WHNetwork Blog

Last week I had some late meetings - meaning I would not be getting home until after 8PM. My boyfriend decided to make things easier and stopped at Pollo Loco on the way home, to grab something quick for dinner. I am not (never have been) much of a quick service or take out kind of girl, so my experience here is limited.


I have to say I was happy to see the food though - I hadn't realized how hungry I was until I opened the first box and dug into a piece of chicken. Dinner included a small side salad, two pieces of chicken and a large bowl of soup. I was just happy that it was relatively tasty and at least somewhat healthy.


However, when I finished eating I was astounded when I looked at the array of containers sitting on the table! I mean really, it was one meal for one person, yet the contribution to the landfill was not insignificant. I am an avid recycler, yet many of the containers were not recyclable. The amount of energy expended for one meal seemed outrageous to me.


Here is the list of items to be recycled or thrown in the garbage:


* 1 styrofoam box (chicken)
* 1 styrofoam bowl, plus plastic lid (soup)

* 2 small paper bags (tortilla strips for soup)
* 2 small plastic containers and lids (salad dressing)

* 2 small plastic containers (salsa and cheese)
* 1 plastic container and lid (side salad)

* 1 paper cup and plastic lid (drink)
* 1 small plastic bag (extra protection for soup)

* 1 large plastic bag (for the whole meal)
* 1 plastic knife, 1 plastic fork

* 1 paper napkin, 1 plastic bag (for napkin and utensils)


Is it just me, or is this just wrong? If you multiplied this times the population of world (again, for just one meal) it is mind boggling. We just can't afford this kind of behavior any longer (in reality, we never could).


I can´t justify eating at places like this. What are your thoughts? What changes are you making in your life to reduce, reuse, recycle? Would you stop patronizing a place because of the type(s) of containers they use?

Email me and let me know your thoughts!

-Margie

WineAndHospitalityNetwork.com

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Wow – I was astounded by the number of items – had never really thought about it. Yet, I doubt that you will get our society to stop getting “take-out” – what is the alternative? I guess places could suggest that people bring their own containers, or offer containers than can be used at home for an extra fee – places that do this might attract new clients, but might lose a lot of clients to. Maybe making it optional such as grocery stores offering recyclable bags that you can bring back with you – but food is more difficult. An interesting challenge – maybe we can invent something if enough of us think hard enough about it!

Sue Redenbaugh
President
WINE COUNTRY NATURALS
a division of Medispa Resources Inc.
www.winecountrynaturals.com
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Thanks for your comments on excess waste. When I think of all the plastic garbage floating in the oceans and all the other plastics being wasted every day, I get so scared for my young children! What will we leave to them?

Marie-Eve Gilla, Managing Partner, info@forgeroncellars.com Forgeron Cellars, Walla Walla, WA
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Margie!

I own a business and we are slowly revamping our practices to decrease our carbon footprint. I think we do have a responsibility to try and find measures to make our businesses (and therefore our neighborhoods) more green. And you know what? It’s not always more expensive! Here are some things my business is doing:

* Swapped out our commercial dumpster for a smaller size and added a recycling dumpster, as most of our waste is recyclable cardboard
* Offer a discount when customers return our bags and boxes. 5% off a purchase when they return 10 bags with our logo on them; 10% off a purchase when they return 10 of our 4 or 6 bottle cardboard carriers.
* We will be selling recycled cotton bags screen printed with eco-friendly ink by this time next week to encourage people to not take paper and plastic bags when shopping
* Carry a large # of locally, sustainable made cheeses and other food products
* Carry a large # of biodynamic wines or wines using sustainable methods
* We are a member of Local First Chicago
* We use a non-toxic all-purpose cleaner for windows, counters & floors that is citrus based and therefore not a health hazard for our staff. We are always looking for ways to become a more green business so let me know if there are things that other folks share.

Thanks!

Tracy Kellner
Provenance Food & Wine
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We have a dinner restaurant on the Mendocino Coast. Even though we are a fine dining establishment we do get to go orders. We use recycled paper products, but do encourage our customers to bring their own containers, some have those multi layer metal togo containers other have porcelain dishes they can take cassoulett home in and warm up later. A little different from a high volume fast food place but an idea.

