(Tyler's teacher)

Braxton and I were talking about the article you sent home with him on Take-Out Containers.

In my opinion the paper ones have been "green-washed" and are no better than Styrofoam. Neither should be allowed, but in our society restaurants serve such large portions and few people think to bring their own Tupperware to the restaurant (our family does - when we remember and I am glad to see that Tyler does too). That should, in my opinion, be the focus of what we teach kids. Split a meal (since they are so huge), then you can eat it all so you don't have a take-away container or bring your own.

Ironically, Seattle Public Utilities has been allowing all paper food waste to be put in the yard waste/compost bins for a few years now.

However, as of the last utility bill, that has changed. There was a flyer that came with my bill and it said that they no longer take coated paper. That means paper cups, Chinese-style take-out boxes, many paper plates, milk and juice cartons, etc, can no longer be "recycled" (composted). Basically they only want uncoated paper in the yard waste: pizza boxes, napkins, uncoated paper plates, etc. Paper coffee cups can no longer be put in the yard waste. Neither is it allowed to collect compost in a milk carton and dump the whole thing in the yard waste. The milk container goes in the trash.

Here is the link to the new regulations:

http://www.seattle.gov/util/Services/Yard/Yard_Waste_Collection/AcceptableYardFoodWaste/index.htm

So you see, both paper and Styrofoam take-out containers both end up in the landfill.

In a perfect world, all restaurants would use a standard reusable, durable take-out box that would have like a $5 deposit (for example) that any restaurant could accept back and re-use. Maybe Tyler can invent that.

Finally, I love that a third grader cares so much to take action. It is great. Now it is up to us adults to get with it. Consume less!

Aaron Goss

aka Braxon's dad

Morgan Junction