Have you ever ordered a hamburger from Sutton’s to go? Or maybe frozen yogurt from YoPo? Sometimes, especially given the weather blessing Chapel Hill right now, it's enjoyable to eat on Polk Place. Or, if you are cramming for a test, having a bacon burger in Davis can make studying a little more pleasurable.
All of this is fine, but what isn’t fine is the use of Styrofoam for takeout boxes and cups. It may seem small, but all of these boxes end up in the trash and are not recyclable, which really adds up.
The brand name product Styrofoam was invented around the same time as World War II and wasn't intended for food storage — it was for electrical insulation.
Styrofoam and other plastics make up 25 to 30 percent of landfill waste in this country, which often leads to it being found in precious waterways and oceans. Even when disposed of properly, Styrofoam can take more than 500 years to decompose. The Tar Heel class of 2516 may still be figuring out where to put its shit if something doesn’t change.
All of this ignores the personal health risk associated with eating out of Styrofoam containers. One chemical in Styrofoam, styrene, can lead to mutations of the nervous system. Microwaving Styrofoam can also ruin your meal if the container melts or releases toxic chemicals. Yikes.
To be fair to Sutton’s and YoPo – they are not alone. Plenty of other establishments use Styrofoam. Consumers have power to change this.
Short term, this is an easy fix. Restaurants can use cardboard (which has problems, but still serves as a better alternative) or biodegradable takeout containers.
Long term, if the theory of capitalism holds any truth, it is that markets dictate business behavior. So, do just that — use your buying power to bring an end to Styrofoam.
