| 7 Ways to Reduce the Waste When You do Takeout Waste, waste, waste… in this tough economy, we all want to find ways to make sure we don’t waste anything! And that can be a tough task when it comes time to do takeout food. (Admit it, no matter how good a cook you are, occasionally, you can resist a quick trip to your favourite take-out place for dinner, right?) As you know, Tru Earth is committed to reducing plastic waste, so here are 6 things you can do to reduce waste on your next trip for dinner-on-the-go. There are a growing number of options for zero-waste takeout, including some high-tech systems that could one day be deployed across entire cities to make throwaway containers obsolete. The simplest ones — such as customers bringing their own containers and restaurants not automatically offering things like plastic cutlery — are free and can even save restaurants money. According to Statistics Canada*, annual sales at fast-food restaurants alone totalled $30.5 billion in 2017. Assuming an average of $10 a meal, that translates into 83 fast-food meals per person — and all the associated waste. That's before you include takeout and delivery from full-service restaurants in Canada, which has been skyrocketing in popularity, especially with the arrival of delivery services like UberEATS and Foodora. Here's a look at some of the options already available. Bring-your-own-container The simplest start is for customers to bring their own containers to restaurants, unprompted. Bring your own takeout containers to restaurants. They can be part of a kit you keep in your vehicle, which also includes reusable shopping and produce bags, mugs and water bottles. Most businesses seem happy to fill these containers. BYOC with restaurant support Some restaurants are actively trying to reduce waste by offering up low-cost, reusable containers at their stores. Reusable coffee tumblers have long been a mainstay at chains like Starbucks and Tim Hortons, sometimes netting customers who use them a slight discount on their daily dose of caffeine. Just Salad is one international chain that has taken on the challenge, giving customers the option to buy a reusable bowl with a lid for $1 US that they can bring in each time they visit. As an incentive, those customers get free toppings. Rent from a restaurant Some establishments allow customers to bring in their own containers, but also offers a rental option at participating restaurants for about 75 cents a day. The problem with that model is the amount that restaurants must invest upfront is "so huge." That may be one reason why there aren't a lot of restaurants that offer rental containers, especially given the risks involved in trying something that government officials aren't used to. There are also some establishments that rent takeout containers on a small scale. For example, Craque de Crème in Toronto offers "to go" crème brûlée in mini-Mason jars, and Tyme Food in New York City sells salads in jars out of kiosks and vending machines. Both companies charge a refundable $1 deposit. Delivery, with the dirty dishes picked up Where waste-free takeout becomes convenient, especially compared to traditional disposables, is when the dishes get delivered to you — and you can return them dirty. That's common practice in South Korea, where food delivery workers return later and collect the containers off your doorstep. These companies aim to not just reduce waste, but also to encourage people to make lunch a social experience. Many require customers to order at least five meals at once and delivery includes a question to ask one another, such as: "Where would you like to travel and why?" The company will pick up the dirty dishes later that same day. Campuswide systems Wouldn't it be great if you could count on all restaurants, everywhere to offer a reusable option, and returning it was convenient? Many university campuses — and some cities — are starting to make that a reality. Several Canadian universities, including Western University in London, Ont., and the University of British Columbia, have programs where students can buy a membership and get access to reusable plastic clamshells when they buy food on campus. The containers can be dropped off dirty to be cleaned and sanitized for reuse. McGill University in Montreal takes that system one step further, with its technology-enabled Ozzi system. Launched in 2014, it allows students to choose a reusable plastic clamshell, with reusable cutlery, instead of a disposable one when getting takeout from university residences. (Compostable single-use containers remain available, but they cost 60 cents.) Citywide systems GO Box, in San Francisco and Portland, Ore., and Green to Go, in Durham, N.C., are programs trying to apply this type of concept to entire cities using technology and systems like bike-sharing programs. With Green to Go, customers use an app to check out where reusable takeout containers are offered and can order meals at 25 participating restaurants. They can return the dirty containers at any participating restaurant or other drop-off locations around their city found through the app. Green to Go collects the containers and washes them at an industrial facility before dropping off clean replacements at participating restaurants, which don't all have industrial dishwashers themselves. Tru Earth Beeswax Wraps and Snack Bags Carry a reusable Tru Earth Beeswax Snack Bag or two with you when you hit the restaurant. It’s a healthy, eco-friendly way to take home that extra bit of dinner you just can’t quite finish, or those tasty cheese snacks offered after you dine. Tru Earth Beeswax Wraps are great for taking home some veggie slices or fruit bites and you can use them over and over (because they are washable in cool water.) Click here to grab some Tru Earth Beeswax Snack Bags or click here for Tru Earth Beeswax Wraps. *https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/180221/dq180221d-eng.htm | 
