My most memorable childhood gift was from my father. He traveled to Japan on business when I was young, maybe five or six, and came back with a present for me: a bento-box. I had never seen anything like it—it was cute, white and pink, with a Hello-Kitty logo and all of these cool, puzzle-like design components. Even at six, I had a strange affinity for food and all its trappings, so for me, this compartmentalized lunch box was the best gift ever.
I brought that bento box to school all through kindergarten. My mom would fill the little sections with all sorts of weird goodies: refried beans, brown rice, yogurt, and almond butter and seaweed crackers. I remember kids at the lunch table gawking as they munched on florescent orange cheese puffs and red dye #40 gummy snacks; clearly they were just jealous, right?
I still have the bento box and although I don’t use it anymore, its values and significance have stayed with me all these years. The Asian culture created the bento box as a traveling meal. Many other cultures have adopted this concept. I noticed this blue itemized container in my boyfriend’s Tupperware drawer and he explained that in Denmark they use something called a madkasse (lunch box)—it’s a “European” style bento used for sandwiches is called smørrebrød.
One big change in my life has been returning to the packed lunch. In Florida at my magazine job, I had lunch out everyday: sushi, salads and sandwiches. My boyfriend’s situation was no better: coffee and bagel sandwich in the morning then pizza or a sub for lunch. I the grad student and he the artist have no business wasting money on food—not to mention the waste of materials, time, energy and calories consumed from eating out all the time. Did you know that fast food packaging creates 1.7 million tons of trash every year in the form of boxes, plastic or paper bags, plastic forks, etc.?
Now, I try and bring my own food whenever possible. Creating a meal at home is way cheaper and healthier than eating out. I pack our lunch before work. Today we have homemade pasta salad with whole wheat noodles, organic cherry tomatoes and arugula, my leftover local goat cheese, and some very-delicious and very-unsustainable rosemary ham (oh well, it was almost perfect). Our food gets packed up in reusable plastic containers with cloth napkins and stainless-steel silverware in insulated lunchboxes.
My poll today: how waste free was your lunch today? Did you bring your lunch today? Or, if you work at home, did you make your lunch at home?
"Did you know that fast food packaging creates 1.7 million tons of trash every year in the form of boxes, plastic or paper bags, plastic forks, etc.?"
ReplyDeleteI always struggle to grasp the reality of these statistics? WTF is 1.7 million tons? I'm assuming this is worldwide, still, 1.7 million tons of trash, at least for me, is quantitatively unfathomable. I guiltily slugged my trash out to the curb this morning (3/4 bag over a one-week duration)and tried to imagine 1.7 million tons of it. Impossible.
On another note, your survey has one flaw - there is no such thing as "Totally Waste Free". Beware of this misconception.
Good point, Ben. Sometimes these use of "startling" statistics might actually have no impact at all. Like you, I have no idea what 1.7 million tons would be. A lot, certainly, but impossible for me to really understand. I find that stats work on me when they relate to the individual realm -- like "every American creates enough trash in one year to fill an Olympic-size swimming pool." (Don't know if that is true--just an example...)
ReplyDeleteMyriah, you have definitely hit on one of all-time biggest struggles with waste. When I work in an office, I never am able to get my act together to pack a lunch. I always wind up going out to a restaurant or grabbing something to go. Unfortunately, in the battle between packing lunch in the morning and an extra 15 minutes of sleep, sleep almost always wins!
Ben + Brian-- I understand your point about the incomprehensible nature of envisioning 1.7 million tons of trash. That being said, the point of my post (and inclusion of the statistic)was simply to reinforce the importance of reducing our consumption of packaging. To me, lunch seems to be an easy way to start cutting back and thinking about reduction.
ReplyDeleteTotally waste free is impossible, yes, but the notion that your lunch could be mostly waste free (like bringing your own fork instead of using and throwing away a plastic fork) has been the beginning of my own personal habit change.
Totally get it, Myriah! I hope it didn't come across as criticizing your post. Just ruminating on effective communication strategies for behavior change. :)
ReplyDelete