Card, mobile credential, payment and security
Students can now checkout and return sustainable dining containers via card or mobile credential
Transact campuses have a new fully-integrated option for sustainable dining. By integrating with USEFULL, a provider of sustainable takeout containers, students can checkout and return containers using their Transact campus cards or mobile credentials.
While most reusable takeout solutions rely on plastic containers, USEFULL provides a plastic-free solution using stainless steel containers.
USEFULL reports that over 99% of their containers are returned. Stainless steel has a perceived value and stands out visually among other household items, so the containers are less likely to be discarded.
To use the solution, students download the USEFULL app for iOS or Android. The app is integrated with the institutions’ Transact system, making the sign-up process seamless.
To check out a container the student scans its unique QR code. The app shows what containers need to be returned and indicates late fees and other notifications. It also displays a measure of the student’s positive environmental impact as well as the campus wide reductions in waste, emissions, and water usage.
Across its campus installations, USEFULL reports that over 99% of their containers are returned. They attribute this to a "fair and friendly return policy that incentivizes behavior - just like a library book.”
Stainless steel has a perceived value and stands out visually among other household items, so the containers are less likely to be mistaken for trash and discarded.
The company admits that stainless steel is more expensive than other reusable container options, compostables, or single use plastics, but they say reuse longevity changes the ROI. USEFULL containers last at least 3 years in circulation before they need to be recycled and replaced.
“(With this partnership), we are not only simplifying the student experience but also making a meaningful impact on our environment,” says Chris Setcos, SVP of partnerships and M&A at Transact. “It underscores Transact's commitment to supporting our campus partners in achieving their sustainability goals.”
According to USEFULL, benefits of their solution include:
“Students can now easily track their takeout returns through their student cards,” says Alison Rogers Cove, CEO and founder of USEFULL. “It is another step toward both building awareness of our carbon footprint while educating and informing this mission-driven generation of students about their individual contributions to eliminating waste.”
The offering is now available at Transact campuses across the country.
