An eco-friendly kind of doggy bag for college students

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

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An Eckerd College student introduces the EcoClamshell to fellow diners.

ST.PETERSBURG (Bay News 9) -- An Eckerd College student has a new trend for students who eat on the go.

Audrey Copeland hopes students use her invention, the EcoClamshell, instead of using styrofoam containers.

Her idea was born out of a class assignment.

"I thought it would be great if people can take something and bring it back, like a library book," Copeland said. "It certainly is a better option in a lot of ways."

Copeland just got a $32,000 grant helping her produce the product.

"I tried to get a manufacturer on board," Copeland said. "And it took quite a bit of work."

Bon Appetite Cafe Manager Dawyn Patterson said at least 200 students are using the containers.

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Rebecca Richards is one of them.

"Usually people bring them to their rooms," Richards said. "Then afterwards they dump whatever the didn't want and you can bring them back dirty, throw them in a bin. Then they rinse them out. It works great for me."

Eckerd College has reduced the use of styrofoam by 25 percent a week.

"The same container circulates multiple times," Copeland said. "Kinda like a plate."

The student hopes to market the containers to cafeterias and restaurants with a regular customer base.

The only catch is the facilities must be able to wash the containers in a high heat dishwasher so there aren't any health code violations.

"There are so many large universities, corporations in this country that if all of those were to use this product instead of a disposable container it would be cutting down on a substantial amount of waste," Copeland said.

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