this post was submitted on 12 Jun 2025
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I could have titled this as just waste created by living daily, but wanted to focus it down a little more. I feel kind of like im the crazy one that sees this insane waste when eating at restaurants, wrappers, cups, drink carriers going right in the trash, billions per day. Its insanity if you think about it.

I've at least been never using cup lids or straws and never taking drink carriers when theyre offered (what a massive waste of cardboard!). Then most of the waste is at least paper from the bag and wrapper. Still not great. And yes, I know the solution would be "cook at home!" But that also wastes a lot of freshwater from dish washing, and sometimes it's just nice to eat somewhere else.

I wonder if this is just something you notice as you get older. Then again older peiple probably waste the most, but I'm just guessing.

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[–] 9point6@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

It's unfortunately a cost thing.

If you want to avoid the single use waste, you have to patronise more expensive restaurants

In my experience it's fast food or fast food adjacent places that are the worst for disposable items. The more expensive the meal, the only things going in the bin are any leftovers.

It really shouldn't be that way, but it is.

[–] Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

Anyone who can afford a Michelin Star dinner, isn't going to want to take home the napkins or silverware.

Those of us who can afford Taco Bell, stock up on sporks.

[–] Feyd@programming.dev 2 points 1 month ago

Without reading anything but the title - yes. I actively avoid going to restaurants that use single use plates and the like. I also take containers with me and encourage others to do so rather than using single use takeout containers for leftovers. I also am not keen on doing takeout.

[–] sunzu2@thebrainbin.org 2 points 1 month ago

I personally avoid going to places that require tips or if they use anything disposables for dine in. Or if they scan ID. Fuck them.

For carry out, if disposable better be paper and foil. Yeah it limits my choices but this is a direct action I can do all day every day. Food out iz a luxury anyway. I can literally go without while saving money.

Yep, I hate it too. At least the places I eat at (by myself, not with my wife) barely give you a napkin, you just get the meal and accompanying grease, but still.

[–] ieatpwns@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

So is breathing wasteful since you’re turning o2 into co2 exacerbating the green house issue?

[–] sharkfucker420@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Begging screaming and crying for public canteens in our future. The individualization of cooking and therefore cleaning is a huge part of our wastefulness imo

[–] chicken@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

To me the part that seems the most wasteful is wasting the time of badly paid workers when you could just prepare food for yourself instead, and to a lesser extent the waste of your money going to a corporation, and the waste of real estate. I don't think things like water use and extra plastic/cardboard trash associated with food is all that impactful or worth worrying about. That said I personally avoid going out to eat except in the rare cases when it is an unavoidable social requirement, so a few times a year at most.

[–] CaptainThor@lemmy.world 0 points 1 month ago
[–] jerkface@lemmy.ca 0 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

If you mean the waste of the lives of vulnerable individuals, yes, this bothers me tremendously to the point where it's sometimes difficult to function. I have trouble getting worked up about plastic cups next to actual atrocity against intelligent creatures.

[–] BlackLaZoR@fedia.io -1 points 1 month ago

kind of disgusted at the waste created by going out to eat?

I'm kinda annoyed they want me to segregate it into three different trashcans

[–] dil@lemmy.zip -2 points 1 month ago

Rich ppl prob create that much waste casually just eating at home idrc about what working class ppl do

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