Green Box, Red Hot Pizza

It's not enough for Dan Richer to be lauded by The New York Times and others as the Next Big Thing to come out of New Jersey's rich culinary community (a "kitchen wizard," no less). Nor is it enough for Arturo's Osteria & Pizzeria—Richer's restaurant in Maplewood Village—to be a gangbusters success story drawing crowds of customers for lunch and dinner seven days a week. No, Richer needs to take it one further.

He's also gotta be Mr. Environmentally Conscious.

Since last September, Arturo's has been using a new "Greenbox" pizza box for take-out pizza orders. The box—touted as the first breakthrough in pizza box technology in 60 years—has a perforated lid that breaks into four plates. The remainder of the box then folds nicely into a half-size, easily storable container for leftover pizza. (You can see a demonstration about three minutes into this video, "Saving the World One Pizza Box at a Time," by Barry Kaufman.) The box is made of 100% recycled material.

Not only does Arturo's carry the box, it was the first pizzeria to do so. "Somebody I know turned me on to the company before they were even in production," said Richer. Since Richer got involved with the box's makers early in the process, he was actually involved in its development. "They used me as someone to bounce ideas off of in a practical setting." 

After testing the box last spring and summer, its makers (Eco Incorporated) launched it and Arturo's began carrying the Greenbox on September 1, 2009. The box has a charming logo in which a green pizza slice also doubles as a tree. "I made a commmitment to them, whatever it takes to arrive, you have a place to sell your box."

"It's a great product and it's the right thing to do." Richer added, "It's cool to be on the front line."

Reaction to the box from customers has been positive. "It's a warm feeling. There's a feeling of care in everything we do," said Richer.

Still, after video demonstrating the box appeared on Maplewoodonline.com, a few posters called the box an attempt at "greenwashing" (basically, something that claims to be green for marketing purposes but really has little positive impact on the envrionment). Richer responded through Patch, "I understand the tendency to think that products are guilty of greenwashing because of how flooded we are with all things 'green,' [but] I must respectfully disagree with this notion regarding the Greenboxes. While this product and many 'green' products may not be perfect, they are generally a step in the right direction—and that's why we're doing this."  

To complaints that pizza grease would render the boxes incapable of being recycled again, Richer countered, "Yes, we place wax paper under each pizza to limit/prevent oil leakage. It's also multi-functional and while those multi-functions may not be used by everyone, they will certainly be used by some. It limits potential usage of paper plates, additional storage containers, etc."

"The whole point of this is to foster thinking that promotes environmental responsibility. This is us trying to think outside of the box."