When Calgary-based entrepreneur K.B. Lee got fed up with eating Chinese takeout from foam containers, his concern led to the launch of a fast-food trash reduction initiative in Toronto.

Welcome to the just-launched TakeOutWithOut campaign – TOWO for short – with the motto: "Fill your stomach. Not the landfill."

Lee, described as chief visionary on the website, was appalled at the number of polystyrene containers that accumulated when he and his wife ate dim sum lunches in their shared office.

"All of a sudden, every time I see Styrofoam, it just bothers me," says Hong Kong-born Lee, who imports and markets eco-friendly bamboo-charcoal filter products.

Now, Lee and his wife have cut down on takeout; they don't order too much in restaurants to avoid taking home leftovers in disposable containers; and he carries reusable containers in the car in case he picks up something like barbecue pork. He also resolved to launch an anti-foam campaign. (Foam is recyclable in Toronto, but not Calgary.)

When he discussed his new obsession with Toronto communications specialist Lisa Borden, she convinced him to broaden his focus to fast-food packaging in general and all the bags and boxes that remain after the takeout food is consumed.

"I revamped it," says Borden, admitting she can be very bossy. "My office put together the logo, brand, the website, the copy, everything, over the Christmas break." Lee is paying to have the website put on line.

TOWO has its own three Rs: Refuse (Do you really need all of those straws, plastic cutlery and napkins?); Retake (Bring your own containers, cups and bags.); and Reconsider (Take a look at your eating habits, and maybe, like Lee, make some changes.) The campaign also has a handout card with 10 waste reduction strategies for restaurants.

So how big a problem is takeout trash? There are some scary stats out there about our disposable habits. The TOWO website quotes a Clean Air Council tidbit: "Americans toss out enough paper and plastic cups, forks and spoons every year to circle the equator 300 times."

But Stephanie Jones, vice-president, Ontario, for the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association, says waste audits in Toronto have shown restaurants' in-store packaging represents about 2 per cent of what goes to landfill. As she points out, though: "It's very visible, so it's always a challenge."

It's also a major concern for the industry. One of the biggest issues is the patchwork of recycling rules across municipalities, which makes it difficult for consumers and a challenge for companies trying to make responsible packaging choices, Jones says.

A paper coffee cup that's compostable in Hamilton, at one end of a GO train ride, becomes trash in Toronto. But all of this is coming into play with the reworking of the province's Waste Diversion Act, now underway, and proposed changes to blue bin programs, to which larger food-service companies contribute.

Meanwhile, restaurants have tried to address sustainability issues, Jones says. Discounts are offered for bringing your own mug at establishments such as Tim Hortons or Starbucks, but food safety concerns are associated with other types of bring-your-own-container initiatives.

In Calgary, Lee is fully aware of the health issues, but suggests bringing your own plates and utensils would work in food court situations where your meal is prepared in front of you. He also objects to excessive disposable containers in fast food outlets – like plastic covers for breakfasts – when he's dining in.

As for Borden, she emphasizes the importance of small steps, like bringing your own coffee cup: "Little things do add up; they do make a difference."

And even if a container can be recycled, like polystyrene foam in Toronto, that still doesn't absolve us. Consider the environmental impact of manufacturing, transportation and then the energy required for recycling. As Borden points out: "Reducing and reusing is always the first line of defence."

Borden learned first-hand just how important environmental issues are, when, at three months, her second child was hospitalized for a bronchial condition and skin allergies. Reluctant to use steroid cream on her baby's skin, she did her research and took all chemical cleaning agents out of her home. The result: "Her skin cleared up, everything was fine."

She has some suggested sources for good reusable food containers: Toronto filmmaker Andrew Nisker's website at garbagerevolution.com offers products, as does goneshopping.ca. Also, kleankanteen.com for drink bottles; laptoplunches.com for meal boxes; glassdharma.com for glass straws; and rumebags.com for bags.

Join the campaign to reduce take-out waste!
http://takeoutwithout.com/

http://www.yourhome.ca/homes/green/article/750448--trash-talk-campaign-targets-takeout-trash

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