Three students are discussing strategies for reducing food waste in university cafeterias. Luke (Student) I've been looking at the recent waste audit results, and the numbers are pretty shocking. We’re throwing out trays of uneaten food daily. I really think adjusting portion sizes could make a difference smaller serving utensils or offering half portion options might help students take only what they can eat. Zoe (Student) I agree food waste is a major issue, but reducing portion sizes isn't always enough. Some waste is unavoidable like peelings or leftovers from cooking. That's why I'm pushing for more composting initiatives. If we had proper composting bins installed around the cafeteria, at least that waste could be put to better use. Ella (Student) Those are good ideas, but I think we also need to think beyond the cafeteria. What about forming donation partnerships with local charities? A lot of the untouched surplus food could go to shelters or food banks instead of the bin. That way it helps people and reduces waste. Luke (Student) Donation is great in theory, but logistically it can get tricky. Timing, transport, food safety all that needs to be coordinated carefully. Smaller serving utensils, on the other hand, are easy to roll out and instantly reduce plate waste. We've got to start with what's manageable. Zoe (Student) But composting isn't that hard either. Some campuses already do it. We just need a few labelled bins, clear signage, and maybe a staff member to check they're used correctly at first. Plus, it could tie into an educational campaign get students aware of what they're wasting and why it matters. Ella (Student) Educational campaigns are key, definitely. If students understand where their leftovers are going or not going they'll be more mindful. And I still think we should include a section in our proposal for donation logistics. Maybe start small, with pre packaged items that are easy to redistribute. Luke (Student) Fair enough. Maybe we prioritise cafeteria-based actions now like portion control and composting and keep donation initiatives as a longer term goal once partnerships are in place. It's about layering solutions rather than relying on one fix. Zoe (Student) Exactly. Let's combine the ideas: smaller portions to reduce waste before it happens, composting bins for what's left, and start planning how to make donations viable in the future. With data from the audit, we can show this isn't just guesswork. Ella (Student) Perfect. I'll start outlining the proposal with those three pillars: portion control, composting, and donation. Let's aim to present it to cafeteria management next week and see what steps they're willing to take first.