Shopper shares tip to help reduce guilt over ordering takeout: 'This is so obvious but such a good idea'

If you're not cooking every meal at home (and many times, even if you are) it can be difficult to buy food without contributing to the massive amount of plastic waste that the industry generates. However, one TikTok content creator recently shared a tip that is incredibly simple, yet few people have likely thought to do it.

The scoop

"I've been taking my own container when I go and get takeaway," Lottie (@lottiedalziel) told their followers.

Lottie videoed their experience of taking a reusable container into a local takeaway shop and getting the employees to fill 'er up.

@lottiedalziel So simple, so easy and so little waste! 😀 #wastefree #singleuseplastic #noplastic #reusable #reuse #plasticfree #plasticfreeliving ♬ original sound - Lottie Dalziel🌏Sustainability

"They didn't even bat an eyelid," Lottie said. "Yes, they did put the sauce into a little [single-use] plastic container which was a bit heartbreaking to be honest, but all in all we saved a lot of plastic."

How it's helping

Plastic waste is a big problem for our planet. In Australia, only 14% of plastic waste is kept out of landfills — the other 86% ends up sitting around basically forever, leaching microplastics into soil and water or else, like so much plastic, reaching our oceans, where it poses a significant threat to marine life.

The situation is no better in the United States. But the good news is that people are getting fed up. One recent poll found that "an overwhelming 82% of U.S. voters support reducing the federal government's use of single-use plastic."

In order to accomplish that, however, it would make a big difference if we reduced the demand for plastic, which means putting tips such as Lottie's into action. Other simple steps you can personally take include repurposing empty product containers and getting a reusable water bottle.

What everybody is saying

Lottie's TikTok followers loved the tip.

One person wrote: "Wow, this is so obvious but such a good idea! You might be starting the next movement here!"

"Why wouldn't [the restaurants agree?]" another wrote. "... [You're] saving them money."

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