Lisa Geer
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Depending where you live. We prepare and sell artisanal "Take-Out" food in San Francisco, since 1981.A couple of years ago the City of San Francisco cracked down on the use of non-recyclable plastic containers. Manufacturers complied with supplying us with recyclable food containers. NONETHELESSwe have NEVER used as much packaging as you describe, - EVER. Perhaps it takes more time to conserve which "FAST food" operators don't have to spend. Find a GOOD FOOD, SLOW FOOD purveyor in your community. You shouldn't have such a problem with packaging.

Lisa Middione, VIVANDE, San Francisco
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One solution that one of our local restaurants does here in Napa for take out is that you bring in your own containers. Yes, it means you have dishes to do but at least you did not have to slave over a stove. I guess a suggestion might be to call the restaurant you wish to order from and ask if they can accommodate you with this request. You may need to wait a few extra moments in order for your take out to be placed in your containers but it should be worth the wait in more ways than one.

Donna Blevins
Hospitality Administrator/Wine Club Liaison
Far Niente
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It is a difficult position for business people - they wish to give their customers and patrons wonderful service and a high standard of product but they also do not wish to create undo strain on the planet with non recycled one use items. At our bed and breakfast we try to find a balance by looking for re-usable items that people will take away and be able to continue to use for other things - our gift wine is in glass bottles that if they leave we will clean and re-use or it can be recycled by the guests if they leave. Our coffee cups glasses and plates and cutlery are always ones that we re-use - no styrofoam. We ask if guests have travel mugs for coffee to go. However when we send someone off with leftovers it is difficult to package for travel and re-use. Sometimes we will use recycled plastic containers but it is not always possible to find just the right thing that also looks professional. Our towels and linens are the best and newest for the guests and then they become family items and finally are sent to Big Brothers or other charity organizations for their use.

We are always on the look out for cleaning/laundry product that are organic and environmentally friendly but also do an excellent job of cleaning. We make our own soaps for the bathrooms and encourage our guest to take the left overs since they would only be thrown out (most people like to take the softly scented organic specialty soaps)It is an issue that requires on-going though and attention but in the end our planet is certainly worth all the attention a assistance we can give it.

Robby Tranfield
Country Ridge Ranch House Bed and Breakfast
Come and be pampered in the Okanagan
www.countryridgebedandbreakfast.
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This is defiantly a topic that my wife and I have faced as restaurant owners, but let me try to give you some insight into the industry side or the dark side of “green”. At Canvas we use several “green products” from recycled “Bio-Plus” to-go boxes that cost us almost a dollar per box, to all of our bakery boxes which are made from recycled paper and are also very expensive, but the problem with the new “green” “plastic ware” made from corn-starch, which are totally bio-degradable and the only current alternative to the Styrofoam and plastics that you mentioned, is that they are enormously expensive like 5 times the cost of comparable plastics or styro-foam, and right now are virtually useless. The corn derived “plastic” products cannot exceed rather minimal heat as they warp and actually melt if a hot soup or hot beverage are introduced, not to mention they conduct the said heat and it feels very much like holding melting plastic.

On the other side of the coin if the items placed into the container are too cold the corn products become brittle and very unstable to any slightly abnormal pressure.In a business that is already extremely strained in this current economic environment, and has uniquely thin margins of profit, it is not only cost prohibitive to be ”totally green”, but it opens us up to a whole new line of litigious attacks by the next customer who burns them selves with an unstable “to-go” product, or swallows a shard broken off from a brittle corn based product. So you tell me….where does it end? Where do we begin?

I think it is counterintuitive and irresponsible to suggest that we stop ordering food from our local Mom and Pop businesses and restaurants, or chains for that matter, because they are not “green”, what we need to do is offer constructive suggestions for options, what do we do for the customer that orders like you did? The nature of the food items that you ordered required the vessels they came in, thus the irresponsibility is shared, so the solution must be also. This is a much bigger issue than either you or I, or how your conscious or my conscious treats me as it relates to being “eco-friendly” and “green”, the problem is that there are zero cost effective, viable options out there and this applies to the entire “green” movement, to be “green” requires a lot more green cash, and to produce more green cash we have to expend more and create more waste in the process of becoming “green”. All of these “green” energy options out there are facing the same types of prohibitions which is why they have not been implemented.

