WEEK 12: DINE IN; AVOID TAKEOUT
AVOID food delivery systems. DINE IN or REFILL your containers.
If you’re not into cooking, all my previous posts would seem pretty irrelevant to you. Plus, you probably love take out or online ordering services (UberEATS, GrubHub, etc).
But why is takeout or an online delivery system a bad option?
Well. Plastic. And all waste that comes along with packaging food.
1. PROBLEM
We do not have a reusable container system like Dabbawalas in Mumbai or Green2Go boxes in Penn State University everywhere . The waste you generate with one order can be exaggerated as follows:
- Plastic Bag
- A Paper Bag inside it (no goddamn idea why)
- Plastic cutlery (chopsticks/spoon/fork/knife)
- A Million tissues
- A Million sauces/spices/etc in packets or small plastic cups
- The plastic container (s) with your food in it.
Sometimes it’s Styrofoam… blasphemy
I loved takeout (once upon a time). The joy of sitting in your house with hot food arriving at your doorstep. You can snuggle, eat — without the travel, wait and the effort to dress up. I get it. Plus, it’s convenient & cheap.
And this is what happens at the end. It’s all just trash. I’m sure you know this. But what can you do about it?
2. SOLUTION
1. DINE IN and AVOID ORDERING ONLINE
Get your…self out of the house and go to nearby restaurants to dine in.(remember to say no straw please!). Even if you’re alone. :)
2. DINE IN and AVOID TAKEOUT
At some restaurants, you have the option to dine in or do a takeout. Make the right choice :)
3. TAKE REUSABLE CONTAINERS (try and convince them to accept it)
If you are in a hurry and can’t dine in. Find restaurants which accept your to-go container. I have asked tons of restaurants if they can refill my containers. Some don’t; Some do; Some even have their own reusable container program (Just Salad)
4. OPT FOR SUSTAINABLE OPTIONS
Ask them if they have paper or compostable boxes.
Or opt for a sandwich!
5. If all fails, MINIMIZE WASTE
Skip the cutlery, sauces, plastic bag, etc. Just take the box. While ordering online, Grubhub and other services provide the option to skip unnecessary packaging, cutlery, etc. Opt for that. Or write it in the notes.
3. FIN
In summary, try to dine in, and if you don’t have the time, go to restaurants that refill your containers, pick zero-waste options such as a sandwich and minimize waste by taking only what you need.
