Jumat, 23 September 2011
Chicken rice porridge is probably the most common thing to be served during breakfast. At least, in Asian countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, China, Hong Kong, etc. Where each has different ways of preparation and presentation, of course.
Me, I am not a big fan of chicken porridge. I think I reserve it for the times when I am sick, and can't eat anything else but something soft like porridge.
That's how I think, but not how the rest of my family do. They love porridge so much. They will ask chicken porridge 3 times a week. And when my sister just got back from the dentist, or when she has her gastritis, I can tell you that it will be for lunch and dinner too!
There will always be someone from my house going to the on-cart porridge seller, 5-minute-by-bike away.
Here comes my favorite part. Everytime he takes home the porridge, he will bring a usable container - a big lunchbox.A simple thing which makes me feel really good, thinking how many plastics and even Styrofoam have not been used, instead. Let's say in a week, if we don't use this lunchbox, we will need to use and waste about 3 plastic bags, 6 clear bags, and 12 Styrofoam boxes. And thanks to this handy container, they, hopefully, have been saved or used for other more urgent things.
For the seller, it might be a good cost saving (in packaging). Do you think it's insignificant? I asked a similar seller about how much they sell. Apparently, around 200 portions sold in a day!
Ok, let's be very conservative, that a seller could sell about 100 portions, and 50% is for take away. It means they need at least 50 plastic bags and 50 styrofoam boxes. What if 50% of the buyers really bring their own container?
750 plastic bags and 750 Styrofoam boxes waste avoided in a month!
750 plastic bags and 750 Styrofoam boxes waste avoided in a month!
That's only from a seller. We can always continue to think big, and include other sellers in! We should not underestimate those little efforts which count, right? It shows the power of us as consumers. And how small initiatives could turn into BIG.
Let me end with another wonder. If bigger food stall and restaurants allow us to bring our own food container, and if we all have the earnestness to do so, I am pretty sure that there will be less packaging waste in the landfill.