It will cost the end user way too much and expend way too much to be effective. The cost of the technology has to come down across the board if we desire to move into this direction we cannot simply wish it into existence or legislate it into existence because there will be a trail of destruction and loss leading to “green”.Obviously this is something that deeply bothers me and as responsible business owners we not only desire to, but feel responsible to do our part to minimize our business’s impact on the environment, but the problem is not with us and our desire to do so, the problem is that it all looks good on paper and sounds great when preached to us from a podium, a blog, a megaphone, or even the White House, the problem is who can afford to be as responsible as we would like to be? Is going “green” worth losing our business? Taking away employment and health benefits from the ten families that we are responsible for? Taking a viable addition to the community away? Removing a tax generator from the city/county/state/fed? What would you do?

Christopher Gatti
CANVAS Cafe and Bakery
724 Cherokee St.Marietta, GA 30060
www.canvasfoods.com
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I couldn't agree more! So when I was forced to close my restaurant (where we used earth-friendly takeout packaging) I began a new business preparing meals to serve two or more in pyrex and ziplock storage containers that are returned when the next meal is picked up. It's run as a membership and you can read more about it here.http://soupandsupper.blogspot.com/Btw, I always enjoy reading your ezine! Good topics! Thanks,

Susan
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I read your story about your "Pollo Loco" take out experience with great interest. I live in Seattle which has banned all styrofoam containers in take out restaurants. In addition, I manage foodservice for a corporate cafeteria serving a population of 1900+. Over the last year we have turned from styrofoam fully compostable plates cups and utensils as part of newly attained GRA certification. We compost the vast majority of our refuse now and instead of our trash going out in a very large compactor every week, trash is now limited to two small dumpsters. Compstable is expensive and still a work in progress, but is becoming a viable option. Our city council has also been toying with the idea of making grocery store charge customers per plastic bag used at the store. Great topic!

Josh Hulett
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You’re entirely right about the awful Styrofoam and plastic containers used for take-out in many (most?) restaurants today. They are inappropriate and a disgrace from a recycling/environmental point of view. Probably the best response is for concerned consumers to refuse to eat at restaurants who continue to negatively impact the environment by using plastic bags, Styrofoam, plastic utensils (non-biodegradable), plastic cups, etc.Some communities have actually passed laws forbidding the use of non-biodegradable food containers and/or plastic bags. On a personal level, I suppose we could all carry our own canvas bags, reuse paper bags, use stainless steel water canteens instead of plastic bottles, and generally boycott plastic soda cans, Styrofoam, and other non-biodegradable containers. Maybe I’ll start carrying my own knife and fork set and plate (sincerely)!In any event, I appreciated your comments and concerns. The unconsciousness of humanity is rampant. Let’s hope other people will continue to promote better environmental consumption and awareness. You have done your part with your E-mail communication to us. Thanks very much....With appreciation,

Jim Boswell
THE BOSWELL COMPANY
www.boswellcompany.com
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Thanks for the email on the amount of waste some restaurants still choose to package to-go food. This is an area that highly irritates me as well. If I find a restaurant gives me to-go food in containers that go in the landfill than I try and not go there in the future. I love that Martha’s Mexican Food on main street in Sebastopol not only has amazing authentic Mexican food but she gives the food in eco-friendly to-go boxes and reusable plastic containers in which I use in my home. I wish I could think of more good examples for you but I can’t! I hope other people email you with suggested restaurants that are doing a great job in this area.Another example of a new green restaurant in Santa Rosa, which is on my list to check-out is http://www.ggsearthandsurf.com/. I haven’t been but I’ve heard good things about the food. The only down-side is the wine list is limited because they are only serving organic and biodynamic wines. I would imagine their to-go packaging is eco-friendly. I plan to twitter my thoughts once I go (possibly this Friday!). I just added you, so would love if you also followed me: http://twitter.com/MySonomaLife

Kim Lapides
Wine Club Director
Lynmar Estate
www.lynmarestate.com
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I agree! I’d rather pay a little more for fast food that encourages recycling and uses items that are biodegradable, supports sustainable measures, etc. (like Chipotle). There are many choices now and it certainly could be a savvy marketing tool!

