Trashy dining explained

If you are somebody looking to make the world a more sustainable place, you have probably wished it was easier to eat trash-free, not only when it comes to takeaway food but also when going to a restaurant. PlasticScore is on a mission to bring an end to trashy dining and make sure that you can eat trash-free, no matter where you go.

What is trashy dining?

Trashy dining is a term which refers to eating somewhere, where alongside your food and drinks, you also receive single-use materials which will only be used for a few minutes before being thrown away. This includes plastic straws, disposable cutlery, and single-use food containers and can occur, to some degree, everywhere from a takeout stand to a high-end restaurant.

What are the impacts?

On top of making for a not-so-classy dining experience compared to durable tableware, single-use waste has significant environmental and societal impacts. Plastic isn’t the only problem either; many other materials are also harmful to the planet and/or society. Let’s see the different impacts the single-use items you receive alongside your meal can have.

Impact on wildlife

Marine habitats are being flooded with tons of plastic. According to estimates, by the year 2050, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish! Animals can then mistake all this litter for food or get entangled in it, leading to injury or even death. Often, when animals consume plastic, this can make them think that they are full even when they are dying of starvation.

Besides the danger it poses to animals, this litter is also ruining beautiful ecosystems, which are now covered in layers of trash.

The macro-problem with microplastics

One of the main issues associated with trashy dining is the release of microplastics from plastic waste left in the landfill or the ocean. These small particles of plastic are highly problematic for several reasons and are impossible to filter out at wastewater treatment plants. This has led to our water containing microplastics, with 90% of rainwater samples being contaminated, and plastic pollution spreading all around the planet – even to remote areas.

Microplastics can also tie some other toxic or harmful compounds to themselves, which is alarming, since not only animals consume microplastics – so do we. According to recent studies, an average human consumes one credit card worth of plastic every single week!

Watch your health

Plastic is not exactly part of a healthy diet. Plastic can have a negative impact on our endocrine system since it often contains endocrine disruptors such as BPAs, PFAs or phthalates. We encounter these disruptors most often when eating. This contact can lead to endocrine or brain disorders, cardiovascular disease, infertility and more.

Impact from production

While we most often talk about how plastic and other waste can be harmful after it is thrown away, let’s not forget about the damage it does during manufacturing. Extractions of materials such as crude oil, bauxite (used to make aluminum), and paper can have a tremendous impact on local communities. Later, as these items are manufactured, emissions from factories also contribute to climate change and cause a number of health problems for people in the area.

The alternative to trashy dining

The best way to avoid disposables and trashy dining is by using reusables! The most sustainable way to dine is with items that can simply be washed and put into use again. This is already being done by restaurants around the world, not only for dine-in, but takeout as well. Let’s make reusables the standard and phase out trashy dining once and for all!

Take a look at our plan to make it happen.