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For those of you who make an effort to live green, what do you do in those awkward moments with your non-green friends?
I'll post a hypothetical scenario (based on my real one ):
Your non-green friend (NG) recycles a bit, but that's about as far as the green efforts go. You go to lunch once a week with NG, and you know for a fact that NG eats out 7-8 times a week (easily), it's a frequent occurrence.
When you go to lunch with NG, NG always requests a styrofoam box from the waitress. NG makes this request up-front because NG fully intends to bring some of lunch home - every single time. You figure NG must be racking up 30 or more styrofoam boxes a month. Styrofoam is not recyclable in your town, so these go straight to the landfill.
Because this is a hypothetical scenario, there IS an easy green solution, a reusable container.
Do you say something? For the sake of the planet, do you take NG aside and see if you can encourage NG to make a better choice? Does the sake of the planet trump your friendship (NG might not take it well)?
Or do you leave it alone? Everyone knows how bad styrofoam is, surely NG knows. If NG wanted to make the effort, NG would have done so, who are you to question someone else's habits?
I voted yes, but I'd like to clarify that it would depend on who the friend was. I know a couple people that all of the nagging in the world wouldn't change their behavior. Also, I think I'd have to bring it up in a light-hearted way, not just try to boss them into it.
I wouldn't exactly *say* anything, but perhaps I'd do something....address the scenario by giving my NG friend a reusable container the next gift giving opportunity (b'day, holiday, etc) and do so during our weekly lunch.
What if the restaurant she frequents hasn't caught on to living green and styrofoam is all that they use? If you know for a fact that the restaurant has made the transition, perhaps you can make a subtle hint to your friend that they have other packaging than styrofoam. Maybe she just doesn't know that it doesn't break down. I would appreciate knowing about this and perhaps so would she.
I voted yes, but I'd like to clarify that it would depend on who the friend was. I know a couple people that all of the nagging in the world wouldn't change their behavior. Also, I think I'd have to bring it up in a light-hearted way, not just try to boss them into it.
I've been hoping for an opening so I can say something subtle, but so far that hasn't happened . The friendship is still fairly new, so I'm concerned if I point it out and NG doesn't want to change the habit, it will become the elephant in the room, y'know?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ComparedToWhere
I wouldn't exactly *say* anything, but perhaps I'd do something....address the scenario by giving my NG friend a reusable container the next gift giving opportunity (b'day, holiday, etc) and do so during our weekly lunch.
Yes! And they do make a great aluminum container for this very purpose. I've seen some beautiful ones in the health food store, they're a bit pricey ($20+), but maybe as a holiday gift...good idea. Now whether it will get used or not...I'm not getting my hopes up !
Quote:
Originally Posted by jhlcomp
What if the restaurant she frequents hasn't caught on to living green and styrofoam is all that they use? If you know for a fact that the restaurant has made the transition, perhaps you can make a subtle hint to your friend that they have other packaging than styrofoam. Maybe she just doesn't know that it doesn't break down. I would appreciate knowing about this and perhaps so would she.
You'd think there must be a green alternative to styrofoam? Maybe I should mention it to the restaurant next time I'm in there - ask them to look into alternatives. I don't live in the most progressive part of the country (Deep South), so styrofoam is the status quo here .
I can't imagine at this point and time that someone doesn't know what happens with styrofoam, that it doesn't biodegrade. Maybe we'll see the end of it soon anyway since it's petroleum-based, it might get too expensive for restaurants.
Thanks for the replies everyone ! So far, the voting says that we should keep these things to ourselves .
For those of you who make an effort to live green, what do you do in those awkward moments with your non-green friends?
I'll post a hypothetical scenario (based on my real one ):
Your non-green friend (NG) recycles a bit, but that's about as far as the green efforts go. You go to lunch once a week with NG, and you know for a fact that NG eats out 7-8 times a week (easily), it's a frequent occurrence.
When you go to lunch with NG, NG always requests a styrofoam box from the waitress. NG makes this request up-front because NG fully intends to bring some of lunch home - every single time. You figure NG must be racking up 30 or more styrofoam boxes a month. Styrofoam is not recyclable in your town, so these go straight to the landfill.
Because this is a hypothetical scenario, there IS an easy green solution, a reusable container.