Ronnie Campbell
THE BURRELL GROUP, LTD.
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I couldn't agree with you more on all of your comments. I'm glad to see you using your platform to educate people in a non-"down your throat" fashion. Same kind of stuff is happening with wine production and the crazy amounts of pesticide, herbicide, fertilizers, fuels, etc, etc. What's it worth to drink low priced wine? Just like the takeout meal, most people either don't know or don't think about all the impacts they are making with their consumer choices. Please, keep the information coming.

Bryan Hope
Sustainable Vine Wine Tours
805.698.3911
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I am 35 years in the restaurant biz...25 years at greenleaf restaurant in ashland oregon...it makes me ill when i see the amount of packaging it takes for a to go order...we do our best to limit containers...we use recycled for some, but i agree with you...it is astounding the waste to package a meal for one person...thanks for keeping the issue in the spotlight...

daniel
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I caught your email on eco-friendly takeout and thought you might be interested in PizzaFusion. We’ve gone to great lengths to address the very concerns you addressed in your email. Below, I’ve included some of the initiatives we’ve taken at our restaurants nation-wide to combat this stigma. Please take a moment to review this information and let me know your thoughts.

PIZZAFUSION'S ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES:

In our restaurants:

·Building all our restaurants according to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification standards set forth by the United States Green Building Council (making us the first and only national restaurant chain to do so)

·Offsetting 100% of our power consumption in our restaurants with the purchase of Green-e certified renewable energy certificates

·Delivering our food in company owned hybrid vehicles

·Promoting sustainable agriculture by serving a more than 75% organic menu

·Mandate recycling in all our stores and giving customers discounts for bringing back their pizza boxes to recycle them

·Using only eco-friendly cleaners to sanitize all our stores

·Serving our food in containers that are made 100% from corn starch and are designed to decompose in landfills in 60 days

·Using spudware utensils that are made 100% from potatoes that biodegrade in 60 days

·Recycling the heat from our ovens to heat the water in our stores

·Selling and providing our employees only with eco-apparel made from 100% organic cotton

·Using only Energy Star Certified appliances in our kitchen whenever possible

·Using 100% post consumer toilet paper and paper towels in all our bathrooms

·Printing our in-store graphics on a banner material made from 100% recycled soda bottles and printed using non-VOC inks

·Using Compact Fluorescent (CF) bulbs in our stores which saves on energy consumption

·Manufacturing bathrooms sinks made entirely from bamboo for our bathrooms

·Using furniture made from reclaimed wood sources

·Using reused construction elements and furniture, such as old church pews used for booth seating, furniture reclaimed from a closed bowling alley, wood flooring salvaged from an old high school gymnasium, discarded slate roof shingles reused as wall tiles, and more

·Install low-flow faucet aerators on our sinks that cut our water usage by as much as 40% from 4 gallons per minute to 2½ gallons per minute

·Using pizza peels, plateware and cutting boards made entirely from bamboo

·Utilizing a cradle-to-cradle approach by reusing glass bottles from our stores to manufacture countertops for our future locations

·Installing a smart lighting system in our bathrooms that automatically turns off when the bathroom is vacant

·Using FSC (Forest Stewardship Council - http://www.fsc.org/en/about) certified wood to build our cabinets and wood fixtures

·Using eco-friendly paints from Green Planet Paints

·Using seat cushions made from naturally biodegradable latex, instead of petroleum based foam

·Using drywall in our build-out that is 95% post-consumer content and locally manufactured

·Using insulation in our restaurants made from recycled blue jeans

·Using the most energy efficient HVAC unit on the market

·Using 30% recaptured industrial concrete

·Using ceiling grids made from 74% recycled aluminum cans and 24% post industrial metals

·Installing bamboo flooring and veneer, instead of wood

·Using ceiling baffles made from recycled composite board

·Prohibit smoking inside all our restaurants with designated smoking areas located at a minimum of 25 feet from our restaurants

·Select restaurant locations that maximize natural light inside our restaurants and are located within close proximity to public transportation, whenever possible

·Using soy based concrete sealer, containing no VOCs, for our floors

·Install floor tiles made of 75% post consumer materials

·Install dual flush, low flow toilets to reduce water waste

Education, philanthropic & political:

·Donate money to environmental causes in, around and beyond our communities

·Host a free organics for kids class every third Saturday of the month that educates children on the importance of eating organic and sustainable living

·Lobbying for political action, such as The Safe Climate Act (H.R. 1590), that supports a more socially responsible future

·Speaking at various environmental events in and around our local communities

·Furthering our eco-impact nationally by speaking at various environmental and organic conferences around the U.S., such as the 2nd Annual Business of Organics Conference (http://www.almevents.com/ conf_page.cfm?instance_id=29& web_id=1017&pid=625) and the 2008 All Things Organic conference (http://www.organicexpo.com/ 07/public/Content.aspx?ID= 14290)

·Organized a holiday bike donation for the Boys and Girls of Deerfield Beach, FL.

