There are moments when I do a little math. Mental math that is. There are about 7 billion humans on the earth right now, and each one needs to eat 2-3 meals per day. With the average worldwide life span at 71 years, that is how many meals? Okay, I cannot work these numbers out without a calculator, so let’s suffice to say it’s a lot of meals.
An unnamed person in our home ordered Chinese food for pick up. Here is the garbage that resulted from one person for one meal.
My little math brain starts to calculate how much energy was used to create the packaging, as well as the food, for this meal. And the energy used to dispose of it. Where we live the garbage is incinerated 40 miles away. The garbage trucks get about 5 miles to the gallon when the truck is full. That is a lot of energy on the backend.
Then I have to shut down my mental math brain, and go to a place where there is an increasing number of people who recognize that we cannot keep doing this. Not for ourselves or for the other living beings that inhabit this planet.
The number of people in the awareness group is increasing. I have been so inspired by the Millennials who are beginning to make their mark on the environmental movement. What more powerful way to get adults to change their habits than to have kids motivate them.
Take the Pledge. Resolve to Refuse single use plastic disposables. At the same time that you are cleaning up the planet you are cleaning up your own health. Plastic is toxic, warm and hot plastic is more toxic. You deserve the health of reusable cutlery and dishes.
One meal at a time, one person at a time.
Namaste
Great post, Sydney! Restaurants could also do a better job at using less packaging and not adding condiments and plates to every package unless the customer asks. Thanks again.
Yes, and hopefully the styrofoam ban will help to highlight this to all of us. Thanks for pointing this out.
Peace & Green