team has considered relocating a portion of the soup containers to another more suitable location. 5.3 Customer Feedback

The Go Blue Box program has seen huge success in the short time it has been active at

the University Club. Customers are excited to be a part of reducing waste on campus and have shared with others their satisfaction with the program. Interviews have shown that customers consider their participation as a point of personal pride, and they are willing to provide constructive feedback. Committed patrons of the program will be an integral part to the future success of Go Blue Box on campus. Asking for the University’s support in this program will require the communication of customer satisfaction and success stories.

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Due to the overwhelming positive response from customers about the Go Blue Box program, the manager of the University Club, Michelle, has decided to eliminate the option of Styrofoam takeout containers. She has volunteered to continue the pilot after its completion and will only be offering compostable containers and Go Blue Boxes for takeout customers.

The process and return policy has been the main concerns of customers. The process requires customers to sign in and out every time they obtain and return their Go Blue Box. Due to this inconvenience, some customers have expressed frustrations with the process and a few have withdrawn from the program. Initially the containers could only be returned during the hours of operation of the University Club, 11 am to 2 pm. Complaints from customers were received, and as a result, a return box was placed at the Campus Information Center (CIC) to allow for returns after hours. 5.4 Life Cycle Analysis

G.E.T. Enterprises is the producer of the Go Blue Box known formally as the Eco-Takeout

container. These containers can be used approximately 360 times and are much more sustainable than the leading disposable polystyrene (Styrofoam) container. According to life cycle analysis, it would take 24 Eco-Takeout containers to emit the equivalent amount of greenhouse emissions within a single polystyrene unit. Consequently, over the 360-use lifespan of the product there is a significantly less greenhouse emissions from the Go Blue Box than 360 Styrofoam containersii.

To wash their dishes University Club uses a Hobart dishwasher with Opti-Rinse technology. This system uses advanced rinse spray nozzles which ultimately use 57 percent less water and energy than the standard nozzles. According to analysis by Hobart, a washing machine running on Opti-Rinse technology for 10 hours a day, 70 percent of the time will save around $6,400 annually and anywhere from 0.64 - 1.49 gallons of water per rackiii. Furthermore, to wash dishes, the University Club uses Sunburst Chemicals. This company prides itself through their DfE recognition, stating their commitment to environmental sustainability throughout their business practices as a solid detergent companyiv.

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Based on this knowledge the Go Blue Box Team has compiled throughout the semester, the team finds it is safe to make the informed assumption that the Go Blue Box hold environmental and fiscal benefits for the University Club. The environmental benefits arise from the decreased use of disposable containers, the low emissions of greenhouse gasses associated with the Go Blue Box, and the behavior change toward sustainability by customers by choosing to re-use materials. Furthermore, the team believes environmental and fiscal costs of washing the Go Blue Boxes will be cancelled by the Opti-Rinse technology and funded through the decreased amount of disposable containers that will be purchased by the University Club.

6. Recommendations 6.1 Making Go Blue Box self-sustaining financially and operationally

i. Improving the process to track customers In order to continue this project at the University Club in a sustainable manner

the tracking methods currently carried out by the Program Assistants will need to be streamlined. In addition, while the nature of this pilot required Program Assistants, the continuation will need to have a more integrated solution for implementation and operations. Program Assistants will need to be phased out after the pilot period and staff will need to be educated salespersons of the Go Blue Box. Ideally, a transition to tracking through a MCard swipe will occur. This would be feasible, as most of the customers were faculty, student, or staff of the University of Michigan.

The University of Michigan Treasurer’s Department offers rental of Personal Digital Assistants that can be used for MCard data collection. Unfortunately, for the frequency of use the PDA rental is not an option as the Treasury Office has a limited number of the PDAs. The alternative, recommended option is to purchase a USB card reader in order to gather the data off the MCard. The information received from the MCard (the University of Michigan identification number) can be linked in an Excel program to pull the customers’ name and information. Each time the card is swiped, the customer can be checked in. Programing for the registers would most likely be needed, and while this option is more costly, it would be more advantageous for the program’s future than to employ Program Assistants for each participating location.

ii. Financial support and customer incentives

Although the pilot program would not have been possible without the Plant Blue Student Innovation Fund grant, sustaining the program will require an alternative financial model to be adopted. This program should be structured so consumers see a value in participating and eateries have an incentive to support the program. The following portions outline two alternative options for the financial structure:

a. Incentivizing the Go Blue Box program

Creating a program that would allow for a small discount off each meal purchased with a Go Blue Box not only encourages sustainable practice, but provides an incentive for continued use. A ten-cent discount would be enough to

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make customers more likely to return. After just fifty uses, a Go Blue Box member will earn back the cost of their deposit. For daily customers it would provide a quick payoff for the program and even occasional customers would be incentivized to be active participants of the program. The University of Vermont has had much success with their incentive program and has educated their students about the environmental savings. The University of Vermont operates an incentive program similar to the proposed program described above for its reusable takeout container program. For the University of Michigan, the percentage of takeout meals on campus is very high relative to other schools, so payback would be quick and savings would kick in each time of usage. The implementation of these incentives would boost participation in the Go Blue Box program and reward those establishments that participate by increasing sales.

b. Integrating the program into the University dining halls and Unions

Many universities who have implemented programs like Go Blue Box have done so through their university dining halls by providing every student on a meal plan with a reusable takeout container. This system has been very effective at Brown University, a leader in this initiative. Having a program such as this in University of Michigan dining halls would not only educate students about sustainability, but encourage them to eat at locations which are also part of the Go Blue Box program. The Go Blue Box program could advocate for participating locations to absorb operating costs, if the reduction of using the Go Blue Boxes is enough to offset the costs.

The implementation of the Go Blue Box program in all University of Michigan dining halls would require full University support and coordination. Because of the current health codes and operations of the dining halls, adding the Go Blue Box program would require a complete reconstruction of the dining systems on campus. The program could be incorporated into the dining hall budget or subsidized by meal plan costs. Either approach would require lots of student interest. A student advisory board would be an effective addition to a dining hall sustainability team that could oversee and plan the program in each dining hall. In addition, a point person at the Office of Campus Sustainability would need to be responsible for acquiring support from all the necessary stakeholders. Providing takeout options would also encourage students to use their dining meals more often and provide more sustainable food options than off-campus eateries.

6.2 Increasing marketing presence targeting students on campus

i. Improving marketing of Go Blue Box In order to help grow the Go Blue Box program, raising awareness around

campus expanding the program's target market is recommended. Although the University Club has a strong staff customer base that uses Go Blue Box, the lack of student participation is disappointing. There is a low participation of students in the program because the University Club is not well-advertised. The Go Blue Box program

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must expand on-campus advertising in order to reach a larger student population. With the existing marketing materials completed and released, a solid marketing platform has been created to support increased marketing elsewhere on campus. There are many marketing options available through the Student Organization Resource Center (SORC). The SORC offers Diag boards, Michigan Union banners, Diag banners, bus signs, and glass showcases.

a. Diag boards (Weekly reservations, Minimum: one week, Maximum: one

semester) Diag boards are plywood advertisement boards in over 60 different

locations on campus. Despite their name, they are not limited to the Diag. Locations range from the Diag and the Arch to the Hill Area and North Campus. (See Figure 11 for pricing)

b. Diag banners (Weekly reservations, Minimum: one week, Maximum: 6 weeks in one semester)

There are 10 sets of banner poles on the Diag, which are available on a week-to-week basis. Student organizations and university departments can rent Diag Banner Poles to advertise for their events. (See Figure 11 for pricing)

c. Michigan Union banner (Maximum reservations for one week of each semester)

An estimated 10,000 students, staff, faculty, and community members enter the Michigan Union every single day for lunch, dinner, meetings, or studying. Now you can advertise for your Michigan Union event on a large banner space in front of this popular campus building. (See Figure 11 for pricing)

