How to Be More Eco-Friendly When Eating Out
Everyone cares about the environment, but not everyone knows what they can do about it. Luckily, when small changes are multiplied by billions of people, we can make a huge impact for good. But those small changes have to start with each one of us. So what can you do to be more eco-friendly when eating out? Here are three simple ideas.
Bring a Reusable Straw
We use hundreds of millions of straws every single day in the United States. Most of those straws end up in landfills, where the plastic degrades into tiny particles that seep into the water we drink, the air we breathe, and the food we eat. Single-use plastic is a serious problem, and you can do your part by taking a reusable straw with you whenever you eat out. If you don’t like the taste that comes with rubber straws, go for stainless steel. Some stainless steel straws even come equipped with a soft mouthpiece and bristled cleaner.
Eat Locally Produced Fare
Shipping food around the country and even the world packs a massive carbon footprint. You can reduce that carbon footprint by eating locally produced fare as much as possible. Do some research to find out what restaurants and food trucks near you utilize local ingredients, and support their efforts with your business. Not only are locally produced foods more environmentally friendly, but they’re fresher too! Think locally sourced meats, dairy products, and produce. If you aren’t sure where your food comes from, just ask!
Opt for Turkey or Chicken
While animal-based foods have a large carbon footprint in general, beef generates a whopping 60 kilograms of greenhouse gases per kilogram of meat. That’s 60 times more than the emissions from most fruits and vegetables, and over twice the amount of the next highest offender–lamb. At 8 kilograms, poultry is far more eco-friendly than beef. If you want to significantly reduce your carbon footprint, opt for turkey or chicken.
If everyone cared enough to even make a few small changes towards being more environmentally conscious, we could significantly reduce the negative impact we’re making on our planet. It isn’t difficult to bring a reusable straw with you or search out local food sources. What changes are you willing to make for the sake of this beautiful earth?
Did you know that many food trucks utilize local fare to create their delicious street food? And, food trucks are more eco-friendly than restaurants because of their compact size. Don’t miss out on the food trucks near you. Get the app that lets you find food trucks and even order online by clicking here!
