Mother Earth

Most people like to eat. Most people do not like to spend money, hence our free food tips. A great lover of free food has been revealed to us and now reports regularly on the quality, quantity, and pizazz of free food events around campus. Read on as The Scrounger goes green at the Ecopalooza.

To bring to a close their Earth Week bonanza, Columbia EcoReps wanted to go out with a bang—enter, Ecopalooza. The event promised some yum yums, speakers on the environment, and the obligatory student group performances. And they nailed it.

I’ve been pretty bummed about the quality of free food events lately, and this one totally lifted my spirits. Ecopalooza was one of the best snack-a-thons I’ve seen on campus.

The Scorecard

Quality 3.9 Ecopalooza put out one of the greatest snack spreads I’ve seen on this campus: carrots, celery, apples, a WIDE variety of chips (Stacy Pita-style, tortilla in blue, white, and yellow varieties, kettle terra-style, “veggie” chips), trail mix (with banana chips, almonds, walnuts, cashews, (c)raisins, and chocolate chips), popcorn, a diverse array of crackers and cheeses, and a heaping pile of assorted cookies. And it was all of reliable quality—straight from Trader Joe’s. Major points for schlepping down to 72nd Street instead of just going to Westside. If this had only been a snack event, I would’ve given it a 4.5.
Volume 4.5 Not only were the EcoReps friendly, but they constantly insisted on guests helping themselves to a lot of food, which is always appreciated. With self-serve tables, one could refill again, and again, and again…
Amenities 3.0 Keeping it oh so eco, Ecopalooza used John Jay cups and bowls to keep down on the waste. Since the event featured mainly snack fare, napkins and utensils weren’t very necessary. There was also apple cider and water (served in Trader Joe’s wine bottles, thereby and disappointing some eaters) to quench one’s thirst as the gobbling ensued. In addition, there were some great jams from the Farmer’s Market, tons of hummus, a wonderful goat milk and almond spread, and some interesting salsas to complement the various victuals. There was also a water taste-test whose participants had the chance to win a slick, stainless steel water bottle.
Take Out 2.5 Since there were only John Jay plates, it was hard to sneak out much food, but at the event’s close, the EcoReps declared a huge free-for-all, allowing many to take left-overs home.
Décor 4.0 There were green and white tablecloths to subtley reference the environmental theme, along with vibrant, healthy tulips on the tables. The hardwood floor of Roone also added to the ambiance.

Earth Mother Tattoo from Flickr/lindsey.dee.bunny