By Daniel A. C. McBride
Washington College Freshman
Since its days as the Kent County Free School, Washington College has served as the centerpiece of Kent County, arguably, its cultural hub. Our institution has proudly sought to distinguish itself, not as merely another textbook locus of higher education, but as an integral and incorporated part of the broader community. Alas, as winter ripens and Kent County families endeavor to put dinner on the table, Washington College is throwing away food by the trayful.
Let us just clarify, this is not expired food, it is not unsanitary or unsafe to eat, unwanted or beyond salvage. This is good, nourishing food, food that could provide sustenance to local families, our 1,700+ K-12 students from our Community Schools (take a moment to look this up), or our one in ten county residents living on or below the poverty line. Discarded without a second thought, wasted in a county where hunger, predicated on the looming affordability crisis, is an ever-escalating concern.
This is not simply an oversight, but an abrasive contradiction. At a College that so often calls for sustainability and community engagement, so eagerly seeks to involve both its name, likeness, and student body in local affairs, how can we, in good conscience, justify such a negligent waste? It is time for the College to align its actions with its words and put its money where its mouth is. Other institutions have implemented food recovery programs, partnered with local shelters and food banks, and sought to package surplus meals to reach those who need them most. Why isn’t Washington College leading the charge on such an initiative, especially when even rival institutions like Dickinson and St. Johns have been doing so for over a decade?
This is not to say that we must radically and immediately seek to reform our food waste efforts. Admittedly, while efforts employed by the aforesaid institutions do bear fruit, one could argue such measures wouldn’t work in an area as rural or unique as Kent County. In spite of this, I propose we open our dining hall, not solely one night a week, but every nightfor some odd 45 minutes before closing. This initiative would not only honor our commitment to equity and social involvement in the local community, but transform our otherwise discarded leftovers into a tangible, moreover affordable lifeline that directly benefits our vibrant county, and its statistically underserved, though extremely deserving, residents.
The problem of food waste is not an abstract issue, for it has real consequences. Each discarded meal is a missed opportunity to nourish a family, support a student, or fortify our community. Students, faculty, and staff, this is your plea to action, call upon your professors, foster conversation within your departments pursuant to the food-waste issue, write to our administration, and grow active in the conversation to enunciate this critical issue which deserves our careful consideration.
Washington College, as Kent County Families struggle to put food on the table this winter, will you rouse to embrace the values which you so loudly espouse, or will you continue to be all talk, and no bite?