Reusable takeout container pilot launched at 3 Carson City Green Dining District restaurants
Submitted by editor on Wed, 03/09/2022 - 8:55am
CARSON CITY — GreenUP!, an environmental education non-profit working with local businesses, announced a partnership with three local restaurants — So Juicy, Squeeze In, and The Union — to run a pilot program offering customers a reusable container option for take-out orders.
The program, called Green Box To-Go, aims to reduce single use materials in take-out by providing a system to professionally sanitize, recirculate, and reuse take-out boxes. Each of the three restaurants will begin to offer the containers on Wednesday, March 16th.
When ordering a meal to-go, customers will have the option to make a one-time subscription purchase that allows them to check containers out as many times as they like. Then they request their food be packaged in one of the reusable Green Boxes and take it with them like any other take-out box. Then all that’s left is to do is rinse the container out, drop it in one of the return boxes located at The Union, Squeeze In, or So Juicy (Carson City locations only), and pick up a new token to exchange for another box the next time they want to order take out.
The aim is to incorporate sustainability into take-out orders in a way that is convenient for the customer. No need to worry about sanitizing or maintaining the containers. Just return them cleanly, collect a token, have your rewards punch card stamped, and be on your way.
The service comes at a one-time cost of $20, which grants customers the ability to check out one box at a time, with unlimited returns and check-outs, much like a library card. A four-box-at-a-time family plan is also available for $40.
GreenUP! developed the program to give a long due option to environmentally conscious people who wish to see community level, tangible commitments to waste reduction. Each one of the containers can be recirculated hundreds of times, potentially preventing thousands of single use containers from entering landfills. The three restaurants are already making strides of their own in this regard, making them excellent partners for a pilot program. Green Box To-Go hopes to expand throughout Carson City.
“At Squeeze In we are committed to supporting a healthy happy planet, and that means exploring ways to be more sustainable and environmentally friendly!” remarks Co-Owner Shila Morris. “We are honored to have been selected as one of the partners for the greenUP! reusable takeout container program. We look forward to contributing to positive impact right here in our home state capital!" Other participating restaurants were equally enthusiastic.
Andrew Azar, the program’s coordinator, emphasizes the breadth of positive impacts that come with reusables: “It isn’t only about sustainability, either. Keeping Styrofoam away from our food has long-term health benefits. Styrofoam can leach carcinogenic compounds when heated or exposed to acidic foods like tomatoes. Styrofoam also breaks apart and releases microplastics into the digestive system when you eat out of it with utensils. Green Box To-Go addresses this by using containers made of robust, food-safe polypropylene so it’s a definite improvement.”
We invite all who are interested to try Green Box To-Go and see how simple sustainable dining can be. For more information, or to purchase a token visit https://greenupnow.biz/reusable-takeout-container-pilot/.
GreenUP! invites you to complete a three-minute survey by April 9 to help us improve the program. Respondents will receive a voucher for one Green Box To-Go token!
GreenUP! staffing and funding for the reusable takeout container program was made possible through the Rural Business Assistance (RuBA) community development block grant provided by the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED).
About:
The Carson Street Green Dining district is a greenUP! project funded initially by the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP) Bureau of Sustainable Materials Management 2019 and 2020 Recycling Grant for 2020. greenUP! is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that provides environmental education for businesses helping Nevada cut down on waste, reduce valuable resource consumption and fight climate change in an environmentally safe and cost-effective manner.
Restaurants interested in joining the Carson Street Green Dining District may contact info@greenupnow.biz or call 949-306-3465 to engage.
