Mount Holyoke College and USEFULL announce new partnership.
Mount Holyoke College partners with USEFULL in a continued effort to reduce waste and eliminate plastic on campus
(Boston, MA and South Hadley, MA) - May 5, 2021 - Mount Holyoke College (MHC) partners with USEFULL, beginning with the 2021-2022 college year. The Mount Holyoke Dining Leadership believes the ability to continue to offer MHC students To-Go Food options and have it packaged sustainably in USEFULL’s tech-enabled insulated stainless steel cups and bowls will annually prevent 66 tons of waste from single use packaging and save the college $745k in single use packaging. “There is no better sustainable option for reusable containers,” says Rich Perna, Executive Director of Auxiliary Services at MHC. “USEFULL has truly innovated the best possible option to support the high volume of colleges and universities. We're grateful to work with Alison and her team.”
The Princeton Review ranked MHC #1 for Best Schools for 'Making an Impact', among private educational institutions. Partnering with USEFULL to reduce waste and improve the environment highlights the college’s continued focus and commitment to make an impact in the world, on and off campus.
The MHC community, including students, faculty and visitors will have access to USEFULL’s to-go cups and containers which leverage their proprietary technology at several locations throughout campus. This will enable users to check-out and return inventory in the USEFULL app - and allow MHC’s Dining Services to unlock a wealth of data to calculate environmental impact and cost savings in real time.
USEFULL’s custom designed stainless steel cups and bowls are double-walled and vacuum-insulated to ensure food quality and integrity - keeping hot foods and drinks hot and cold ones cold. The easy-to-use app technology also provides ways for MHC Dining Services and USEFULL to engage with users by providing them with info on their use, locations for checkouts and returns, as well as when the cup or bowl is due.
Unlike plastic “reusable” packaging, USEFULL’s stainless (and silicon lid) inventory can withstand the wear and tear of campus life - repeated use, high-temperature washing, and even the occasional drop on the ground. According to USEFULL CEO, Alison Rogers, “Plastic items claiming similar waste reduction capabilities typically last a single semester; and at the end of life, plastic is unlikely to be recycled. Not to mention, there are serious health concerns about eating and drinking from plastic packaging.”