Hey readers, this week we tucked into the history of our food delivery and takeout habits — and their growing environmental impact.
Long before the coronavirus struck, it was already clear: Americans love to eat restaurant meals outside of restaurants. And the coronavirus seems to be feeding the trend.
We’re living through a golden age of ordering in. The greatest hits of global cuisine are a few thumb swipes away, and as the COVID-19 pandemic keeps restaurant dining rooms closed, having pho, pad thai or falafel delivered to our homes is now the only way to eat when we don’t feel like cooking.
Once we’ve devoured our comfort food, cleanup is a cinch — just toss that pile of greasy plastic containers, wadded paper napkins, chopsticks and sporks in the trash and recycling bin.
More than a century of American innovation has bestowed upon society a vast array of single-use products engineered for the convenience of both restaurant and customer — and ruinous to wildlife and global ecosystems.
Even as COVID-19 has us clinging to our dine-at-home dinners — carried out curbside or delivered at a social distance and left, contactless, on the doorstep — it’s abundantly clear that if we keep up our carryout habit without figuring out a more sustainable model, we’ll end up burying the planet in trash. Is this what we asked for? And can we change our order?
What do you think? We'd love to hear from you. Cheers, Laura, Amanda and Kyla | 
