Chow, the food site, has a great new article called How Green Is Your Takeaway Container. You can take reusable containers, such as Tupperware or popular metal tiffins, to restaurants and carts and ask them to use it instead of plastic take-out. Additionally,  ask them not to include a plastic bag or plastic silverware, and bring your own reusable utensil.

Here's the scoop on our local recycling:

Clam shell/plastic containers: No. Very few cities anywhere recycle these, yet they're prevalent as take-out containers. Avoid them.

Aluminum foil: Yes. Rinse and place in your curbside recycling, or reuse it.

Food contaminated paper: Yes. Pizza boxes, napkins, etc can go in your curbside compost bin for collection by the city.

Additional recycling information from StopWaste.org.

Image: Flickr/CreativeCommons