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d. Bus signs (Weekly reservations, Minimum: one week, Maximum: one semester)

Bus signs are a remarkably effective way to convey your message to the ever-growing number of campus commuters, including students, faculty and staff. (See Figure 11 for pricing)

e. Glass showcases (Per day rentals) The SORC offers 8 glass showcases to student organizations and

departments for exclusive use. Organizations may rent glass showcases in multiple central and north campus locations. (See Figure 11 for pricing) Locations: Michigan Union North, Michigan Union Central, Michigan Union South, Dennison, Modern Languages Building, School of Music, Pierpont Commons, School of Education

These are all viable options the Go Blue Box can use to create awareness on the

University of Michigan campus. These advertisements are affordable and have the ability to touch many potential customers. Many of these advertising options also offer summer discounts (see Figure 12), which the Go Blue Box program can take advantage of to target incoming freshmen students that attend summer orientation. Creating and posting effective advertisements throughout campus is vital to create a successful Go Blue Box program.

ii. Developing a Way to Gather Customer Feedback

It is important that there is a way for customers to offer feedback about the Go Blue Box program. Currently there is no established feedback program. One way to offer customers the chance to provide feedback is the use of comment cards. The major drawback to providing actual cards the customers can fill out is that they produce unnecessary waste. Cards could be laminated and reused for multiple suggestions. Online options for feedback include a specific email address created only to receive customer input, such as feedback.gobluebox@umich.edu.

One of the downsides to this approach is lack of anonymity - if they were sent through email, a customer may be less inclined to provide honest feedback. Another possibility is the creation of a Google Form, which customers could provide feedback through on the Go Blue Box webpage or Facebook page.

6.3 Expand the program to other University of Michigan locations

i. The Glass House Cafe The Glass House Cafe is located in the Palmer Commons building on Central

campus. They offer dining services and takeout options at the Cafe in addition to catering services. Hours for takeout are Monday - Thursday: 7:00 am - 8:00 pm and Friday: 7:00 am - 6:00 pm. Their primary customers are faculty, staff, and students of the Life Sciences Institute and Medical School. Even before going to speak with the

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manager at the Glass House Cafe, the restaurant showed an active commitment to the environment - they recycle and compost, as well as purchase food from local vendors. At the meeting with the manager, the team explained the concept of the Go Blue Box program and she seemed excited to learn more. Unfortunately, the Glass House Cafe has no interest in being a part of this program - they would like to use the knowledge that the team has gained to implement their own reusable takeout container program. It was later discovered as well that the Glass House Cafe is not a part of the University Unions organization - they are an outside vendor that has signed a contract with Palmer Commons, but are not affiliated in any other way with the University of Michigan. The containers must be washed at the restaurant location they will be taken from, which in the case of the University Club, is paid for by the University. The Glass House Cafe would need to financially support the program through their own budget. Because of these constraints, the Go Blue Box would not be feasible at this time.

ii. Michigan League Beanster’s

Beanster’s has two locations on campus: one on North Campus (in Pierpont Commons) and one on Central Campus (in the Michigan League). Their menu is comprised of soup, sandwich, and salad options that are both pre-made and made to order. Many of the customers at the League location are students, and their most frequent customers are dental school students and University Health Service staff. At a meeting with the team, Kelly O’Mara, League Beanster’s manager, expressed interest in the program. Kelly’s initial response was that the nature of their food was not conducive to the clamshells currently used by the Go Blue Box program. Most of their dishes are smaller, and are not priced by weight. Furthermore, salads and some sandwiches are generally pre-made in the morning, so the addition of the clamshells may not work within their current system. However, Kelly feels that frequency of their soup customers would justify the use of a reusable soup container program. Keith Soster is responsible for the coordination of the Unions restaurants and still needs to be contacted in order to implement such a program, but Kelly and the team, look forward to working together in the future. As soup containers have not been as successful at the University Club as originally planned, the implementation of a soup container program at Beanster’s would be a fairly simple transition.

