My daughter recently started working at a new restaurant in town. They are based in the Midwest and have started a franchise here. During the training she asked where to put the recycling and was informed they don’t recycle. Her response was, “My Mom is not going to like that. She wrote a book about this.” Amazingly, she remained employed and helped them start a recycling program at the restaurant (strange the city didn’t play a role here). The managers weren’t against environmental initiatives, they just haven’t been trained.

Several weeks later, I appeared at their front counter getting food to go. While my daughter was getting my order, they offered me individual condiment packets. “Oh no, you didn’t just do that”, she exclaimed to the manager! Who then offered me another alternative and still kept my daughter on the payroll.

In my defense, I haven’t actually said anything negative to the restaurant workers and I am a pretty gentle person–apparently, it’s my reputation as a Meet Green Martyr preceding me.

Now when I walk in for lunch you can hear the warning, “Here comes Kate’s Mom, hide the disposables!”