Eco-Takeouts™ in Qatar!

The Eco-Takeouts™, a series of reusable to-go containers, have now spread to the country of Qatar. In August of 2010, the Qatar Foundation adopted the Eco-Takeouts™ throughout Education City. Education City houses ten higher education institutions, eight of which are branch campuses of US-based universities. These include Virginia Commonwealth University, Weill-Cornell Medical College, Texas A&M University, Carnegie Mellon University, Georgetown University, and Northwestern University.

Christopher Silva, the Sustainability Education Coordinator for the Qatar Foundation, reported that approximately 700 of the 2,000 students at Education City use the Eco-Takeouts™. The reaction so far has been positive. “I have seen the container utilized in various events and some institutions have agreed to not offer Styrofoam containers in their cafeterias anymore,” Silva reports.

Although the initial launch was successful, Silva recognizes that it is “still a young initiative and logistically challenging, as we have eight higher education institutions in our campus, each one with its own operations.”

In today’s world, it is encouraging to see global solutions to common issues, such as waste. From the United States to Qatar, the Eco-Takeouts™ provide an effective, yet simple solution to reduce waste and develop new, eco-friendly habits.