iii. The Commons Cafe

The Commons Cafe is a lesser-known restaurant on North Campus, located inside Pierpont Commons. Of the three locations chosen for this project, the Commons Cafe is set up the most similarly to the University Club. The team focused on this restaurant to create a platform for a reusable takeout system - customers could use and return their Go Blue Box at either location. The University Club is a centrally located restaurant on Central campus and the Commons Cafe is a centrally located restaurant on North Campus. By making it convenient for customers to reuse their Go Blue Boxes across the campus, the team believes that there would be a significant decrease in the number of disposable containers used overall. The Commons Cafe offers a full salad bar, several hot entree options, and a “grab and go” refrigerated area, with pre-made sandwiches and salads. In addition to these every

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day options, they bring in an outside vendor every day. These vendors are local restaurants that bring a few of their best-selling meals and sell them at a special price. The customers at the Commons Cafe are mainly engineering, architecture, and art students and professors. The team set up a meeting with manager Rebecca (Becky) MacLean to explain the program to her and hear her opinions on it. She voiced her concerns about the distribution of the Go Blue Box cards, and is interested in finding a better solution that will work at this location. Becky was not only interested in learning more about the program, but actually really wants to have Go Blue Box be a part of her restaurant as soon as Winter semester of 2013.

iv. Recommendation for Expansion Based on the meetings the team held with these three restaurant managers, the

team recommends that the Go Blue Box program expand to two new locations in the near future. The first is Beanster’s in the Michigan League. The entire program would not need to be implemented here though - the manager, Kelly, would be very interested in having the Go Blue Box reusable soup containers offered at her location, but has no need as of now for the clamshell containers. The manager of the Commons Cafe, Becky, would like both containers offered at her location. Furthermore, the team recommends that the Go Blue Box program be made into a reusable takeout container system - so that customers could pick up, use, and drop off their containers at a convenient location on either Central or North campus. Both Kelly and Becky would be very receptive to implementing the Go Blue Box program at their locations as soon as the winter semester of 2013.

7. Conclusion Overall, Go Blue Box has the potential to become a very successful program at the

University of Michigan and will reduce massive amount of waste produced at dining facilities. If implemented correctly, this program will create a long term behavior shift in students, staff, and faculty to towards waste reduction and sustainability. There is room for improvement, yet with the recommendations put in place, the Go Blue Box program will have a larger impact on the entire Michigan campus, while advocating the environmental benefits of participating in a reusable takeout container program - the Go Blue Box program.

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8. Appendix

Figure 1: Easel

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Figure 2: Table tent

Figure 3: Flyers

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Figure 4: Facebook Page

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Figure 5: Go Blue Box Website

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Figure 6: Go Blue Box Customer Contract

Go Blue Box Pilot Program Participant Contract

Thank you for choosing to participate in the Go Blue Box pilot program! We are excited to present students, faculty, and staff with a new environmentally-friendly option when purchasing takeout from the University Club (U-Club). Please review this document carefully because it provides important information about how the pilot program works and the rules we expect you to follow as a participant. You must agree to the terms outlined in this letter in order to participate. How the Program Works You can pick up a clean Go Blue Box at the Program Administrator’s table across from the register at the entrance to the U-Club (located on the west side of the first floor of the Michigan Union). The Program Administrator will be present at all times during the pilot program to answer questions about the Go Blue Box program and to help you sign up and check you in each time you exchange your container. Please note that the pilot program will only be going on in the U-Club, and containers will only be available for pick-up and exchange during the U-Club’s regular business hours (weekdays from 11am to 2pm). Your deposit of $5 for a reusable clamshell or $3 for a reusable soup container will allow you to exchange your containers as long and as often as you’d like. If you do not need a container at the time of exchange, we will provide you with a Go Blue Box Card (herein, “Card”), which can be exchanged for a container or a refund. Whenever you want to eat or return your Go Blue Box container you will enter the U-Club and present your card or container to the Program Administrator. The Program Administrator will ask you to complete a simple form, direct you to our container drop-off receptacle, and reissue you a new, clean container. If you have a Card already, the Program Administrator will simply issue you a clean container. Please do not feel the need to thoroughly clean your container before bringing it back to the U-Club; instead, simply discard all the food inside of it before dropping it off at the registration table. There are several trash cans throughout the Michigan Union. More information about the return and exchange of these containers can be found at the Go Blue Box registration table. Thank you for participating in the Go Blue Box pilot program! Feedback The most important part of the program is your feedback! With your help, the Go Blue Box team will soon be ready to expand this program elsewhere on campus. We encourage you to email or

