It’s Time to Give Back and Get Back, Calgary!
Alright folks, you’ve probably been caught up in the whirlwind of life, but hold onto your hats because we’re about to change the way you do food takeaway. You’ve been there before, it’s Friday night and after surviving a work week you’re treating yourself to some delicious takeout from your favourite local hot spot but, as you’re eagerly awaiting your munch-worth meal, you can’t shake off the guilt of those pesky single-use containers piling up week after week.
It’s okay, there’s a solution in place that works for everyone! Refundable takeout containers are sweeter than a stack of pancakes drenched in locally sourced maple syrup.
Let’s put things in perspective a bit as you look at the stack of takeout containers. Did you know that Alberta’s landfills gobble up a mind-boggling 450 million single-use takeout containers every year?
That’s enough to make even the most apathetic environmentalists raise an eyebrow but in the last several months, Alberta has been packing a powerful punch in the effort to save the environment because landfills pose serious environmental threats due to the release of harmful greenhouse gases, which contributes significantly to air and water pollution, impacting ecosystems and human health.
There’s good news though. A Calgary-based company called Earthware Reusables Inc. has recently swooped in to heroically save the day. Here’s how it works: Restaurants purchase reusable containers from Earthware and pass the deposit cost to you, the consumer. When you order takeout, you pay a $0.30 deposit per container.
After enjoying your meal, lightly rinse the container and set it aside for your next visit to a participating bottle depot – like ours! Once you’ve collected your empties then made sure they’re undamaged and free from food remnants, bring them in for a cash-in-hand refund.
From there, Earthware washes and sanitizes them according to Alberta Health Services regulations. Finally, these fresh containers are distributed to restaurants, hotels, grocers, and more, kicking off the whole process once again. It’s a seamless cycle of sustainability that keeps our planet (and our stomachs) happy!
So, simply put, by switching to reusable containers, we can slash that whopping 450 million number down to a more manageable size. Plus, by partnering with the Alberta Bottle Depot Association, Earthware has become the first company in the world to sync up with a government-regulated beverage container deposit return system. That’s a lot of winning if you ask us, and we’re big fans of a winning cause!
Now that you’re in the loop and all caught up, keep this info in mind the next time you’re thinking of getting some takeout from across town because you can do your part to save our planet all in one go. It’s just that easy, we promise. Remember, every container returned is a victory for you, for us, and for our shared community. As the saying goes, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure and, in this case, that treasure just happens to be a cleaner, greener, planet for us all to enjoy together!