Choose to Reuse
Thanks to a new law, Oregonians can now bring their own containers to participating restaurants, food carts, grocery stores and other retail food establishments when purchasing food. Containers may be used for over-the counter-foods like meat, cheese and deli foods, beverages, bulk foods, to-go orders or taking leftovers home. It’s a great way to reduce single-use packaging and help businesses in our area save money.
Get in the habit of taking your containers with you. Containers cannot be used if they are dirty, chipped or cracked – and make sure they are suitable for the type of food or beverage you are getting.
Become a reuse champion and influencer in your community. “Reduce, reuse, recycle” is in that order for a reason – the further upstream we can reduce our consumption, the bigger the environmental and human health benefits. Reusing containers and reducing use of single-use plastic is a great way to have a positive impact in our region and world.
These are small, doable changes that can make a big impact, as noted by Clinton Street Coffeehouse: “It can feel like we are only taking small steps, but we know that if we can shift consumer behavior and suggest new norms for our coffee consumption, all our small steps can really add up,” said Kate Lor, the store manager. “In the last year, we estimate to have saved over 30,000 disposable cups!” [Source: 2024 article]