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talk to us directly with questions or comments. In addition to any feedback you give us directly or via email, we may periodically send you surveys. By joining the program and signing this contract, you are also promising to respond to these short surveys in a timely manner. lf you have any questions or comments, please email us at gobluebox@umich.edu. Participation Guidelines Things you should do!

● Fill your Go Blue Box with your favorite buffet and salad bar items from the U-Club ● Bring back your used Go Blue Box to the U-Club to exchange it for a clean one ● Discard leftover food from your container into the trash before returning it to the U-Club ● Always check in at the Program Administrator's table before returning or exchanging

your container ● Take care of the Go Blue Box while it’s in your position so that it remains in good

condition -- remember that many other people will use the container after you return it! Things you should not do!

● Do not try to return your Go Blue Box anywhere other than the U-Club ● Do not bring your Go Blue Box container to another food service locations and ask them

to serve you food in it – you will be turned down since this violates current state and local health regulations

● Do not carry liquids in the clamshell container – the containers are durable and sturdy, but not leak proof!

● Do not return your Go Blue Box with food remaining inside of it – please empty it out! ● Do not rinse your Go Blue Box container in bathroom sinks or any other sinks not meant

to handle food waste ● Do not let food get moldy before returning your Go Blue Box – we don’t want to deal with

anything too nasty! ● Do not put stickers or write on your Go Blue Box – we don’t know how those will react in

a microwave or dishwasher. Failure to follow this rule will result in a lost deposit. Other things to look out for

● The Go Blue Box program is not responsible for theft or loss of containers or Cards. Once an item leaves the U-Club, it is your responsibility to take care of it until it returns

● The Go Blue Box program will take responsibility for any product defects. If your container breaks or becomes unusable, bring it back to us and we’ll give you a new one!

● Deposit payments can be made with cash or credit card; refunds will be made in cash ● Pictures of you at the U-Club, using Go Blue Box, may appear in our marketing material!

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Figure 7: Go Blue Box Operations Document

Go Blue Box Pilot Program

Operational Details Purpose: This document is intended to be used a complete list of operational details for the Go Blue Box program as discussed with representatives from the U-Club.

Contents Go Blue Box Scenarios ......................................................................................................................................................... 24 University Club ....................................................................................................................................................................... 25

Cleaning and Quality Control ....................................................................................................................................... 25 Project Administrator (PA) ............................................................................................................................................... 26

PA: Daily Tasks .................................................................................................................................................................. 26 PA: Information Tracking .............................................................................................................................................. 27

Membership Registration .................................................................................................................................................. 27 Troubleshooting ..................................................................................................................................................................... 27 Incentives Program ............................................................................................................................................................... 28 Payment Procedures ............................................................................................................................................................ 28

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Go Blue Box Scenarios SCENARIO #1: Customer comes in and has no container or token, and is not registered for the program

1. Customer goes to Go Blue Box registration table 2. Customer reads contract, signs up for the program, and pledges to abide by the rules by

signing his/her name on the sign-up sheet 3. Customer picks up clean container 4. Customer gets food 5. Customer goes to check out at the cash register 6. Cashier sees container, asks, "do you have a Go Blue Box Card"? 7. Customer says "no" 8. Cashier charges customer for food and for container (requires programming a "button" on

register screen) SCENARIO #2: Customer comes in with dirty container and wants a new one immediately

