One Simple Solution

Undergraduate sociology students regularly include the following issues when asked to list the top concerns facing the U.S. These are not in any particular order:
Cost of living
Childhood obesity
The Environment

Here's a thought that could tie all of the above together toward the end of reducing each concern.
If restaurants, independent and franchises, reduced portion size a ripple effect can follow. For example, the total amount of fat and calorie intake per meal can be reduced, thus directly impacting childhood obesity. Cutting back on the amount of food presented on a plate or in a bag lowers the product cost for the business owner which can in return decrease the price per serving for the consumer. Clearly, this carries a positive impact on the cost of living. The extra money can go toward family savings, or for discretionary spending, thus stimulating the economy.

Smaller food portions most certainly will reduce the need for left-over boxes and packaging. This is another savings to the owner that can be passed through to the customer. Without question such a practice will lower the rate of material being discarded and making its way to landfills, littering Interstates, cities, towns and neighborhoods. It's an easy train of thought to follow: less food, lower intake, money saved, reduced shipping, less energy, more money for the business and customer, less detritus in the world. Simply put, the process is great for people and the planet.

Of course that's a pipe dream. In a meager attempt to break the patters Shannan and I have developed an environmentally friendly set of containers, Eco-to-Go. These include a handy a reusable carrying case to deal with the leftovers from grossly over-sized portions at most restaurants. The extra food generally makes for the following day's lunch. Eco-to-Go helps us to nosh on health portions, save money on meals, contribute toward reduced use of Styrofoam and plastic.

Trickle down health, economics and environmentalism.

Eat healthy and exercise.

Tom