Bento lunch boxes by Boho & Hobo
With the rise of apps like UberEats, Foodora and DoorDash, food delivery sales in Canada rose between 49 and 54 per cent in 2018, according to Restaurants Canada, making skipping the dishes easier, but also putting more single-use items like takeout boxes, plastic cups and utensils in the trash. Not only that, but with Covid-19, it has become much harder to escape the use of single-use plastic and styrofoam containers.
It’s also important to note that in some places, like Ontario, black plastic containers can’t be recycled. Toronto’s optical sorting technology at the recycling facility cannot distinguish black plastic from the black conveyor belt, and as a result can't sort it!
Today’s Challenge:
Help reduce the pollution caused by single-use take-out containers, and instead bring out your own! Take a picture of your reusable take out containers by your door or car! Even if restaurants are not currently accepting reusable takeout containers due to pandemic, putting your reusable containers where they can be easily seen on your way out makes going plastic-free that much easier.
Share a photo and tag @onepieceaday1, and use the hashtag #OPADPlasticFreeJuly to earn 1 ENTRY!
How can I win prizes?
Step 1: Follow @onepieceaday1
Step 2: Tag a friend! (optional)
Step 3: Share a photo (to your story OR your feed) of you completing each challenge for 1 ENTRY, tag @onepieceaday1, and use the hashtag #OPADPlasticFreeJuly.
Step 4: Log your refusal on the OnePieceADay app!
Each day is a new opportunity to increase your chances. Your total entries will be counted at the end of the month and be entered into a draw to win a zero-waste prize pack. Be sure to stick around for more chances to win!
Questions? Drop them below!
Tomorrow visit a local farm or farmer market's 🍒
And don't forget to bring your own reusable produce bags!
Grocery stores will frequently have their produce prepackaged in plastic. By shopping at a local farm or a farmer's market, you can shop completely plastic free!
There are many benefits to going to farmers markets or local farms. Just a couple of benefits are:
Preserve Canada’s livelihoods and farmland. Farmers markets provide one of the only low-barrier entry points for beginning farmers, allowing them to start small, test the market, and grow their businesses.
Stimulate local economies. Growers selling locally create 13 full time farm operator jobs per $1 million in revenue earned. Those that do not sell locally create 3.
Increase access to fresh, nutritious food. Several studies have found lower prices for conventional and organic produce at farmers markets than at supermarkets. Due to this and other factors, 52% more SNAP households shop at farmers markets and from direct marketing farmers today than in 2011. (Farmers Markets: There’s more to Market, Farmers Market Coalition).
Stay tuned tomorrow for details!
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