How your takeouts cost the environment

The food delivery industry has seen a huge boom as more and more people have become accustomed to ordering food through Swiggy, Zomato or directly from restaurants. And why not? In today's fast-paced world, it's easy to choose takeout as a quick and convenient option.

But as food orders increase, so do the number of takeout food storage containers, and that's the problem!

The environmental impact of takeaway food is often overlooked.

Here are a few reasons why you should consider reducing your reliance on takeout and opting for home-cooked meals instead: ◼️ Takeaway food often comes in disposable containers, utensils and bags that contribute to landfills and pollution. And even if you want to recycle them, it comes at a high cost. ◼️ Many conventional plastics are mechanically recycled, meaning they're sorted, cleaned and later reused or reshaped, reducing their tensile strength and quality. Moreover, this is expensive and consumes countless resources.

◼️ It's estimated that about one-third of all food produced worldwide is wasted.

The food industry is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, and a significant portion of those emissions come from transportation. So when you order takeaway food, you contribute to these emissions because the food has to be transported from the restaurant to your home.

So, as an environmentally conscious person, you may ask, "What is the solution?" If you choose a restaurant that uses eco-friendly takeout food containers, you can easily solve the waste problem and eliminate the need to include wasteful extras. Or, when you choose to cook at home!

You're not only reducing your environmental impact, but also supporting the local economy. By sourcing your ingredients from local farmers and markets, you help reduce the environmental impact of transportation.

So the next time you're tempted to order something, think about the impact you're having on the environment and opt for either a restaurant that supports a good cause or a home-cooked meal. Latter is better! Not only will you be helping to protect the planet, but you'll also enjoy the pleasure of a home-cooked meal.