, just 5% of the plastic waste generated in the U.S. in 2021 was transformed into new items. The rest ends up in landfills or winds up polluting our environment.
“If the diner never gets handed a plastic fork, then that’s good for everybody, not just the green tree huggers,” Winn said. “Everybody gets a proper fork and a proper plate and, therefore, you’re moving the needle much more than just preaching to the choir.”Getting big chains like McDonald’s to change their ways felt impossible. But Austin has a lot of local restaurants. The ice cream shop around the corner? The bakery up the street? In those places, the group felt it could make a change.
. Businesses can apply for funds to support their waste-reduction efforts. For example, the city offers up to $1,800 to businesses that ditch single-use plastic and switch to reusable and compostable items. “I became tired of the fact that we were sending thousands and thousands, tens of thousands, of cups to the landfill that are just going to be around for forever,” Chapman said. “That's not the legacy that I want to leave.”
But ensuring the cups and spoons actually end up being composted will still be a challenge. For one thing, there aren’t compost bins at Casey’s. Chapman said Casey’s used to contract with a compost hauler in the past, but customers would often throw other non-compostable items in the bins, which caused problems for the business.