The first official Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970. More than 40 years later, we continue to try and educate ourselves about the value of conserving the Earth’s natural resources.
Back in the day, environmentalists were often ostracized as “tree huggers,” but today we all should embrace that designation. Liberal or conservative, the goal should be to protect our natural resources if we even want to think about a bright outcome for future generations.
A simple act of picking up trash, using reusable water bottles or bicycling to work all add up. Pretty soon we won’t need to label anyone an environmentalist since we all will have become one. Here are some tips to to green your food truck or cart dining experience:
- Choose to dine green by patronizing Certified Green Restaurants®
- Walk, take public transit, dine at a food truck close to your home or office, or carpool when dining out. Find their location at Mobile-Cuisine.com or Twitter.
- Carry pocket-size guides to sustainable seafood, like the ones from Blue Ocean Institute, to help you make smart seafood choices at the fish counter, or your local sushi truck or cart.
- Bring your own mug for coffee. Make sure to remind staff to make your drink in the cup you bring, not to waste by making it in a to-go cup, then pouring it into your travel mug
- Consider menu items lower on the food chain. For example, chicken has a lower environmental impact than beef, while sustainable seafood has a lower impact than chicken, and vegetarian and vegan items have the lowest of them all.
- Bring your own re-usable container and offer it to your server when you ask to take meal with you.
- Research has found that several mobile food vendors claim that 25% of food ordered by customers is wasted and thrown out. Be conscious about what you order and really think about how hungry you are.
If you can think of other useful suggestions, please let us know in the comments section below.
