Sustainable Best Practice: Serviceware by Request
We often talk about the environmental benefits of using reusable items: reusable shopping bags, reusable water bottles, reusable straws, reusable to-go containers. The list goes on and on. We've all been in the check-out line when we've realized we forgot our bag or maybe in the drive-thru line and realized we've forgotten our straw. Let's take those moments to ask ourselves: Do I need this item?
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Reducing our waste is the best, most sustainable action we can take. It's better than recycling, and it's better than reusing, too. One potentially easy opportunity to reduce our waste is when eating out or getting food to go.
Next time you find yourself at a restaurant and the server asks if you want a straw, pause, and ask yourself - Do I need this? For some, the answer may be yes, but for others not. Or maybe you're in the drive-thru and they ask if you want ketchup. Are you taking your food home to eat where you have a full bottle of ketchup in the fridge...and a reusable straw? Becoming aware of these everyday opportunities to reduce our waste is the first step in being more sustainable
Opportunity for Consumers AND Businesses
The opportunity to reduce waste isn't just on the consumer. The business also has incentive to reduce waste by only offering single-use items by request. Does your community have a coffee cart, kitchen, or restaurant? By keeping straws and paper napkins, sauce packets and plastic utensils behind the counter, it encourages customers to consider whether they really need the item, rather than grabbing it because it's there. Staff can also ask to-go orders if they would like these single-use items, rather than automatically placing utensils, napkins, and sauce packets in to-go bags.
Reducing our waste makes environmental, social, and economic sense.
Challenge yourself to minimize your waste and help your community become more sustainable.
