California Bans Styrofoam Containers

Some restaurants I frequent (I live in California), have already abandoned sytrofoam for more environmentally friendly containers. They've also abandoned plastic bags in which to carry your containers home. Many, including places like Red Lobster, have opted for plain, unprinted, brown paper bags now.

One of the ways that you know you're outside the Portland city limits is when someone hands you a styrofoam container. :)

I like styrofoam cups at home,
but I don't know of any coffee house that uses them here.
The Starbucks-style coated paper with cardboard insulator ring
seems to be the industry standard. In coffee, at least.

I knew this was only a matter of time.

I was always ambivalent about places that sent home plastic containers. It can't be more sustainable, but on the other hand I almost always saved them for other purposes. I have right by me a take out box from a little Chinese place in Carrboro, NC. It's full of all my needle felting tools and made it all the way to Germany with me. Two others of the same are serving duty with my Grandma right now.

In Germany, we still use plastic bags but you have to pay a small fee for them (in order to motivate you NOT to use them). I often do buy them, but they're well made and so darned useful around the place.

Unfortunately, it's not going into effect for 5 years, so there's plenty of time for it to get repealed or watered down.