Three UWM students who took part in the Be SMART Conservation Challenge during the 2008 fall semester will be recognized at the UWM Institute for Service Learning's Distinguished Service Learner Awards on Sunday, May 3.  The Wisconsin Be SMART Conservation Challenge invites people to carry out a plan of their own design that reduces waste, conserves resources or prevents pollution.

Abby Buechel helped her workplace, a NE WI restaurant, reduce waste by switching from take-out boxes to bags for leftovers.  Customers are given a choice, and servers describe the waste reducing benefits of the smaller packages.  Using the bags reduces the packaging sent home with customers and cuts the use of shipping cartons for take-out containers by over 60%.  She also researched products and found a biodegradable box that the restaurant uses for customers who do not want a bag.

Lindsay Jaszewski and Nathan Jansky noticed that the Shorewood Pick 'n' Save store where they both work already prevented waste with some successful reuse approaches such as using day-old bread to make bread pudding.  The two participants changed the store's practice of throwing away certain unsold baked goods at closing time by arranging a rotation of several food pantries to transport and receive unsold rolls, bagels and croissants.  Each day, an average of 109 items are donated.  Lindsay and Nate also took measures to promote the use of reusable bags and encouraged the expansion of their project to other Pick 'n' Save stores.