·Organized fundraising team for the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life in Delray Beach, FL and chaired the event in organizing its execution.

·Raised $38,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through Team In Training and running the San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon.

Awards & Recognitions

·Fast Casual - #6 in the 2008 Top 100 Movers & Shakers annual listing

·PETA – Top 10 Vegan-Friendly Restaurant in America – http://www.peta.org/mc/ NewsItem.asp?id=11834

·Co-op America – Top 10 Green Business of the Year

·Cookie Magazine – Best Fast Food

·Grist Magazine – Top Green Business Founders

Our mission is to uphold the highest level of integrity in all we do, from the quality and origin of our food to our care for the health of our customers and the environment. Our motto is ‘saving the Earth, one pizza at a time.’

Beyond our organic menu of gourmet pizza, sandwiches, salads, beer and wine, we proudly offer health conscious alternatives for people with selective diets and food allergies. For example, we serve gluten-free pizza, brownies and beer for our friends with celiac disease. Vegans and vegetarians love us for our soy mozzarella (used in our ‘Very Vegan Pizza’) and vegan brownies. We also offer a healthier multi-grain crust for the carb conscious eater.

For additional information, you may download an electronic version of our press kit at http://www.pizzafusion.com/ uploads/documents/presskit.pdf, as well as access all our recent press releases at http://www.pizzafusion.com/ press-room/press-releases.aspx.

Thanks again for your interest in eco-friendly eating. If I may be of assistance in the future, please let me know.
Eric Haley
Vice President of Communications
Pizza Fusion
e.haley@pizzafusion.com
Fresh, Gourmet, Organic Pizza, Sandwiches & Salads
Saving the Earth, One Pizza at a Time!'
www.pizzafusion.com
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I don't know about where you live; but here in Oregon, more and more places are going to 90% post consumer recycled boxes and bowls for their take out. There are also a few companies that produce "plastic" type containers made from corn. These are a bit more expensive, but I am willing to pay for it. Maybe you should ask some of you favorite take-out places to consider switching.

Jason Brumley
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I totally agree. Take out food creates a huge amount of waste. Conscientious take out establishments should have their order takers ask the customer if they need utensils and napkins...and also, use biodegradable containers and charge 10% more.Thanks for bringing up an important subject!

V. Ciarlo
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Excellent point on the amount of trash fast food produces, Margie. I think they should have recycling containers for the various items, (paper, plastic, food, etc.) and come-up with less wasteful containers at the same time. Thank you for pointing this out, it’s been bothering me more and more lately as well.

Dana Johnson
Brewery & Winery Technical Representative
BIRKO Corporation
web: www.birkocorp.com
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Living too far from Poco Loco (salivating) while pondering all those containers... So - - - 1) how much energy is consumed washing dishes vs making recyclable containers??? 2) does your garbage service have a recycle center so that the packaging is separated and goes back to a mfgr??? (i.e. aluminum cans consume less energy than new processed aluminum ore...) 3) How do we get ALL materials recycled [that place in the Pacific where stuff has accumulated - can it be harvested???]One of my crazy things is WATER - letting it run while shaving and radically taking a NAVY shower {get wet, lather, rinse off - requires a comfortable temp in the bathroom unless your a radical outdoorsman }Sorry you asked; I always shudder watching volumes of water flow down the drain @ the Gym from the guys shaving... [would people stop and think if the bowls automatically plugged to show how much water is being consumed??? do sensor faucets use less water? ??paper vs hot air dryers??]so much food for thought; gonna throw up <;(

Scott Jackson
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Margie, great job of pointing out what many restaurants still do…our favorite restaurant in San Rafael, Lotus Cuisine, has finally switched to better (bio) containers after we complained for one year…its all about education…!

