Readers of previous Green Choices posts know how much I dislike styrofoam, and also how much I despise unnecessary use of disposable products.
I was proud of my wife last week! We went to a restaurant for our anniversary. She doesn't have the appetite that I do, and hardly ever finishes a restaurant dinner. She takes the leftovers home for a nice lunch. Restaurants always use foam containers. She isn't a fan of disposable waste either, but we always seem to forget to bring a reusable container. Last week, as usual, she ate about half of her meal. And then, she pulled a reusable container out of her purse, and put the leftovers in it.
The waiter had probably never seen a diner bring his or her own container, and said he'd have been happy to package it for her. I just said, "Thanks, but we'd rather not use the foam. It's a tree-hugger thing."
A small gesture, but it made me feel good. A simple choice, and such an easy way to make a small difference! And maybe it will cause the waiter or other diners give thought to easy choices that can make a difference.
Think Green and Live Green!
4 comments:
Great idea!
We ask if they could wrap the left overs in tin foil.
That's another good idea! We could bring it home, rinse the foil after using, and add the foil to our aluminum recycling!
Thanks, Kara!
I'd like to add that they do recycle styrofoam around here (Southern Michigan and Northwest Ohio). They make it into those polystyrene sheets that are used to insulate houses.
Also, rather than having the restaurant use a new piece of foil to wrap your food, wouldn't it be better to take a couple of sheets of the foil you've already cleaned for reuse and maybe a baggie or two? Since they can be folded up and flattened, they'd fit easily in a purse or even a pocket.
Don, really anything that's reuseable or recyclable would be an OK option. Most areas don't have recycling options for foam, but in areas that do, I wouldn't feel so bad about using occasional foam. I both reuse foil and recycle it when it no longer can be used, so I wouldn't mind using foil. I'm not big on baggies, because they are usually used once and thrown away. But we do use a few, and wash and reuse ones that are in good condition , especially the heavier-duty food storage types.
Thanks for the additional ideas!
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