Can we encourage people to bring their own clean, re-usable containers when they're getting takeout? A number of places allow this in the UBC Village, and it works well. I understand the health standard factor, and I'm not sure what to do to address that.

It is depressing, and it should start with the consumer saying "No thanks" or not seeking the quick fix in the first place (whatever happened to a picnic one prepared and packed at home?!) but that isn't happening, it is getting worse with people opting for more and more made for them and thrown away afterward meals ... so government MUST step in, and the City could start with the licensing it grants in its own facilities: Parks board, community centre, school, and public building food vendors should not serve food on throw away containers with plastic utensils and straws, vending machines should be allowed only if every container inside is part of current deposit/recycle streams, and bottled water just needs to be banned, already! I went to hike at Mount Seymour in the late Spring and turned back because the terrain was so littered with containers from the food services from the ski hill (licensed on park land for goodness sakes) that it was sickening, it was if we were hiking in a landfill. The skiers eating while skiing did that and the ski hills management and government oversight let it happen.

Yes.. let's reduce waste, BUT PLEASE not through yet another regressive ban. Enough regulations and bylaws already!!! restricting personal choice and freedoms is not the answer.

Vancouver can never expect to be the greenest city if we still allow single use non biogradable containers for food and drink. I took photos of English Bay at around 11 p.m. after the fireworks in July. Food and drink trash littered the streets and beaches. It was embarassing. We really do need to reduce this type of garbage.

It's depressing when I go to a food court and see so much waste for a 10 minute meal. We need reusable/washable plates, cups and cutlery. No more garbage cans conveniently sized so we can just tip our tray of 'used goods' into it. Have a booth in the foodcourts dedicated to washing these items.

I've formed a habit of saying "no straw" when I ask for water. For drinks that require them, it would be wonderful if they offered reusable straws (best option) or biodegradable ones that can be easily composted (not all biodegradable materials will do so quickly).

Brilliant ideas in this thread!!! Real cups, plates & cutlery; reducing the "walk and eat" culture; biodegradeable or compostable for food that really does have to move; and the idea of applying design to the system to find creative solutions to remove waste from the system. In addition to reducing waste, I think this would improve the lifestyle of this city so much!

NOTE: Sylvain Martel's idea "Crack down on single use packaging" has been merged with this one.

"I still see people using plastic bags, single use coffee cups and drinking bottled water in Vancouver. The city must crack down on these behavior. I know it may be hard to make this a law but by the way of taxation on every items that could be eliminated from the weekly garbage can would be a good deterrent for the use of such items. Things like single use coffee cups, plastic grocery bags, take out containers and bottled water should be heavily taxed by the city as an environmental tax - then apply these monies to education, and more greening initiatives."

NOTE: Elle Zed's idea "Ban takeout coffee cups" has been merged with this one.

"This is a long shot, but if we can convert Vancouverites to be more European and drink their espresso standing at the coffee "bar" or their lattes while sitting in the cafe, it would reduce the piles of cups overflowing from garbage cans on street corners. (My European friends are horrified that anyone would want to drink coffee from a paper cup while walking for 30 minutes anyway... but I guess that's a question of taste). This would also encourage social sustainability - people might actually pause for conversation and engage with neighbours."

NOTE: Lisa Giroday's idea "Ban non-biodegradable "to-go" containers/bags at restaurants" has been merged with this one.

"When there are so many bio-degradable options available, it makes no sense why they have not been imposed on local restaurants/cafes as "to-go" options."

I would like to see a focus on paper-based food ware here in Vancouver -- but I am not clear yet how the City can bring this about. My gut feeling is that we are a wood-producing region and it only makes bioregional sense to turn to wood for products that have contact with food. This could be part of "branding" Vancouver. Could we get the neighbourhood BIAs on board with their food-service members? The City could also show leadership by using made-in-BC paper food service items in the parks and other facilities.

An easy, small, first step for this that would yield a huge improvement would be to introduce reusable cups, plates and cutlery at all food courts in malls. To prevent theft, add a deposit to each food purchase. Check out how much waste is produced at the Granville Island food court (except the Indian Food vendor) – and this is a major tourist attraction!

Switzerland has a by-law that food outlets on ski hills are not allowed to use disposable dishes and cutlery. This should apply to all the coffee outlets and fast food outlets in Vancouver.

The City does have the regulatory ability to effect this change. In a broader idea submission ( Simplify, Synchronize, and Rationalize the Collection of Recyclable Materials ) I raised the WAY that the City can do just this: Through the business licencing and regulation powers, require the mandatory participation of waste producing businesses, such as fast food and drive through, in the program. These businesses - the ones contributing to the waste containers volume in our consumption stream - should have to lease the Blue Bins from the City annually. The lease rates set on a cost recovery basis. They would have to demonstrate a Zero waste system (via a licencing audit) before they could opt out of the Blue Bin program.

We need to design "waste" out of the system. The Seattle model might be improved by mandating the use of biodegradeable one use items such as plates, cups, straws and cutlery for all food & beverage operations (especially fast food chains). This waste stream would include food waste and be composted in city facilities.

You're right and the solution is so simple: Stores simply have to stop offering the option of plastic bags or paper cups or whatever, or charging so much for them (today's nickel-a-bag doesn't hurt enough) that people won't "forget" their own stuff

It is not the people using the single use packaging, it is what is offered by the store. The stores should offer the option of having the customer bring in their own cups/containers/bags to use and give them a few pennies off the cost or more of the product.

At least make everything biodegradable. A few places I know use bags made from some sort of gum and will decompose in your garden or compost. The bags are no different than petroleum (gasoline byproduct) based bags.

For more writing on this issue:
http://notesonutopia.wordpress.com/2010/08/01/on-cause-and-effect/

For further writing on this issue:
http://notesonutopia.wordpress.com/2010/08/01/on-cause-and-effect/