I can’t understand why restaurants continue to use styrofoam or otherwise landfill-destined packaging for takeout containers, when recyclable, biodegradable, and compostable alternatives are available – and just keep getting nicer to look at. Last night we had dinner at The Kitchen in Boulder, which has been written up nationwide for its commitment to using local and organic ingredients, whenever possible, to craft some amazingly delicious meals.

A friend had told us the restaurant had switched from laminated paper takeout boxes, which are made from recycled paper but aren’t recyclable because of the coating, to a biodegradable, compostable version. My fiance, who has taken a “master composter” class, was skeptical. Many corn-based containers that are allegedly compostable take forever to beak down in the average backyard compost pile, because it doesn’t get hot enough. (Some, however, promise to decompose in as little as 45 days.)

But at The Kitchen last night, I happily took my leftover gnocchi with mushrooms home in a truly biodegradable and compostable container, sourced from Eco-Products, which makes a whole line of Earth-friendly food service products – in addition to building supplies, household items, office supplies, and more.

The container resembles an egg carton in texture, and is a cute little round thing with a flat lid, stamped with the restaurant’s logo on top. The manager told us the containers are so biodegradable that they’ll start to decompose in the refrigerator if you leave them there too long. But that’s okay – I plan to savor my leftovers and toss the carton in the compost this afternoon.

Photo credit: The Kitchen