Grant Raeside
Executive Director
Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance
www.sonomavalleywine.com
__________________________________________________________________________________Thanks for a very good observation. Yes, I would stop patronizing a place that uses so many non-recyclable products. Unfortunately that would do no good if the company didn’t know why they were losing my business. The next important step would be to notify the company of my intentions, perhaps suggest they change their policy and their take out products and promise to return to their business once they do.Thanks for the article.

Janet Laursen
Amapola Creek Vineyards & Winery
www.amapolacreek.com
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I too have noticed the same problem! I live in the British Virgin Islands, and sadly the locals do not respect their natural surroundings. Styrofoam containers are either littered, placed in a landfill (right at the base of our only rainforest!) or thrown in the incinerator. Such a shame in such a beautiful place! It seems to be a large trend throughout the Caribbean as well. While travelling thorugh the Dominican Republic we crossed a bridge through some stunning foothills, and we couldn't even see the creek as it was filled with plastic shopping bags and styrofoam carry-out containers. People have come up with the shopping bag solution and I proudly carry my Whole Foods bag every time I go shopping, and I was thinking that restaurants could create their own reusable tupperware type thing. It could work a few ways, you could purchase a kit from your favourite restaurant and wash it yourself and bring it in when you place your next order... or exchange resuable packaging when you return again and again. This means the restaurant would be doing the washing up, and you'd have to rely on people actually returning their gear. But at least they wouldn't be tossing it. Believe me, I have thought about this over and over again! I am so happy you noticed and to share my ideas. Might never take off in Tortola, but at least somewhere else in the world just as beautiful may have a fighting chance!

Kind Regards, Michelle
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One probably can't eat takeout and go green. But the first question I had was why do you think that that was a healthy meal? I'm sure it was nice that your friend was thinking about you; but honestly do you really think that that was a healthy meal?Next time you want a fast meal, try an avocado smashed on (sprouted grain) toast and sprinkled with sea salt. It would take less time to prepare than unpacking the stuff you had, and the avocado skin can go in the compost heap. And, oh, yes, with a glass of red wine it would be a complete meal, complete with MUFAs and pH balanced. Now that is healthy!

Dennis
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I read your story and I liked! Today people having less and less respect to the food and would like daily food to be like Nokia cell phone!! very easy to handle small and convenient so you can take with you at any place , and after using just throw in garbage and buy new because is going (mass production) cheep-er and cheep-er( and less quality but more quantity).We should keep restaurant (restaurant is French word for restorations and same time socializing place)to be place where to to eat pay the bills an let them do one time recycling and will be not more mess around. At the same time all grocery stores should sale fresh/food products (without chemicals that kipping product long shells)and cooking love for professionally trained cooks/chefs or for individuals in there own kitchen for there/family own needs.That looks like regulation , and I think we should have regulation in food industry, It is most important industry for our human civilization.

tomo dragosavljevic
Chef tomislavcatering/personal chef & restaurant consulting
www.cheftomislav.com
Toronto-Ont-Canada
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It is indeed a real conundrum for the fast food industry. I am sure they are trying to provide a better food experience for their patrons, which they believe requires the extra packaging to deliver the ingredients at the quality level demanded of patrons. Having been in food packaging positions before, I can tell why they are using the materials that you experienced, and I can also tell that they are trying to mitigate the impact on landfill (even though it doesn't appear to be so!!).Thanks for the article. Maybe if folks like you keep crying out and using their literary powers there will be a higher demand for innovation in the packaging industry. If you want more info related to food packaging, Mr. Glenn White out of Louisville is one of the industry's experts, athttp://www.linkedin.com/pub/12/547/237Ps. If you think the food industry has a lot of packaging, check out pharmaceuticals!!

John
______________________________________________________________________________________I I love your article on recycling and take out food. First off - I hate most fast food. Too much sodium and not healthy! I work with a caterer and we encourage everyone to bring in there own platters, etc...so we do not have much plastic to dispose of at the end of the day. Stay greeen and eat fresh food!I also represent a chef who makes hand made artisan stuffed pasta - cappellacci and borsette are his most famous shapes.Also, another pastry chef who is coming out with a specific fun line if desserts ( I cannot tell you the name yet but it is really catchy!).Lastly, I work with a local coffee roaster who provides fresh ground coffee nation-wide. Private label too. We have been to some shows.I live in Illinois and would like to introduce them to people nation wide. Any thoughts, advice or assistance would be greatly appreciated. Especially how to get into the Wine Country market in CA.

