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I decided to eat at the Guam Premier Outlet’s food court.

After circling the food court twice, I settled with a shoyu ramen. I decided to dine-in because I wanted to return the dishes and utensils (this is pretty common in food courts in Japan), otherwise I would’ve eaten a salmon masubi from the convenience store (I wanted to use less single-use).

When I placed my order, the cashier asked if I was dining-in or ordering a take-out, and I chose to dine-in, thinking that ‘dining-in’ meant my food would come in a returnable bowl and utensils, but I was surprised with what I got (picture above for reference). I thought for a quick minute and hesitated to give the plastic utensils back, but in the end, I kept it.

I couldn’t enjoy my meal because I felt guilty for creating more waste than if I were to have picked that salmon masubi. I used the chopsticks, and I packed the plastic fork and spoon. The only thing that was reusable was the tray that carried my meal.

In 2020, I will make more environmentally-conscious decisions. That means that I will choose businesses that are environmentally friendly.

Businesses play an important role in transitioning Guam towards a less wasteful lifestyle, and with the shift of consumer behaviors, it is important for businesses to adopt environmentally friendly policies to remain competitive.

I encourage consumers and businesses to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle. And for those who want to start, the first step is to recognize the amount of waste you generate. Once you figured that out, start your journey of switching from single-use to reusable.