Staff and visitors to the Tomah Health cafeteria are helping to reduce costs and protect the environment thanks to a reusable to-go container project. Back in July Tomah Health Nutrition Services launched the OZZI reusable to-go container system in the hospital’s café to reduce waste and hold down costs.
Three months into the program, hospital officials say the OZZI system is making a difference in the purchase of fewer traditional containers thereby saving about $500 a month in supply costs. “We are miles ahead on a lot of things and I think this is just another way where we can be more mindful of our environment and the way we interact with it,” said Michelle Lindsay, Tomah Health Nutrition Services director and registered dietitian.
Lindsay said she has been very happy with the participation of staff and visitors.. “A lot of large college campuses, like UW-Madison, uses the same program. However, I think that we might be the first critical access hospital in the country to adopt this program, if not the first one of the very few that do.”
Hospital staff and visitors to the café are offered an OZZI reusable container as an alternative to the current disposable containers. Once used, the containers can be returned to one of two drop boxes. OZZI containers are then washed and sanitized for reuse. “In the climate of rising food prices, I just wanted to spend more money on food and less on things that go right in the trash and are bad for the environment,” added Lindsay.
Officials say some of the main highlights of the OZZI System include less supply costs, reduction of landfill waste, eliminating paper and foam containers while providing an American made product that is user and operational friendly. “I have been so thrilled to find out how many of our staff members are really happy about the program and are really engaged and willing to participate in it,” said Lindsay. We haven’t had any negative feedback from it and everybody’s been really cooperative about it.”