A University of Utah student group is seeking to ban polystyrene products from campus because of their environmental effects.
Members of the Progressive Student Union have approached University Food Services to investigate the possibility of reducing and eventually eliminating polystyrene cups, plates and bowls from the Union Cafeteria.The students say Food Services officials are concerned about the potential cost but as a first step have agreed to sell refillable/reusable coffee mugs and plastic squeeze bottles and will work with the student group to promote those products as a move environmentally sound alternative to polystyrene.
The Progressive Student Union will conduct a campus poll during winter quarter to gauge student sentiment about the environmental and solid waste issues as well as the cost of switching to paper products.
In early spring, the students will collect one day's waste from the Union Cafeteria and build a polystyrene sculpture to call attention to the volume of waste involved.
The Progressive Student Union is open to all students and members of the public and meets at 6:30 p.m. every Sunday in the Olpin Union, Room 324. For more information, call Cecelia Warner, 363-0734, or Tom Price, 521-5235.