On November 20, in an effort to stem the latest surge of COVID-19 cases in Colorado, the state implemented “Level Red” restrictions in the Denver area (as well as in other counties)—including a prohibition on indoor dining at restaurants.

Naturally, when indoor dining is not possible, there is an increased demand for takeout options, which leads to the use of more containers and—ultimately—waste. “Nothing we use once to carry our food for a few minutes should pollute our world for hundreds of years,” notes Danny Katz, of the Colorado Public Interest Research Group.

But at one Denver restaurant, Somebody People, the owners are pioneering a new option for customers that desire a more sustainable option. When someone places an order at Sam and Tricia Maher’s eatery, they have the option of buying a tiffin box (a sturdy stainless steel container) for around $20, to house their meal, and be reused indefinitely.  

At their next visit, a customer can bring back the used tiffin box and get another one, filled with their order, in exchange. “People are wanting to reduce their waste; they are longing to treat the Earth a little better,” says Sam Maher. And the couple notes that it’s a matter of forming new habits “in the way that some people have become accustomed to bringing their own mug to their favorite coffee joint or reusable bags to the grocery store.”

The Mahers hope independent restaurants throughout the Denver area might one day form a type of club through which “tiffins could interchangeably be filled, emptied and cleaned, making it easier for customers to use sustainable packaging at multiple eateries.”

View the original article here.