USEFULL™ reusable container program
Ditching single-use and plastic containers
Northern Arizona University is the first school in Arizona to implement a required reusable container system to reduce waste and plastic use on campus. Campus Dining is partnering with USEFULL™ to serve food in stainless steel takeout containers at three retail dining locations—Lemon Grass Kitchen, Turnip the Greens, and Cobrizo Mexican Grill. Based on traffic at these restaurants, NAU is projected to keep more than 40 tons of carbon dioxide out of the air and more than 12 tons of waste out of landfills over the next year.
How it works. It’s as easy as 1-2-3.
1) Download the USEFULL app
2) Check out your container/s with the app when you purchase a meal
3) Bring your container/s back to a return box within three days
Eating at these locations will require the USEFULL app for checking out reusable containers. Download the USEFULL app (for iOS and Android) here.
Checking out containers is just like checking out a library book – students scan the QR code on the bottom of the container and go!
Return the container to a USEFULL box (formerly O2GO) inside Union Point within three days. Follow the return instructions on the box (scan barcode on bottom of container; wait for the green confirmation screen; then drop it into the box). Be sure to return your checked out containers within three days to avoid any late fees.
Powered by Green Fund
The first year of this USEFULL reusable container program is fully funded by NAU’s Green Fund. Without their support we couldn’t provide this opportunity for students and other NAU community members to reduce waste and plastic on campus. We share their passion for making NAU more sustainable and acknowledge the importance of their investment by including the “Powered by Green Fund” seal on our equipment and advertising.
USEFULL Impact Dashboard
The USEFULL app allows students to monitor their personal impact while the NAU community can view campus-wide waste, emissions, and water reduction on an Impact Dashboard.
Customer Support
USEFULL is committed to the success of this program and has a customer support team to help with questions about the program, late fees, and/or payments. Simply open the USEFULL app and click on Support.