

Time to Rethink How you Eat - Lunch
Part 2 of a 3 part series
As discussed in the Time to
Rethink Breakfast article, each time we get take-out we produce lots of
trash. In this article, we will help you create less trash at lunch-time. If
you bring your lunch to work daily, great job, but it is still worth reading this article to ensure the containers you are using are as healthy for you as possible.
Changing Your Routine
I will be honest there are two things that make bringing
lunch to work in the most eco-friendly way somewhat difficult – the prep and
the clean-up. Prep is the easiest (and
greenest) when you can take leftovers from dinner, which does require cooking a
bit extra. One nice perk of this plan is
that I often find that meals taste better the second time around.
For the clean-up, since there
should be no trash to throw-out, there will be dishes, containers, and utensils
to clean. The sandwich and snack bags
can be the most time consuming, but if you keep in mind what isn’t going into
the trash, you will realize it is worth it.
I make sure I have enough sandwich and snack bags for the week so that
if I am being lazy by not washing I have others that are clean that I can use
and still be green!
Speaking of washing, I highly
recommend a bag drying rack. Most
reusable bags can go in the dishwasher, but since I don’t scrape my plates
before putting them in the dishwasher I found the velcro on my bags came out of
the machine with food stuck on it. With
the drying rack, I now hang my wet bags on it inside out to make sure the
insides are completely dry before I use them again.
It is all in the Packaging
For items that need to be reheated, glass containers are the
only healthy option. When plastic is
microwaved (or washed in hot water) it gives off toxic emissions. In particular, plastic containers with BPA
(bisphenol - A) should be avoided. You
can identify them by the 3, 6, or 7 in the triangle on the bottom of the
container. Inexpensive glass containers
can be found at your local grocery store.
Putting leftovers immediately in these containers also eliminates the
need for tin foil or saran wrap to cover food in a bowl or on a plate.
When packing sandwiches and
snacks, do you use Ziploc bags and/or plastic containers or do you use reusable
bags? If you use reusable bags, you get
major green points! When thrown out,
Ziploc bags basically never decompose. Next
time you see one feel it, you will get a sense of how strong they are and
understand how long they must sit in landfills in exactly the same state. Ziploc bags are also a problem because they
are made from petroleum.
If possible, try to avoid frozen
meals as they usually include lots of packaging and they often come in a
plastic serving dish. As discussed
earlier, microwaving plastic emits dangerous toxins, so you should try to avoid
them if you can. The reality of course
is that you will buy some from time to time.
When you do, please remember to recycle the box and the dish.
Don’t Forget about your Drink
If you don’t have a refillable drink container, you should
get one. I have one for water and
another one for fountain drinks like soda or lemonade. Just like coffee mugs, you should try a bunch
until you find one you really like. If
your water or soft drink does not taste good to you in your refillable
container you won’t use it.
Another Eco-Status Symbol
If you read my Eco-Status Symbol article about reusable
grocery bags, here is another eco-status symbol for you, the reusable lunch
bag. Admit it when you see people with
their bags you know that they are doing good things for the environment by
bringing their lunch to work. If you don’t
have your own bag, it is ok to use plastic bags for this purpose as at least
that gives those bags a job. But, I say
go ahead and treat yourself to your own bag! And then when you bring your lunch, remember
to pack your utensils and a napkin.
If you can bring lunch with you
one more day per week than you do today you will keep a lot of trash out of the
landfills. Considering that each meal
typically produces 6 or 7 pieces of trash (wrappers, utensils, napkins, bag,
and drink container), if you brought your lunch one day more per week, that
would be ~312 less items of trash in the local landfill that have your name on
it. When you eat out, ask for no bag (unless
you really need it) and use your own napkin and utensils. Keep these items handy in your desk, at work,
or in your car.
Things to remember:
- Try to bring lunch one more day per week than you do today.
- Avoid plastic containers (use glass containers for meals and reusable bags for sandwiches and snacks).
- Use a refillable drink container.
- Always bring your own utensils and napkin with you whether you brought your own lunch or if you are getting take-out.
Recommended products:
Here are several products that will make bringing lunch to work/school each day easier: