Solving The Takeout Waste Problem
Posted on
Over the course of the last year or so, everyone has had to adjust the way their meals work to some degree. Restaurants closed, grocery trips became grocery trials, and delivery became more popular than ever.
Unfortunately, inevitably, there was a dramatic rise in packaging waste with that increase in takeout and delivery. What’s more, eco-friendly alternatives to things like plastic forks and straws took a backseat for convenience and sanitary precautions.
At Farm to Fit, we are committed to sustainability at all levels of our operation, from sourcing products to our blogging, so we thought we’d take a look at the takeout pollution problem.
The coronavirus pandemic and its resulting economic fallout have changed our lives in countless ways, but its effect on plastic consumption has not been subtle. While it may be a cheap and useful material, it takes a heavy toll on oceans, animals, and the earth’s atmosphere. Less than 10% of United States plastic is recycled. The rest ends up in oceans, landfills, or greenhouse gas-generating incinerators.
Plastic to-go containers and single-use plastic bags have helped restaurants survive the fallout of dine-in closures, but at a cost to our environment. Online orders increased by 127% during this pandemic.
Nearly half of all solid waste in the US is made up of food and food packaging materials, and restaurants make up 78% of disposable packaging.
Covid has also caused the fall of oil prices worldwide, meaning new unrecycled plastic has been cheaper than ever, further encouraging production of single-use plastics and discouraging recycling.
Farm to Fit delivers our meals in reusable insulated cooler bags, meaning no plastic bags ever. Our meal delivery model eliminates the need for any kind of disposable cutlery, straws, condiment packets, etc. The plastic containers individual meals arrive in are microwave safe and reusable as tupperware!
Farm to Fit is now certified Plastic Neutral by rePurpose Global. For every product we sell, we are donating a percentage towards vetted programs that will remove and recover as much plastic waste from the environment as we use in our packaging and operations. In addition to reducing our plastic use wherever possible, this partnership with rePurpose Global allows us to fund cutting-edge recycling, support ethical wages for marginalized waste workers in Maharashtra, India, and ultimately reduce plastic leakage into landfills and waterways. By doing so, we are proud to announce that every Farm to Fit purchase will now carry a Net Zero Plastic Footprint. Learn more about our Plastic Neutral Guarantee at https://www.business.repurpose.global/farmtofit.
Takeout and delivery services are expensive and produce tons of plastic waste, so consider how often you're ordering in. If you're overdoing takeout or delivery, why not switch to Farm to Fit for a more sustainable supper service?