How to Make a Zero-Waste Lunch Kit
Squishy Bowls from Guyot Designs.
Reduce your waste when eating on the road by making a zero-waste lunch kit. Wisebread gives suggestions on what reusable and travel-friendly products to get, such as stainless steel drinking straws, utensils attached to metal rings, and collapsible bowls and plates. And for special occasions, get some squishy travel shot glasses for cocktails on the go. [via Lifehacker]
Related: Serious Green: Plastic-Free Ways to Transport Your Lunch
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8 Comments:
Why is it that you have to go buy something new to be more green? I think there are existing reusables in one's home already, e.g. plastic food trays with lids, used water/soda bottles, left over plastic forks from take out, etc.
jsharpell at 9:34AM on 07/19/09
I don't believe the bottles and trays are safe for re-use, though. The grade of plastic is not high enough to be safely cleaned and reused.
Cary at 10:32AM on 07/19/09
Food-grade plastic is food-grade plastic. The more flexible the plastic the more it "leaches" when heated - but since leftovers are generally put warm or hot into the plastic containers, hot water used in washing isn't likely to do much more damage. There's no reason not to reuse takeout containers if you're eating out out plastic in the first place.
producestories at 4:58PM on 07/19/09
@jsharpell: I don't think the authors of the article meant to say "don't reuse stuff at home"—they just point out some products that might be more space-saving or built for on-the-go eating and will last a long time.
roboppy at 5:16PM on 07/19/09
Cancer Update from Johns-Hopkins
Bottled water in your car is very dangerous.
The heat reacts with the chemicals in the plastic of the bottle which releases dioxin into the water. Dioxin is a toxin increasingly found in breast cancer tissue.
This information is also being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center
No plastic containers in microwave.
No water bottles in freezer
No plastic wrap in microwave.
A dioxin chemical causes cancer, especially breast cancer.
Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital , was on a TV program to explain this health hazard..
He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us.
He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers...
This especially applies to foods that contain fat.
He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastic releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body...
Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food.. You get the same results, only without the dioxin.
So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and
soups, etc.,should be removed from the container and heated in something else.
Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper.
It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc.
He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons...
Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran wrap, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.
Cary at 6:41PM on 07/19/09
@Cary
There are valid reasons to be concerned about plastic, but none of those appear in that copy and paste internet rumor.
http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/plasticbottles.asp
http://www.jhsph.edu/dioxins
On topic: I'm inspired to put together my own bento box lunch kit.
conundrum at 7:46PM on 07/19/09
@conundrum
My apologies: I did not intend to spread rumors, if they are. I have felt badly about leaving that comment since I saw your response yesterday.
Cary at 5:15PM on 07/20/09
Thanks for all the collective thoughts and ideas. The social commenting feature of Serious Eats is really great. As the boys from South Park would say, "I think we all learned something today." ;-)
jsharpell at 9:16AM on 07/27/09