1. PA watches customer deposit dirty container in dirty container receptacle 2. Customer signs in by recording transaction 3. Customer picks up clean container 4. PA hands customer a Go Blue Box Card 5. Customer gets food and goes to check out at the cash register 6. Cashier sees container, asks, "do you have a Go Blue Box Card"? 7. Customer says "yes" 8. Cashier only charges customer for food but takes Card

SCENARIO #3: Customer comes in with dirty container, but does not want new one

1. PA watches customer deposit dirty container in dirty container receptacle 2. Customer signs in by recording transaction 3. PA hands customer a Go Blue Box Card 4. OPTION 1: Customer takes Go Blue Box Card to register and turns it in for refund 5. OPTION 2: Customer leaves with Go Blue Box Card and saves it for future use

SCENARIO #4: Customer comes in with Go Blue Box Card and wants either a new container or a refund

1. Customer shows Go Blue Box Card to PA 2. PA asks: "Are you using this for takeout today?" 3. IF YES: PA lets customer take a new container (does not take card), customer gets food and

gives card to cashier when checking out 4. IF NO: PA does not take card or give customer a new container; customer goes to the cash

register to ask for a cash refund SCENARIO #5: Customer comes in with a defective container

1. Customer approaches PA and tells him the container is defective 2. Customer logs defect on sign-in sheet

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3. PA watches customer deposit dirty container in dirty container receptacle 4. PA determines whether the damage should result in a replaced container or no refund at all 5. If replacement, Customer picks up clean container and PA hands customer a Go Blue Box

Card 6. If no replacement being given, customer starts over at scenario 1 7. Note: Give benefit of the doubt to customer for pilot

Scenario #6: Customer comes in and claims to have lost his/her container and/or card

1. PA records incident 2. PA gives customer container 3. Customer gets food and then follows steps 4-7 from scenario #1 4. Note: Customers are responsible for any loss of the container itself.

Scenario #7: Customer comes in with his/her own container that looks clean, and then goes straight back to the cafe thinking he/she can just fill it in him/herself

1. If available, PA tells the customer to stop and come check-in at the table 2. Otherwise, if the customer gets past without anyone noticing, the cashier asks the customer

to pay for the container, at which point the customer says that he/she brought it back and should not have to pay for a new one

3. Customer is directed to the Go Blue Box table 4. PA and customer discuss the situation, then PA gives customer a token to pay for the

container with Scenario #8: Customer comes in with a Soup Container that is missing something

1. PA asks what is wrong and records incident 2. PA watches customer deposit dirty container in dirty container receptacle 3. Customer picks up clean container and PA hands customer a Go Blue Box Card

University Club

Cleaning and Quality Control Kitchen

● Containers will be cleaned using the U-Club’s existing infrastructure, and dried appropriately.

● There will be a designated space for clean, stacked containers to be left when ready to be put back into circulation. This will likely be in a secure, locked location given the risk of theft and the constant circulation of foot traffic through the kitchen.

● In the short-term, the U-Club staff will find a space to keep the containers Quality Assurance and Defective Containers

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● For any used container deemed unfit for re-entry into the system, there will be a clear quality assurance and recycling process defined and followed. There are several different points at which we can determine this:

○ Kitchen (pre-cleaning) ○ Kitchen (post-cleaning) ○ PA (when setting up the table in the morning)

Dirty Container Receptacle

● There will be a receptacle near the registration/handout table in which existing customers will be asked to drop their dirty containers

● U-Club staff will prepare and line the receptacle every morning, and the PA will be expected to transport it out to the dining area

● There will be a process in place for U-Club staff to pick up the dirty containers and take them to the kitchen

○ Note: the PA should not handle these dirty containers under any circumstance ● Health code rules/regulations should be respected at all times ● Customers will be responsible for disposing of their containers and making sure they are

free of food

Project Administrator (PA) Registration Table The registration table will be located at the entrance to the U-Club, across from the cash register, and all container transactions will take place here. This table will be manned by the PA from 11:00 or 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM on weekdays. This will account for peak time (11:30-1:00 PM).

