Food and Farming
The Frog will explore The Climate Action Handbook: A Visual Guide to 100 Climate Solutions by Heidi Roop in the first 100 days of 2024
In the first `100 days of 2024 we will explore 100 climate solutions that may “empower you to evaluate, engage, and act” to address on-going climate change as an individual on your terms.
The pandemic overthrew the normal operation of the food service industry. Throughout the lockdown, our family decided to (and had the means to) support our local restaurants by ordering more takeout than we normally would. We would typically order takeout and pick it up curbside, but others – some 45.6 million Americans in 2020 – used delivery apps for their meals. As we emerge from the pandemic, the food service industry is finding a new normal, with a significant number of customers preferring to continue to use delivery services for their food.
What is the climate impact of all the packaging that is an inevitable component of a takeout meal? Well, it depends on what you order. An Australian study published in 2021` summarized the climate impact of five typical takeout foods, listed in order from most to least emissions associated with the packaging of the food:
- Hamburgers packaged in foam clamshell boxes – 0.29 kg CO2e
- Thai food in a polypropylene container – 0.23 kg CO2e
- Pizza in a cardboard box – 0.20 kg CO2e
- Indian food in a black flat container with a clear lid – 0.18 kg CO2e
- Chinese food in a paper container – 0.16 kg CO2e
It takes considerable energy and raw materials (paper and plastic) to produce packaging. Because they are viewed as single-use, they are mostly thoughtlessly discarded or irrationally accumulated (how many bags of plastic food containers do you have stashed). The packages are not easily recyclable (often excluded from recycling streams) and often end up in the landfill (or illegally dumped). [My county’s composting site accepts pizza used boxes, so we have that going for us]. Studies have shown that realistic recycling processes for takeout packaging could have a big impact: an estimated 33% reduction in their global warming potential.
Want to take action? Research! Choose your local restaurants based on their ability to deliver your food with the least amount of packaging. When you place your order, request that your food be put in the fewest number of containers if possible (and ask that the do not include plastic utensils and sauces packaged in plastic packets). When deciding which bin they go in, know if the packages can actually be recycled: it may be better to place clean containers (with no food debris) in the trash than in the recycling stream. And of course, order only what you need and compost the leftovers!
Next Up: Climate Action in 2024 – Day 33: Thoughtfully Opt for Meat Alternatives
Howard Creel
#rescuethatfrog
Email: rescuethatfrog@gmail.com