1.5.0.'s setup; photo credit goes to dining.unc.edu
by Laura
I’d been wanting to try UNC’s new sustainable dining option and took the opportunity to gobble down lunch there yesterday. The good news? There was absolutely nothing on their menu that I wouldn’t have happily eaten. The downside for students is the mildly higher cost, especially compared to neighboring Chick-fil-a, where nothing costs more than $3. Apparently, that popular fast food spot brings in 30% of sales, despite competition from numerous other options. Still, who can’t get behind updated college cafeteria fare that incorporates blackened salmon, hand cut sweet potato fries, and relative healthfulness?
I had a meatball sub (made with grass fed beef! fancy!) and a chocolate torte. Both were pretty darn tasty, although it made me wonder why organic, fresh ingredients have to be coupled with some level of pretentiousness & expense. Having taught in the Bronx, I can confirm that fresh food (including basics like decent fruit) is very difficult to find in some low-income areas. This is especially ironic considering that nearby Hunts Point has to be the largest drop off point for produce in the NYC metro area, not to mention the location for that HBO series about the hookers who hang out by the warehouses.
The name 1.5.0. comes from the idea that locally grown ingredients should come from within a 150 mile radius. In keeping with the spirit of this whole thing, you can buy a sturdy-looking reusable lunch container for a couple of bucks – and each time you return it, they’ll give you a fresh one. This seemed smart – dorm life isn’t conducive to doing the dishes. However, I also wondered why the entire dining hall couldn’t take on some of their practices (like using 100% recycled napkins – would that truly blow the budget?)
Conclusion: I hope this experiment survives. I’m also curious to check out the equivalent option at Duke, called the Refectory. We’ll see which campus does sustainable better!
Laura
Harold
