LOS ANGELES — The flavors of soul food are mixed into the vegan dishes at Baba’s Vegan Cafe. But often, head chef and owner Wo’se Kofi said that the way he has been serving his dishes might not be as eco-friendly.
“I’m noticing my trashcan full of foil, being full of plastic,” said Kofi. “These one use containers have been hindersome for me and my trash can.”
The Environmental Protection Agency says the U.S. restaurant industry produces over 11 million tons of plastic waste every year in the form of single-use plastics like utensils, cups and straws.
“We only buy [single-use containers] because we know people can pop them back in the microwave if they want to, they are sturdier,” said Kofi. “These are only going back into the landfill and creating a big pile of plastic.”
To find innovative solutions to reduce plastic waste, Los Angeles Sanitation is awarding thousands of dollars in reusable foodware grants to small restaurants across the city.
Before Kofi received the grant, he was serving all his meals in single-use plastic containers. Now he’s serving dine-in clients on reusable foodware, giving them a more enjoyable dining experience.
“They’re able to actually sit down and actually have a meal with each other and have a moment, kind of like you’re at the house,” said Kofi.
LA Sanitation Director Barbara Romero says that’s a bonus of making the switch to reusable foodware, but it is also a way of staying on track with LA’s goal to become a zero waste city by 2050.
“It’s really for as a city to look at how we can mitigate climate change,” said Romero. “We are banning straws. We ban single use bags and so this microgrant program is one example of not only investing in our neighborhoods to really impact and try to change the way our practices of the way we are living.”
LA Sanitation is encouraging small food service establishments in Los Angeles to apply. The funds to make the transition from disposable to reusable foodware are available until April or until funds are exhausted.
UC Santa Barbara researchers found that if current plastic waste trends continue, by 2050 roughly 12 billion metric tons of plastic will be in landfills or the environment. That’s the weight of 36,000 empire state buildings.
“We have to be more sustainable about our practices in every part of our lives,” said Romero. “So doing these kinds of programs targeting in these neighborhoods will show, would demonstrate, the value of these kinds of investments.”
Investments that for Wo’se are not only helping him to make a living but to make his community an even healthier one. So that Wo’se can continue serving his soulful dishes with a side of consciousness about preserving our planet.
“I encourage all the restaurant owners to just think futuristic,” said Kofi. “Think not for your pockets, but futuristic for the world and the future generations who are going to want to enjoy this world.”