For us, selecting thoughtful options means deciding on products that offer the right compromise between many factors, not just green washing for PR. We take into consideration the utility of the product, the price, safety, its carbon impact by travel distance and environmental impact in a land fill or if delivered to a recycling center and the current manufacturing processes for all options vs. historical processes of traditional options.

With all of those factors in mind, we currently use styrofoam takeout containers for all hot, saucy and liquid foods and will continue to do so for the foreseable future. The styrofoam container is far superior for holding hot liquids vs biodegradable or compostable containers. We are studying how to manage a bio container for burritos and kids meals. We hope to have a solution for in store procedures by the spring. Again, we appreciate your patience in this matter.

We continue to evaluate our containers each quarter when new products are shown by the industry. We also receive samples, which we seek out and receive all the time. Please be patient, we will make a change when the bio products meet all of our standards. For those customers taking home leftovers after dining in our restaurants, we do have recycled paper small boxes out and available at all of our restaurants.

Additional products which we have found to meet our criteria and use in our restaurants today are listed below:

• All of our take-out utensils are biodegradable and made from potato resin.

• Our Kid's cups are compostable, environmentally sustainable and made entirely from plants. (www.f-k.com)

• Our "plastic" takeout bags are actually biodegradable bioplastic. They biodegrade naturally with no toxic residues. (www.trellisearth.com)

• We offer a 100% recycled paperboard take-out container.

• Our garbage can liners are produced from 100% post-consumer plastic.

• We recycle all cardboard and glass that comes into our restaurants.

• We recycle all of our canola oils, olive oils and soy-based oils whenever used for crisp cooking processes.

• We are also working on a more complete recycling program that would include plastics, cans and miscellaneous paper.