Changing habits worth the payoff
Consumers should bring own food containers to reduce plastic packaging sent to landfills
AS PEOPLE, we have to adopt new habits and adapt to changes from time to time, whether due to circumstances, lifestyle or something as impactful as the Covid-19 pandemic.
The changes could be subtle or drastic, positive or negative.
But what is inevitable is the need to adapt to them, whether on a temporary or permanent basis.
According to a study done by University College London health psychology researcher Phillippa Lally and her team, it takes between 18 and 254 days for people to form a new habit, depending on the behaviour, person and circumstances.
Their report states that it takes an average of 66 days for a new behaviour to become automatic.
For me personally, one of the biggest changes in terms of everyday habits is how I handle my food takeaways (or tapau in the local lingo).
Takeaways via deliveries or self-pickups from restaurants and other food businesses remain a popular option to this day, even after the Covid-19 pandemic.
The tapau orders would usually be packed in plastic containers and plastic bags, or other forms of packaging such as waxed paper and paper bags.
Sometimes these orders are accompanied by plastic cutlery
nd and packets with condiments.
Not surprisingly, this usually results in a large amount of waste, as the packaging is usually discarded after the food is consumed.
In an effort to reduce the amount of plastic waste and out of health concerns (as research suggests that some plastic may leach chemicals if it is heated), my family tries to bring our own containers whenever we pack our meals.
The emphasis here is on trying, as there have been occasions when we made spur-of-themoment meal purchases and did not have our own food containers or the right containers for a particular order.
I find some form of planning is required when it comes to using containers for takeaways.
We prefer using stainless steel, glass or porcelain containers for our takeaways, especially if the food is hot.
My family will carry the food containers in baskets, as the baskets are sturdy enough to keep the containers intact without toppling over in the car.
However, there have been occasions when restaurants refused to use our food containers.
We presume this is because using containers that are in different sizes from what the restaurant uses “disrupts” their food packing routine.
This also means we will end up taking home extra plastic containers and plastic bags, which defeats the purpose of bringing our own containers in the first place.
What is more upsetting is when the restaurants charge us extra for these plastic containers and plastic bags, when we have clearly brought our own in the first place.
When this happens, we simply choose not to return to these restaurants again.
To encourage the green habit, restaurants and food and beverage operators could consider offering a token incentive to encourage environmentally friendly practices among customers.
Since most disposable coffee cups cannot be recycled, some coffee chains and cafes in the United Kingdom offer a small discount every time customers bring their reusable cup to buy a drink.
I have discovered an independent cafe and coffee roastery that offers a RM1 discount if I tapau a drink using my own cup or tumbler.
With reference to the Malay proverb “Sikit-sikit, lama-lama jadi bukit”, consumers should play our role in bringing our own food containers and reducing the amount of plastic packaging and plastic bags sent to landfills.