One of the largest, most pressing topics concerning global pollution is the fact that humans have created so much waste and have nowhere to put it. Trash is being drained out into the oceans, people are throwing away items that could easily be recycled, and landfills are piling up everywhere. Because of this large issue, the planet is suffering from some painful consequences.. There has been an abundance of cases of marine life dying or being injured due to trash floating in the water, as well as land animals who are inhaling harmful gases that are emitted into the air due to some types of manufacturing processes. All in all, it’s a dire situation that will take some time to fix.
Now, just because it cannot be fixed overnight does not mean that we should not take every step, no matter how small, to minimize the amount of materials that we waste and throw away. One initial step that can be taken includes looking at our daily life routines and analyzing what products we use that are unnecessary, or are not being taken care of properly. The first routine that comes to mind is one of pure necessity: eating. While the most ecofriendly practice for enjoying meals is by cooking and eating at home, we know that many people like to enjoy a night out at a nice restaurant. For those nights, we have a couple of suggestions to help eliminate the amount of waste used, and to make the planet a much healthier place for its inhabitants.
Refuse Plastic Straws
Many of you may already be aware of this, as Starbucks has recently dedicated their company to removing all plastic straws from their stores by 2020, but using plastic straws is incredibly dangerous to the environment. While these straws should never have made it into the ocean to begin with, we can do our part to make sure that any more chances of this occurring are eliminated. When eating out at a restaurant, you can politely ask your server to not bring a straw with your drink. If you feel that you need a straw to drink out of, or have a disability that requires you to use straws while drinking, there are plenty of reusable straw options online that are made of metal or glass. These are easy to clean, and sometimes even come with a keychain to make carrying it around easier! You can feel good about yourself by not adding to the amount of straws already in the ocean, while still enjoying your drink!
Bring a Reusable Cup for Drinks
If you are out at a fast food restaurant or diner that offers their beverages in paper or plastic cups, bring your own reusable cup. You will still be charged for the drink, but many establishments do not mind you bringing your own cup instead of theirs. You will be eliminating some excessive waste, while being able to get a drink and even refill it as much as you want!
Decline the Receipt
We know how convenient it is to have a copy of your receipt, but if we’re being honest with ourselves, we likely will throw it away once we leave the restaurant, and the paper that we asked for will be wasted. Do the planet’s trees a huge favor and opt out of a receipt if possible.
Keep the Leftovers
Feeling full after a large meal? Don’t let the rest of that food go to waste in a landfill! Ask your server to give you a to-go box, so that you can bring the leftovers home with you. You can save it for lunch the next day, feed it to your pets as a snack, use it for compost, or let another family member have it. (side note – considering we make and market Styrofoam (AKA EPS) we best not say it this way)
Take Home the Excess Paper Napkins
Ever go through the drive-thru at a fast food place and have a million napkins left over after finishing all of the food? Don’t let those napkins go to waste! Bring them home to use for later, or keep them in your car! We often make messes as we drive and are in need of something quick to clean them up, so why not have a backup of napkins hidden in your center console? You’ll be doing yourself, and the environment, a huge favor.
Take a Picnic Instead
Want to get a change of scenery for dinner without having to actually spend any money? Why not opt for a picnic instead of spending unnecessary cash at a restaurant? You can enjoy all of your food from home in a new, perhaps even beautiful, location and make an event out of it. Just be sure to bring reusable silverware, cups, and plates to make the experience incredibly ecofriendly.
The best way to travel with food would definitely be a cooler. However, you should be careful with which cooler you use. Have you ever experienced the coolers that not only crumble and fall apart but just don’t seem to keep your food cold? Not ours! Made of a molded EPS, they are stronger, sturdier, and thanks to the R-value, are more efficient at keeping your food and drinks the perfect temperature. Try one of the EPS foam coolers that we produce! They are thick, come in a variety of sizes, and are reusable, so that you can go green while enjoying the great outdoors!
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