With computer backgrounds proclaiming “Move the world and keep it green,” Iona seems to be a very environmentally-conscious school.

However, some students have expressed that the school might be missing the mark in some of its busiest buildings: their dining halls.

Currently, the school uses disposable dish ware such as paper plates and plastic cutlery.

Most of the drinks available come bottled, and although there are drink fountains, the cups provided are paper as well.

Since none of these can be reused, they are thrown out.

And even though there are recycling bins available to students for their plastic bottles, much of what is used, such as plates and cutlery, has to be thrown out.

Frank Onderdonk, Chartwells senior director of Dining Services, explains that the dining halls just don’t have the room for proper cleaning equipment.

“The LaPenta Market Place does not have a dish machine or space in order to properly clean and sanitize,” he said. “Vitanza Commons does, but storage would then be an issue.”

One reason why disposable dish ware is used is because it is more sanitary.

Dish ware must be used again, which means that proper cleaning and sanitizing of each plate and fork is incredibly important as to not spread germs and disease.

Sophomore Jon Serrano would like to see dish ware in the dining halls.

“As long as they are clean, I wouldn’t mind it,” he said.

Freshman Paola Contreras would prefer dish ware to what the dining halls have now.

“It would be nice to have real plates,” she said. “It would be more environmentally friendly.”

One of the problems students cited with the paper plates is that sometimes they can break or oils from the food can seep into the paper and cause the oil to drip everywhere.

However, a positive to the disposable dish ware is that if a student wants to take their food back to their residence hall or to class, they can.

Sophomore Jake Villanova would not like to see dishes and silverware.

“I’m not a huge fan of reusable dish ware,” he said. “I’d worry that they are not clean enough.”

Cost isn’t the main factor as to why Iona’s dining halls are not switching to reusable dish ware.

“The cost would be a significant expense, but that’s not really the issue,” said Onderdonk.

The way that the dining halls are designed, specifically Vitanza Commons located in Spellman Hall, would not allow the best use of reusable dish ware.

“The way our servery is designed would not be operational for china, glass and silver,” said Onderdonk.

In the two years that he has been working with Chartwells, Onderdonk has never been approached about converting from disposable dish ware to reusable dish ware.