Cloudless skies and balmy spring air bring a lot more to the Green than new grass. They bring a lot of trash, plates and trays.
Dartmouth Dining Service sends employees to the Green on "tray patrol" three times a day when the weather is nice, Director of Dartmouth Dining Services Pete Napolitano said.
"I myself just picked up seven trays and brought them into Collis [Cafe]," he said.
It is costly and inconvenient to have DDS dishes moving to and from the Green, he said.
Napolitano said he is looking for ways to remind students to bring trays, plates, bowls and flatware back inside after eating.
"We were asking ourselves, should we put an ad in the paper or put up signs saying 'could you please bring your trays back in or use disposable containers when you leave the building?'" Napolitano said.
DDS spent $20,000 to replace 40,000 pieces of missing flatware in the last year, Assistant Director of DDS Jerry Gamball said. He said the problem gets worse every year.
By leaving "reusables outside over night, they become harder to clean and harder to maintain," Napolitano said.
Napolitano said he once saw a dog licking abandoned bowls and plates.
"I wish people would use a little bit more consideration when taking food out of the facility," Napolitano said.
Napolitano said he encourages students to use the disposable containers to take food outside.
"That is what the disposables are there for ... people on the go," Napolitano said.
"By taking [bowls, plates and silverware] outside, we defeat the entire premise of using reusables," Napolitano continued. "The finish is ruined or scratched in such a manner that it cannot be used anymore."
Napolitano said he understands why students bring their trays to the Green, but he said they should not need plates and bowls.
"There was no reason to bring them almost 150 yards away and then leave it there for a service worker to clean up ... because in essence they were too inconsiderate," Napolitano said.
Napolitano said he does not want to put any type of tray depository on the Green because he fears it would encourage the behavior.
Facilities, Operations and Management Grounds Department Foreman Robert Thebodo said Facilities, Operations and Management employees are responsible for cleaning up the trash on the Green, but not the items belonging to DDS.
Thebodo said he thinks students do a good job taking care of the garbage they create. He said the Green's trash barrels are usually overflowing.
Thebodo said that even though students often fail to return trays to the dining facilities, the students at least put their trash in the proper place.
Both Napolitano and Thebodo said there should not be signs on the Green reminding people to return trays and to discard rubbish.Students "are adults and capable of realizing the barrels are there for a reason," Thebodo said.
Food Court Manager Beth Jones said the disappearance of flatware is not the only problem DDS faces. She said chairs are also taken from dining facilities.
"I walked by [Psi Upsilon fraternity] this morning, and there was staging [for a concert] on the lawn," Jones said. "One of our chairs was on the staging."
Jones urged students to use disposable containers for their food.
"We encourage students to use disposables," Jones said. "As un-politically correct as it may sound, it is better than throwing glasses and flatware into the garbage."
Sara Reynolds '97 said she has eaten on the Green on some of the days with nice weather. Reynolds said she does not use disposables, but she said she brings her tray back to Home Plate or Collis Cafe.
Laziness probably stops students from returning their trays to the proper place, Reynolds said.
Amie Servino '99 said she does not return trays.
"I am too lazy to bring the trays back in," she said. She said she uses disposables to save the hassle.
