Local Restaurant, Dry Cleaner, or Chamber of Commerce

Step 1. Explore which restaurants and dry cleaners in your community are already using non-plastic take-out containers

Step 2. Study 

• Dover’s survey of businesses and restaurants.

• New program brings reusable containers to takeout dining in NH. by Amanda Gokee, Boston Globe, August 20, 2024.

• 1st Reusable Take-out Container Pilot in NH Led by Kristine Baber & Christina Dubin — Slide Presentation 2/10/2025.

Step 3. Suggest starting a campaign for restaurants to provide straws only on request. Check out the Skip the Stuff Campaign from Upstream.

Step 4. Study and suggest alternatives to plastic straws. Explore this resource: Guide for Alternatives to Foam Food Containers

Step 5. Develop a bullet point list of suggestions that can be distributed to restaurant members including making sure dumpsters are closed, discontinuing straws, and using compostable take-out containers.

Read "Hold the Plastic, Please" guide for restaurants from Beyond Plastics

Step 6. Write a letter to the editor celebrating restaurants in your town that are using sustainable practices

Step 7. Start a campaign to distribute reusable take-out bags to customers