Even though numerous studies confirm that employees who take lunches are more productive, many of us still work through our mid-afternoon meal, ordering delivery, and desperately trying not to get soy sauce on our key pad. But, with take-out comes disposable containers. Even if you recycle, not every restaurant offers recyclable containers.

How: There are two ways you can avoid the waste created by take-out and delivery. The first is to bring in your lunch, packing it in reusable containers. I’m a big fan of the stainless steel (and plastic free) LunchBot. When you bring your lunch, eat it away from your desk. If weather permits, go to a nearby park and take an hour to connect with nature. But, let’s face it, some mornings you just don’t have the time to pack. On those days, eat out. Pull yourself away from your desk and patronize a restaurant that utilizes reusable serving dishes.

Why: 44 million Americans purchase lunch every workday, and in doing so, create enough waste via paper and plastic cups, forks and spoons to circle the equator 300 times. In 2007, 120 million pounds of foam polystyrene hinged containers were used in the U.S. food packaging industry and each American throws away an average of 100 polystyrene cups each year. Pulling yourself away from your desk will reduce the amount of waste you create every day. Bonus: turning your desktop to sleep mode for an hour can reduce its energy use by 80%. And remember, animated screen savers are not the same as sleep, they waste energy.