One of the most prominent sources of waste on OSU’s campus revolves around food. This is the case on both ends— from the way that food is distributed, largely in non-recyclable packaging, wrappers, and containers, to the way that food is disposed of when left uneaten. The ZerOH shop aims to offer solutions to both. As many students on campus don’t have transportation to purchase food outside of the nearby vicinity, there can be limitations on the amount of fresh, whole foods available to them. Additionally, campus food is notorious for being marked up on price. In the ZerOH model, students are given the incentive to separate and collect their personal food waste for composting, which they can drop off at stations in dorms and at ZerOH locations. Each time they do so, they can receive dining dollar credits— a system already in place— onto their account. Some of this compost will go to external vendors, and some will be kept, and used for community gardens on campus. These community gardens are a second touch point for students, where they can volunteer to participate in upkeep, and attend workshops and learning events. Produce grown in these gardens, in addition to foods from external vendors, will be sold at the ZerOH shops on campus. Students can redeem earned dining dollars here, and are encouraged to bring their own reusable containers when they shop, as all food at ZerOH is sold loose or in bulk to eliminate packaging waste.