Suzanne M. Accurso
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While I agree the number of containers astounding, you can't fault the restaurant as you were the one ordering the food items for take out. I suppose you could show up with your own containers but that is improbable. So fill your freezer with frozen items and nuke? Or cut down on the things you order. And bring your own carry out sak. I have a number of insulated bags I use, keep them in the back of my car.I have a film catering company and would love to use the new biodegradable knives and forks but they are crazy expensive, and my clients have already cut back on how much they want to spend, so I use flimsy paper plates and plastic knives and forks. Any thoughts on that?

Chery Corshen
Puttin' On the Ritz Catering
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This is an eye opening commentary. Myself and my wife take out food once sometimes twice per week, and I really do not pay much attention to this, but will make a point to comment on it to some of the places we frequent. This is a very relevant and needed area of remark, and like you say, if people took a moment to consider how much of this garbage it takes just to feed us a meal, it would make them take notice.

Excellent post!

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Although we run a small wine bar and wine shop, we have made many changes. All our take-out containers are recyclable. I stopped buying Styrofoam wine shippers and now use pulp (recycled paper) egg crate shippers. They also take up less room... Bonus! If I am shipped wine in Styrofoam, I offer my customers the option of getting a free shipping box and the knowledge they are helping to recycle (reuse). We encourage our wine club customers to recycle the paper wine bags we give them each month (reuse). Our "popped" corks go to the local schools for kids art projects. The kids have also collected corks (as a contest) to donate to Re-cork America (reuse & recycle). I installed a lot of light dimmers and not only does it save on electricity, but the bulbs last 12-18 months longer (save energy)! Five years ago I bought a box of plastic bags. I still have it. We are not perfect, buy we have come a long way in the past five years, setting a standard in our business.

Rick D, Mendell, President & OwnerRick's Wine CellarCorte Madera, CA 94925
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I think it was last summer, that I saw a segment on Good Morning America that talked about companies that are making the disposable containers made out of biodegradable styrofoam made from corn or soy. Also, I went to the Southwest Food Expo when it was held here in Dallas a couple years ago. Anchor Hocking was there promoting their line of reusable microwaveable containers designed for take out items. I agree, it's a disturbing thought - about the waste, but now that "green" is trendy, more people will want these items and hopefully they'll become more affordable for small business foodservice. So, I believe that being green while eating out will become/is becoming more common.

Mary McCreery
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Wow, I had no idea how much @#$% comes with a take out meal. We rarely eat take out, but I will definitely think twice about it. There are some companies who do it better - Organic To Go (a former client), Whole Foods containers are bio-degradable and M Chaya Cafe (Los Angeles).We do try to limit our footprint, but it can be challenging sometimes especially when you're rushing around just trying to keep your head above water.I would love some suggestions as to how we can ask for less packaging at a place like El Pollo Loco (love them btw) or other options.Thanks for the great post.

Carin Galletta
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Thanks for forwarding this information. Personally as someone who tries to do the right thing when it comes to eco/conservation I, too, am floored by the waste associated with take-out products. Add to that the distance traveled by most food/ingredients used in commercial/restaurant establishments, and the overall impact on the environment is incredible (and we’re not even looking at the benefits of organic gardening).For many reasons, I decided to take a marketing position with E-cloth, an eco-friendly cloth with dramatic benefits including reduction of paper waste and unnecessary tree harvesting and the virtual elimination of the need for cleaning solutions. Did you know that the average family of four in the US uses nearly 38 trees worth of paper products (napkins, paper towels, toilet paper and tissues, which are made from virgin wood not recycled paper) and that even many ‘green’ cleaning solutions contain chemicals that when combined with others that exist in water run off create dangerous concoctions? E-cloth uses only water and cleans like no other paper towel, rag or microfiber on the market. The company has an extensive list of products, including a Drinkware Drying and Polishing Towel. I am happy to send you a sample if you are interested in checking it out, may be sharing your thoughts with your network of friends/followers. If you are interested in running a give away, we will gladly donate a package.Please let me know and again, thank you for sharing your ezine info with us.

Lauren Curley
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Your thoughts have influenced me to think and act.

