Some of us put in a lot of effort to incorporate sustainability into our daily lives. Every little thing helps the planet—using reusables, recycling properly, composting at home—especially if we all contribute.
But when you order delicious takeout from your favorite neighborhood spot, suddenly you’re bombarded with a ton of single-use plastic silverware, straws, packaging, containers, and other bits and bobs.
Throwing all of that out after one meal can feel like a huge waste. The problem is that most takeout material cannot be recycled. Combined with the plastic waste and recycling management crises facing the world, ordering takeout can feel like a bad idea.
"Our tendency to opt for what is convenient often leads to waste", says Alexandra Bede, Senior Manager of Sustainability at Grove Collaborative. "With a few intentional and mindful changes, we all can reduce the amount of single-use, plastic waste when ordering from our favorite takeout spot."
Instead of giving up and never ordering takeout again, let’s break down what we can do and what we can avoid to make takeout a little more bearable for the planet.