A few tips on how you can eat out without contributing to the plastic epidemic.

◊ By SAAPH

MAKE eating out an indulgence, not a routine occurrence (for the sake of your health).

FORGET about FOMO. Walk down to your nearest market instead of going in your car. This will help you cut down on your carbon footprint, and hopefully lose a few calories as well.

PREFERABLY only visit eateries serving food in reusables. Patronise and popularise such vendors/shops in order to encourage them to continue these good practices.

AVOID eating from so-called biodegradable disposables. Mostly, they’re plastic-lined and bad for your health. They end up as trash and cannot be recycled due to the plastic lining. The “miracle solution” moulded plant fibre bowls, containers made from bagasse, cornstarch, etc, have been known to contain harmful ‘forever chemicals’. Please don’t fall for them either. Eating in reusable steel/glass is the healthiest option.

IF ordering online, only order if the concerned restaurant does not use plastic bags, plastic cutlery, or even non-woven bags (they’re a form of plastic too). Call ahead and enquire if they use plastics in their packaging.

CARRY your own Sustainability Kit containing reusable utensils, as well as, a bag to bring back soiled ones when visiting your favourite street food joints. For those unplanned visits, permanently keep one such kit in your vehicle, which should contain at least a few of the items one needs for food consumption and packaging.

CARRY your own leakproof stainless steel tiffin(s) of variable sizes to the market for bringing back home takeaway minus the disposable trash, or for packing leftovers to avoid food wastage.

CARRY your own water bottle. Plastic bottled water is killing us slowly and we must stop supporting sale of the same.

CARRY at least two reusable bags, one for eatables/take-aways, another for shopping.

IF you find no means of segregated disposal of your dry waste in the market, bring it back home in order to dispose of it correctly.

CARRY your own cloth napkins/handkerchiefs. Avoid paper napkins.

DO not litter and reprimand anyone doing so.

BE conscious of and grateful to ragpickers for their contribution in reducing our trash.

How to Make a Sustainability Kit – by Dr Supriya Mahajan Sardana

SAAPH (Sustainable Alternatives Awareness Against Plastic & Household Waste) is a citizens’ awareness initiative by concerned residents of Arun Vihar, Noida.