Day 17, 90% Thai plus 10% trash

"Hey ... let's throw this stuff out", said no-one.

Imagine a banquet where the entire table setting was tossed out afterwards.

That’s how I feel about the take-away food sector. All that plastic dumped, after we consume its contents in ten minutes flat, which will last in landfill for 500 years plus. Also, i've explained the myth of recycling plastic.


This crazy relationship we seem to have with plastic, is representative of the worst aspects of consumer culture. Nearly everything we buy has an associated plastic component in its manufacture, processing, storage or delivery. Take food for example, think of anything you eat, what plastic is used to bringing that food to your mouth?

Is this the end of Sunday night Thai?

The other evening my friend Vicky told me about the elder members of her family who used to collect their Chinese takeaway in containers brought from home. I love this. I might try this next week, stay tuned.

I’ve found an alternative to the plastic Slurpee straw. Sounds silly, but these icy delights from 7-Eleven are something that Gia and I consume occasionally and are not about to give up. I’m now putting together a little pouch with chopsticks, metal fork and tiny spoon to carry in my bag when I go out and covers most takeaway utensils that would otherwise be single-use plastic.

This is a 5% measure and, as I’ve said previously, the last 5% of plastic reduction is the hardest, but brings the sweetest satisfaction.