I finally saw the plastic overload on my last street eats tour.

On my recent tour in Manila, I was surprised by all the single-use containers. Every vendor used plastic bags and styrofoam boxes for snacks. This trash often gets left on streets or thrown into rivers. I heard from a guide that some tours now give guests reusable bags. We need to pick tours that care about cutting waste. If we don't, these places might get too dirty to enjoy. Let's ask about green steps when we book our next trip.

5 comments

5 Comments

johng172h ago

Bangkok's floating market banned styrofoam last year.

ruby6593h ago

That plastic mess is seriously depressing.

shane_scott2h ago

Totally get that feeling. It hits me every time I see a street full of trash or a park bench covered in wrappers. Feels like we're drowning in the stuff and the recycling bin is just for show. Honestly makes me want to just give up sometimes, but what else can you do.

quinncoleman3h ago

Ugh, that same push for convenience is why my local takeout joint drowns everything in plastic too.

bailey.iris1h ago

Focusing on plastic bags misses the point for many street vendors. They use what's cheap and available because their margins are thin. Without better systems for trash pickup, reusable bags won't solve much. Seen plenty of 'green' tours that just pass the cost to customers. Real change needs to come from local policies, not tourist guilt. Expecting vendors to lead on this is a bit unfair.

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