PA: Daily Tasks

1. Beginning of the day a. Find the registration table (which will be folded, behind the cash register) and bring

it out into place b. Check that receptacle container is lined and empty, and bring it out to the dining

area c. Complete beginning of day Container Counts (in google docs)

i. Record number of Go Blue Boxes (Clamshell and Soup) on hand ii. Record number of Go Blue Box Cards (Clamshell and Soup) on hand

iii. Record number of extra soup lids and handles on hand d. Stack clean containers and prepare all necessary material on the table:

i. 40 Go Blue Box - Clamshell on the far left ii. 30 Go Blue Box - Soup next to the right

iii. 30 Go Blue Box Soup Lids - In a U-Club box iv. 10 Go Blue Box Soup Handles - In a U-Club box v. Laminated Information sheet(s) (see Dropbox) - top right (Will NOT be

ready on day 1)

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vi. Laminated contract (see Dropbox) - top right vii. Sign-up sheet

viii. Sign-in sheet (will NOT be ready on day 1) ix. Go Blue Box Cards - bottom right x. Laptop for entering registration information (google form can be found

here) - bottom right 2. End of day activities

a. Complete End of Day container counts (to be entered into Google Doc here) i. Record number of Go Blue Boxes (Clamshell and Soup) on hand

ii. Record number of Go Blue Box Cards (Clamshell and Soup) on hand iii. Record number of extra soup lids and handles on hand

b. Transport remaining Go Blue Boxes to the storage room c. Record number of defects for the day (TBD) d. Ensure all registration is caught e. Write down all important/relevant customer feedback

PA: Information Tracking The customer or the PA will need to enter information into the Transaction Register every time someone makes a transaction:

1. When registering, customers will enter their full information and sign the pledge 2. When depositing or picking up a container or Go Blue Box Card, or when exchanging a Go

Blue Box for a refund, customers will enter their email address to allow us to track the transaction

The PA on duty will not have the ability receive or refund money (this needs to be communicated somehow)

Membership Registration Registration: Customers will be required to register when they sign up for the system. We will ask them to fill out a form with the following information:

● Name ● Email address ● Faculty, staff, student, other

Contract: Upon registering, the user will then have to sign a contract (which can be seen on Dropbox). In addition, each customer will be pointed to the web site upon registration for a GBB factsheet with guidelines, tips, and contact information.

Troubleshooting

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The following issues may arise:

1. People throwing containers into the trash rather than returning or recycling them: a. The PA should address this on an individual basis and remind customers of

the goal of the program. Any excessive issues should be communicated with the team

2. People leaving food in their containers when putting them in the receptacle a. The PA should ask the customer to empty their food in the trash before

returning, and note if this is a common problem 3. Soup containers breaking or losing parts

a. The PA should watch for staining/breakage issues b. The PA should note which containers seem unfit and pull them out as soon as

they are cleaned to show the team

Incentives Program Each customer will be entered into a drawing the first time they sign up for Go Blue Box and each each time they use the program by picking up and immediately using a new container. They will NOT be entered for simply returning the container.

Payment Procedures The first payment can be made with cash or credit card. For each use after, the customer will be given a token when picking up a new container, and they will exchange the token at the cash register as a proof of payment Customers will be required to pay for each type of container separately; there will be no special deal for registering two (regular and soup) at once. All deposit returns will be made in cash. One a customer is in the system, he/she will remain a registered user regardless of whether he/she currently has a container/token

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Figure 8: Transaction Register and Sign-up

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Figure 9:

