With busy schedules, many people find it difficult to find time in the day to sit down in the dining hall for a meal. This semester, Burwell Dining Hall established a new way for students and faculty to enjoy their meals.
Dining operations at Wofford and AVI have chosen to offer EcoBoxes in Burwell.
“It was something we’ve worked at for several years,” said Cherie Tyger, resident director of culinary services. “We were just trying to figure out how to execute.”
EcoBoxes are not the first take-out option Burwell has offered. Students had the option to get take out meals during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021.
Additionally, following the completion of the 2022 renovations, Burwell introduced a station called Burwell Express. It consisted of sandwiches, salads and a select entree, which students and faculty could get with a meal swipe.
The station did not seem to be as much of a hit as expected, partly due to the limited options. Contrastingly, EcoBoxes allows students to choose from any stations in Burwell, so their selection is less limited.
“We wanted to give a little more variety, so you can choose where you are getting your food from and not just have a select amount of items,” Tyger said.
EcoBoxes are also very affordable. Students can get their EcoBox by paying a one-time cash deposit of $7 to the cashier in Burwell.
After this one-time payment, students can exchange their dirty box for a clean one, which they can fill with their next to-go meal. After the initial payment, filling an EcoBox is paid for through meal swipes.
One of the first students to take advantage of the EcoBox is Emma Kirkpatrick ‘27. She enjoys the flexibility it gives her if she doesn’t want to eat in the dining hall that day.
Another incentive for the EcoBox is Burwell’s location on campus. If students are not near the other dining hall options and need a meal to go they become limited on what they’re able to do.
“It makes it a lot easier for students on this end of campus not having to run to one of the other locations to get something to carry out,” Tyger said.
If students wish to eat in the dining hall instead of leaving with their food, they return their used EcoBox to the cashier and request a carabiner.
“You just clip it to your backpack,” Kirkpatrick said. The carabiner option has proved effective, as students can easily switch from dining in or taking things to go.
Culinary services and AVI have been working together to reduce the waste in both Burwell and the Galleria, specifically styrofoam.
“(EcoBoxes) are actually good for up to 500 washes,” Tyger said. “Then students won’t have to use styrofoam or something that’s a lot more wasteful for the environment.”
As resident director of culinary services, Tyger oversees all on-campus dining operations. With all the changes in recent years, she’s been able to see the advances firsthand.
“I lived through the whole old Burwell, COVID and the newly renovated Burwell, so it’s been a huge evolution from when I started here to where we are at now,” Tyger said.
