We all know that the ingredients in most fast food do not usually support a healthy diet. However, there are other reasons to eliminate—or at least limit—your fast food intake.

Spring brings lots of volunteer litter cleanups. What do we find? Amidst the high volume of non-reusable plastic bottles and the abundance of plastic bags, fast food wrappers and containers constitute a sizeable proportion of the trash that is picked up out of our streams and park lands here in Fairfax County.

In addition, new studies show that fast food packaging can leach potentially dangerous chemicals into the food:

http://www.rodalesorganiclife.com/wellbeing/fast-food-packaging-found-to-be-just-as-nasty-as-fast-food?utm_source=rodalesorganiclife.com&utm_medium=Outbrain&utm_content=articlerightrail

But if you just can’t do without your “fix” of fast food, consider bringing your own reusable dish, cup, and cutlery to put food and drink into, if your fast food place will allow it. If it is not allowed, ask the fast food server to place burgers, sandwiches, etc. in a paper napkin and transfer the food into your own reusable container. Also, consider saving on plastic
and reducing trash output by skipping the straw and drink lid. If you can carry the items without a bag, ask for no bag.

Save your health—and the planet!