Ideal Bite

It is unbelievable how many places use styrofoam now. Even the vegan/vegetarian restaurants locally use it for their take out and cups. We often go to Camille's (http://www.camillescafe.com/) and take our own glasses because they use styrofoam cups. Their plates and utensils are reuseable though. Other places we'll have to start taking our own containers for any potential leftovers. Not related to food, you can recycle your unwanted styrofoam packing peanuts at most UPS Shipping Stores. On the bright side, The city of Los Angeles just announced that Styrofoam is now included in its curbside recycling program. This is due to a California mandate that 70% of all generated waste must be diverted from the landfills. Hopefully other cities will follow suit with the Styrofoam recycling.

Cooking at home is a great idea. But if you're going out to dinner and you feel you're pretty well guaranteed that you're going to bring your food home in a doggy bag, try bringing your own doggy-bag. Getting Chinese food take-out? Try to get them to use your containers instead of theirs. Here's a washable ceramic take-out box you could try. http://www.wrapables.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=C50629&prodli... Maybe that's weird and a bit extreme...

Unfortunately, this is a common delimma for me- as I love going out to eat, but always end up with a "doggy bag". For a long time, I tried to come up with a solution to bringing my own container (cause, you know a plastic container just doesn't fit in my little black purse- lol) and I finally found something that kinda works. http://order.tupperware.com/coe/app/tup_show_item.show_item_detail?fv_it... Its a fold flat tupperware, so as long as I bring a bigger purse- fits right in! Now, if only this company would start making containers with lids, that would be really cool: http://www.orikaso.com/

Great tip, bite. Can't wait 'til LA bans styrofoam too.

How timely. We've just been working up the nerve to take in our own containers for take out. We're looking to use tiffin carriers.

i HATE that places still use styrafoam and I try to avoid it whenever possible. I order breakfast most mornings in my office and opt for breakfast sandwhiches & the like as their 'platters' are served in styrafoam. I was recently at an upscale env friendly (org beef, etc) restaurant and when my leftovers came out in that packaging I told the waiter in no uncertain terms (but politely of course - he's hardly making that call!) what I thought about using that material, especially for good food. He promised to tell his mgr and I like to pretend they stopped using it...

I have a question about composting paper food containers. Which can go in and which can't? Sticking to the topic, I try to also bring containers to restaurants for leftovers. Even better, my boyfriend and I often split one meal instead of ordering two meals so we don't have any leftovers in the first place, and we save money in the process as well.

Waxed paper doesn't compost very well in a residential setting which cuts out most paper food containers. Paper bags can be composted or recycled. Plastic bags fall into the same category as grocery bags. There are some newer polycarbonate-like containers that are clear and relatively waterproof, for at least a little while, that are made out of corn starch. These can be composted and will usually say on the product itself.

I tried a CSA when it was suggested about a month ago. I am loving it. I used to try to get to the farmers market, but some weeks were just too busy. This way the farmers market comes to me. It comes in handy when I need to grab a snack or lunch to go too. I just grab an apple, a tomato, a peach, whatever came in the basket for that week and go. The farm that delivers my basket personalizes it too, so I only get the produce that I like to eat. Last weeks basket had an extra surprize of a whole watermelon. MMMMMMMMMMMM.

It's fine to provide consumers with tips for conscientious decision-making...but in order to truly effect change you should empower the consumers with knowledge they can provide to service providers, e.g., restaurant operators. I have a great local sandwhich place that insists on using styrofoam, I limit my visits due to the styrofoam but my in-laws insist on using the place regularly. If I had literature on biodegradeable, economically feasible packaging I would present it to the manager in a heartbeat. I would even give a sales-pitch on how they could use it as a sales-pitch.