WHY are we doing this?
Single-use plastic disposable packaging and utensils are rampant in the food and beverage business. We see the effects all around us: Single-use disposables litter our streets, parks, waterways and oceans.  Polystyrene, more familiarly known as Styrofoam, and other non-recyclable take-out containers and utensils, contain toxic substances potentially harmful to humans; they leach toxins into the environment affecting the health of humans and animals and creating greenhouse gases. Furthermore, production of these petrochemical products is an extremely polluting process that negatively impacts human health and contributes to the climate crisis.

The aim of this survey is to assess the usage of hazardous packaging materials in our local eateries and determine next steps to help  owners/managers gain greater understanding of the problem and learn more about alternatives to using these hazardous materials.

​HOW?
You can help by visiting a local restaurant of your choosing or ordering takeout. Observe what kinds of packaging they use for food and beverage products and record it via this survey. If you are inclined to speak with an owner or manager to find out more about their packaging choices and challenges, and you can do so without disrupting the flow of business, please do so and record your learnings here.

For this purpose, EATERIES = restaurants, delis, markets, any business that uses take-out packaging.