Do you say something? For the sake of the planet, do you take NG aside and see if you can encourage NG to make a better choice? Does the sake of the planet trump your friendship (NG might not take it well)?
Or do you leave it alone? Everyone knows how bad styrofoam is, surely NG knows. If NG wanted to make the effort, NG would have done so, who are you to question someone else's habits?
I'm not sure how this is a "green" question if you are going out to eat once a week. Are you walking to the restaurant and not using polluting cars or bicycles that have to be manufactured from steel made in polluting steel plants? Does the restaurant only serve "green" foods, or do they contribute to the problems of pollution and climate change? If they have styro available, sounds like they aren't a place you should be patronizing anyway.
Is it possible for you to bring a lunch for two to work from your garden, and use re-usable containers? You DO have an organic garden, that you only work with hand tools you have made yourself, don't you? Buying organic doesn't count, since the increased needs for small batch transportation of goods, and the pollution created, offsets some of the evils of agri-business grown crops.
In short, if you plan on commenting on the shortcomings of others, be prepared for someone more obsessed than you to bring your own into the spotlight.
One of my favorite restaurants has stopped using Styrofoam. they use two sturdy paper plates put together. Not perfect, but on the rare occasion that I eat out and bring home leftovers, I throw the plates into my compost. If you really want to make a difference, I would talk to the restaurant and not your friend.
But to answer your question, yes, I preach to everyone I know. I usually do it in a funny or helpful way so that I don't make anyone uncomfortable . Surprisingly, I have changed a few behaviors this way! I think the best thing is to demonstrate/ model the green lifestyle for others by bringing your own container or by gently pointing out that you only order as much food as you can eat in one sitting so that you do NOT have leftovers.
In short, if you plan on commenting on the shortcomings of others, be prepared for someone more obsessed than you to bring your own into the spotlight.
No doubt.
It was a hypothetical question based on a real event. It's not the biggest issue in my life, I can assure you, it's just something I've been wondering about and, this being a green forum, I assumed others may have run across this as well.
Where the "green" fits in is that my friend eats out - without me - a lot - and eats in the same kind of places and orders the styrofoam container each time...that's a lot of styrofoam ending up in the landfill.
So the question is about when we know there are greener alternatives because we possibly think about these things a bit more than some people, do we speak up for the sake of the environment or not? (rhetorical question - I already have your answer)
One of my favorite restaurants has stopped using Styrofoam. they use two sturdy paper plates put together. Not perfect, but on the rare occasion that I eat out and bring home leftovers, I throw the plates into my compost. If you really want to make a difference, I would talk to the restaurant and not your friend.
But to answer your question, yes, I preach to everyone I know. I usually do it in a funny or helpful way so that I don't make anyone uncomfortable . Surprisingly, I have changed a few behaviors this way! I think the best thing is to demonstrate/ model the green lifestyle for others by bringing your own container or by gently pointing out that you only order as much food as you can eat in one sitting so that you do NOT have leftovers.
I think you're right Nessatar, go to the source of the styrofoam, in this case, the restaurant, and request that they offer an alternative. A rare few restaurants do that in my city, but not nearly enough of them .
In my younger years (20's), I was surrounded by a lot of activists (animal rights, environmental, etc.), so I saw the downside of "informing" everyone about their effect on the world. So aside from an anonymous forum , I pretty much keep my thoughts to myself in my "real" life. I'm very direct in all other aspects, but this is one area where I don't like to make people uncomfortable. You gave some great ideas though and I'm sure I can demonstrate some other options at a future lunch date .
Your last sentance says it all.
The very most Miss Manners will allow is if you bring a container for your leftovers and make casual mention to your friend of how unfortunate it is that this restaurant uses styrofoam.
Maybe your target should be the restaurant, not your friend?
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. The friendship is still fairly new, so I'm concerned if I point it out and NG doesn't want to change the habit, it will become the elephant in the room, y'know?
! So far, the voting says that we should keep these things to ourselves 
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, I pretty much keep my thoughts to myself in my "real" life. I'm very direct in all other aspects, but this is one area where I don't like to make people uncomfortable. You gave some great ideas though and I'm sure I can demonstrate some other options at a future lunch date 
