FUEL NKU is trying to improve its sustainability efforts by focusing on zero hunger and zero waste initiatives; this is in congruence with Kroger Company trying to eliminate the usage of plastic bags, said Nick Bliven, FUEL NKU’s Program Director.

FUEL NKU partners with the Kroger Company, which helped transform the space FUEL is in now and led to better support for students’ needs, said Bliven.

“We’re making sure that [when] students get fed, we also want to make sure that we’re trying our best to limit waste,” said Bliven.

FUEL has taken on the bring your own bag initiative as a part of their efforts to support Kroger’s zero waste initiative and be good stewards of campus, said Bliven.

“We will remind every student that comes in to bring their reusable bag with them and not to forget it. However, if they do forget it, we will accommodate them,” said Shams Asad, a student employee at FUEL NKU. However, more than 140 people visit FUEL each day, so providing bags goes against what FUEL stands for, said Bliven.

The FUEL staff made printouts saying, ‘Please remember to bring your reusable bag,’ and put them at every entrance and checkout, said Asad. “We also share on social media reminders, on Instagram and TikTok, for FUEL shoppers to not forget their bag before they come in.”

Bliven and Asad gave some tips to remember about bringing your own bag when shopping at FUEL:

1.     Keep a foldable bag in your backpack/purse since it doesn’t take up a lot of space and is easy to remember.
2.     If you have a locker, keep it in your locker.
3.     Keep a reusable bag in your car or car trunk. 
4.     If you use the reusable bag, directly fold it back into the backpack after emptying it or keep it on the door handle so it stays at the forefront of your mind.
5.     Remember why you’re using reusable bags rather than plastic ones.
6.     It’s good for the environment. 
7.     It decreases plastic waste and pollution.

People have been getting better at bringing their own bags, said Asad. “And it is appreciated because it makes us feel like we are also appreciated, it’s mutual respect.”

“[You are] making a difference in the world by something so simple as using a bag and keeping it with you,” said Asad.

The goal at FUEL NKU is to battle hunger on campus while trying to be as close to zero waste as possible, said Bliven. About a decade ago, FUEL was founded by Dr. Jessica Averitt Taylor, an NKU associate professor, out of her office when she noticed a student struggling in one of her classes.

Now, FUEL resembles a small grocery store on campus, and putting the food on bookshelves makes it more welcoming, said Bliven. “I think it’s an exciting thing that we are often the second home for a lot of the foods,” he said.

“The team really strives to make FUEL a place where everybody can feel safe, accepted, valued, appreciated, welcomed. [It] doesn’t matter where you’re from– international, non-international,” said Asad. “It’s an all-inclusive place, obviously the whole university [is], but we really emphasize on making people feel comfortable once they come in.”