Number of New Customers in Go Blue Box program

Date Total Staff/Faculty/ Other Student

11/5/12 25 23 2

11/6/12 20 19 1

11/7/12 14 11 3

11/8/12 15 8 7

11/9/12 7 6 1

11/12/12 7 7 0

11/13/12 4 4 0

11/14/12 5 3 2

11/15/12 6 6 0

11/16/12 4 4 0

11/19/12 12 11 1

11/20/12 4 4 0

11/21/12 4 3 1

11/26/12 5 4 1

11/27/12 2 2 0

11/28/12 7 6 1

11/29/12 10 7 3

11/30/12 49 6 43

12/3/12 2 1 1

12/4/12 4 4 0

12/5/12 7 6 1

12/6/12 0 0 0

12/7/12 4 2 2

Total number of Customers in Go Box

Program: 217 147 70

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Figure 10:

Number of Go Blue Box transactions for clean clamshells

Date Total

11/5/12 25

11/6/12 28

11/7/12 30

11/8/12 23

11/9/12 24

11/12/12 22

11/13/12 26

11/14/12 28

11/15/12 24

11/16/12 25

11/19/12 27

11/20/12 28

11/21/12 16

11/26/12 35

11/27/12 30

11/28/12 34

11/29/12 41

11/30/12 80

12/3/12 38

12/4/12 34

12/5/12 27

12/6/12 33

12/7/12 32

Total number of GBB Transactions: 710

Average number of GBB Transactions per day: 30.86956522

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Figure 11: SORC Advertisement Pricing

Diag Board Pricing (weekly rates): Premiere locations (Student organizations: $15, Departments: $19) Standard locations ($13, $17) Discount locations ($11, $15) Economy locations ($9, $13) Placement fee ($9, $12) - one time fee Movement fee ($6, $9) - one time fee

Diag Banner Pricing (weekly rates): All locations (Student organizations: $20, Departments: $40) Placement fee ($9, $12) - one time fee Movement fee ($6, $9) - one time fee Blank Union banners can be purchased at SORC for $102.00, or at the printer or copy center of your choice ($300 and up).

Michigan Union Banner Pricing (one week): Single location only (Student organizations: $30, Departments: $60) Placement fee ($9, $12) - one time fee

Bus Signs Pricing (weekly rates): First week (per linear inch) (Student organizations: $1.70, Departments: $2.50) Additional weeks (per linear inch) ($1.20, $1.80) 8.5 x 11" bus signs ($17.00, $17.00) 11 x 11" bus signs ($18.00, $18.00) 14 x 11" bus signs ($19.00, $19.00) 17 x 11" bus signs ($20.00, $20.00)

Glass Showcase Pricing: $2 per day for student organizations and $4 per day for departments.

Figure 12: SORC Advertisement Summer Discounts Many discounts are also offered for long term usage of these advertisements methods: Bus signs: 6 weeks or more (25%, the same set of signs must stay up continuously) Glass Showcases: 6 weeks or more (25%, must be the same location continuously) Bus signs: 12 weeks or more (50%, the same set of signs must stay up continuously) Glass Showcases: 12 weeks or more (50%, must be the same location continuously) Summer Discount (Substantial discounts are given from early May through mid-August. Restrictions apply.) Diag Board Space Rental - FREE Diag Banner Space Rental - 50% off Bus Sign Space Rental - 50% off Digital ad Space Rental - 50% off Glass Showcase Space Rental - 50% off

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9. Endnotes i. Ormsby, Alison. Beyond Disposables: Eco-Clamshell Reusable To-go Program. Rep.

Alexandria: n.p., 2009. Print. ii. G.E.T. Enterprise, LLC. (2011). Eco-Takeouts. In Go Green with G.E.T.'s Eco-Friendly Products!

(Vol. 2). Retrieved December 11, 2012, from http://67.99.204.233/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&C

iii. FCSI Selects Hobart Opti-Rinse™ System as Top 10 Innovative Product of 2005 (n.d.). In Hobart Corporation . Retrieved December 11, 2012, from http://www.hobartcorp.com/HobartCorpNewsArticle.aspx?id=803

iv. Green Programs (n.d.). In Sunburst Chemicals: Cleaning solutions for the health of your business. Retrieved December 11, 2012, from http://www.sunburstchemicals.com/green-program/index.html