Amarjit Bindra
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Thanks Margie,It is a brilliant article!

Jose Ruiz
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Yes, Margie, you are 100% right. Thanks for at least mentioning the waste that goes along ‘convenience’, whether it’s for food or almost any other service or commodity. Does the packaging industry have some secret rewards program that gives bonus points to wasteful, non-eco packaging?

Thanks again for the effort. We can always hope that a few more people at least start thinking a little bit.

Cheers-

David Key
Schug Carneros Estate Winery
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Hi Margie,

A friend of mine forwarded your recent question about eating takeout and going green. She receives your Ezine and thought I would be interested in this question.

Your list of items to be thrown away or recycled was pretty impressive but also quite typical. Unfortunately our, and when I say our I mean ours in the context of industrialized nations, modern food system is based on the quick and easy. The costs are never fully built into the price of what you get. You’re right, we can’t afford it and the truth is the rest of the world bares a lot of the cost of these habits.

There are some great solutions to this problem that save costs and reduce waste in this regard yet allow people to still continue to frequent “take out” establishments. At least these are some that I can think of.

A. Bring your own reusable food containers from home and/or keep some at the office. I’ve asked the places I frequent on a regular basis if they’ll give me a discount for using my own containers. In some establishments I’ll use their paper container but refuse bags, utensils, and napkins and use my own back at the office.

B.Bring your own containers for sit down establishments to use as “doggie bags” for leftovers.

C.Retail food outlets can offer incentives for people to bring their own containers. In the end this saves them in reducing overhead costs.

D.Communities can mandate that containers used for takeout are either fully compostable or recyclable.

E.And yes, customers can choose not to frequent an establishment that disregards their concerns about what types of containers they might use. It may seem harsh but if you value a pristine natural environment why shouldn’t that be a condition for why you frequent an establishment.

If it tastes good, but it leaves a bad taste in your mouth are you really going to enjoy it.

Thanks for this post. I hope it gets people thinking.

Best regards,

Mathew Lachesnez-Heude
Environmental Manager
Lindblad Expeditions

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As with anything, people need to vote with their dollars. Corps only respond when it hits their bottom line. In this case, only when they become aware their biz is slipping unless they at least pretend to be Green.
Glenn A Curry

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This is a beautiful email. I am very glad you made it, and I agree 100%.

These kind of considerations are so important and when producing a product, you realize how much wrapping and containers are used..it is crazy.

I am looking forward to the Hess Collection tasting, and am due to arrive in CA this coming Thursday to begin our Summer launch. I look forward to seeing what events we can grow to do with you.

Thanks again for this newsletter & speak with you soon.

Andrew Lazorchak

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I couldn’t agree more. What I have tried to do on occasion is take my own Tupperware or pot to a restaurant. The other thing is that Sonoma needs to make some changes that prohibit restaurants and markets from using Styrofoam containers. The paper take out boxes are a bit more costly, but I think a step in the right direction. I do know that there are products similar to Styrofoam out there that are recyclable and actually edible, made from potatoes or some starch.

Rose Galanty
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We run a B&B. Many of our guests go out for dinner and often time bring left overs home in those oh so lovely styrofoam containers. Once they have had their snacks it is often up to us to dispose of their styrofoam. I hate putting it in the garbage but that is pretty much all you could do with it. Imagine my surprise when one of our guests pointed out that the containers were bio degradable. They had gone to Ricardo's Mediterranean Restaurant in Lake Country/ Kelowna and asked for their food to be packed to go. Signs up at Ricardo's told them the containers were all bio degradable and good for composting. We happily put them in our compost. How great is that? I wish more restaurants would use those containers.

Regards

Robby Tranfield
Country Ridge Ranch House B&B
Come & be pampered in the Okanagan
www.countryridgebedandbreakfast.com

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Great post. As a quick service restaurant owner myself, I have noticed the intolerable amount of trash that is accumulated with takeout. This is one of the primary reasons I decided to join the Green Restaurant Association. As for our restaurant, The Pita Pit, we don't really produce that much trash with our take out. 1 paper bag, possibly a biodegradable PLA bag depending on the size, recycled napkins (unbleached) , PLA (corn based) biodegradable cups and a paper wrapper. The key is to get more and more restaurants involved. The more eco-friendly products restaurants buy, the cheaper they will become.

Adam Palmer