Any ideas for tracking keeping track of multiple items ?

erkvos

I am trying to develop a low waste solution to my school's drinking problem: At all of our campus coffee shops disposable cups are used that are not recyclable (thousands a day). I am trying to come up witha practicle way for the university vendors to give students their beverages in reusable cups that can be reused. the obvious problem would be that students may not give them back. Which is why I'm thinking that a tracking system may help with this. much like checking out a book, you check out a ceramic cup with your late. but this would require a way to

a) identify each cup individually
b) keep track of each cup and its borrower individual.

what would be a way to do this that has a realistic cost? I'm thinking that maybe their can be some kind of incentive system for students to return cups (five cents back or something, similar to recycling returns up north). Does anybody have any ideas on how to implement this? is it doable?

k_buz

I'm sorry for sounding rude, but what would give you the idea that this would be a good place for your question?

__________________

silversport

Sell the reusable cups for a small amount and offer a $0.20 discount when using the special cup.

beenthere

Moved to off topic forum.

oh'mike

I think you are hoping for the impossible----

Most students carry to much stuff around all day as it is---add a cup that needs washing to that and then where are you?

You would need a wash sink next to every vending machine---never going to happen---

__________________
New members: Adding your location to your profile helps in many ways.--M--

creeper

I think the op was talking about vendors and not vending machines.

Good luck keeping track of thousands of indiviuals cups. Why can't the drinker keep track of his own cup.

This article is a few years old. They tried the same thing at Western. A university here in Ont.

Also Tim Hortons, Canada'a largest Franchise, whose sales surpass that of McDonalds, offers an incentive for reusing your own cup. Its the bi annual " roll up the rim" to win a car contest that throws off their own efforts to reduce, reuse, recycle

http://www.fims.uwo.ca/olr/Mar1109/tims.html