Convenient Truths - Servin' Save CO2
by Jessica Root - Brooklyn, NY 
on 01.23.07
This week, TreeHuggerTV and myself, the proud contest manager of Convenient Truths, bring you a little ’50’s nostalgia. Watch as I shamelessly share my Servin’ Saver solution to climate change.
Unless you are retro-cool, using re-usable containers doesn’t have to conjure up images of ladies donning aprons, with hair tightly coiffed in curlers, serving up freshly chilled ambrosia salad to their nuclear families.
Put your favorite dish and lid to good use by toting it (in a backpack or purse, if your shy) to your eatery of choice. There’s a good chance you’ll have yummy leftovers to take home.
While I’d like to think otherwise, I’m not by any means infallible, and my Servin’ Saver reflects this. In my perfect world, I would never order more than I needed to eat, and my Servin’ Saver would be made out of bioplastic. But instead of throwing out the one that was gifted to me back in my college days for a new, shiny bioplastic one, I am replacing those hideous Styrofoam and aluminum containers and doggie bags with a reusable plastic container that will last me a lifetime. According to stopglobalwarming.org, one of our contest sponsors, “Less packaging could reduce your garbage by about 10%. Save 1,200 pounds of carbon dioxide and $1,000 per year.” I don’t know about you, but that’s enough for me to wave around my Servin’ Saver with delight!
This is just one teeny tiny step I’m taking to reduce my carbon footprint. Get inspired with our How to Green Your Meals guide and show us your solutions by entering Convenient Truths. And hurry - the deadline to enter is February 28!
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This is fantastic. Also, using tote bags and encouraging local supermarkets to allow you to fill up olive oil bottles, peanut butter, etc. No more packaged goods... let's make self-brought containering hip!
I tried this! I went out to eat with my family, and they actually tried to persuade me from bringing my tupperware with me, but I just stuck it in my tote (convenient!) When the time came and I wanted to take my roasted vegetable pita home, they gave me some weird looks at first but then I explained and they had no problem with it. Just some advice: it helps to be polite, and to say please. Also, you can add something like "I think using a reusable container is a great alternative and helps us use disposable bags a little less." When I said that, the waitor said that he actually admired what I was doing!
this is a great idea, however, don't use plastics that are going to leach toxins into your leftovers. here are some informative links.
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/safe-plastics-for-lunchboxes.html
http://www.earthresource.org/campaigns/capp/capp-health.html
"let's make self-brought containering hip!" - yeah! :)
There has been a lot on the news lately about the different recycling labels (the little triangles on the bottoms of containers or bottles) and the ones you should try and avoid if they contain food or beverages for human consumption. I have kids and if I had known then what I know now, I sure would have been paying more attention to those little triangles on the bottom of the container. I haven't found a reliable source yet that has a list of all the numbers and the possible toxins that each were manufactured from.
If you want to know what the weather conditions are in your own little part of the world there is some good information on weather stations here.
Plastic are not recycleable. Some are reused to make something else, but they can't be recycled due to the nature of plastics. When you want to convert to non-leaching plastics-how do you dispose of the plastics you currently have?