I’ll start this with a disclaimer: I’m not the best one to be writing this. We so rarely order take-out (or go out to eat, for that matter) that my knowledge is severely limited. I’m hoping you’ll all help me in the comments. I need to know all about about Flagstaff’s Most Sustainable Restaurants for Take-Out.
Why doesn’t my family take more advantages of restaurants? Well, there’s the obvious: they’re expensive. But also, every time we decide to do take-out, we’re always confronted by the guilt of all the non-recyclable plastic that food the food comes in, and it really takes away from the joy of the experience.
Flagstaff doesn’t recycle clamshell containers—all that goes straight to the landfill. Plastic and Styrofoam cups, too. If you’re on it, you can request no plastic cutlery (which also often comes in a plastic wrap) or straws, but you have to remember to do so. Usually, all the food comes in a plastic bag to boot.
How can you avoid this impact on the environment? Well, you can minimize the problem, such as, as I mentioned, using your own silverware. You can reduce your take-out consumption, like we do. But it would be really nice if restaurants used more sustainable packaging. Can we, as consumers, put some pressure on them to do so?
So here’s where I’m asking for your help. Which restaurants in Flagstaff (or in your home town) have the most sustainable take-out options? We typically do pizza because the boxes are often recyclable—just say no to the individual packets of parmesan and red peppers and use your own. (Bonus: Ni Marcos has targets on the back of the boxes if anyone in your family hunts.) Which other restaurants can you feel good about? Please leave them in the comments and talk them up on social media. Conversely, which saddle you with tons of landfill material? A little consumer pressure might go a long way toward policy change!
