If you ask someone from Kolkata what a "cutting chai" is, chances are that you'll be met with a blank stare. For, Bengalis do love tea — which they drink in copious quantities — but prefer it served in a "bhaar", or kulhad, as clay pots are called elsewhere in the country. And that's the way the beverage was served in railway stations across India, too, till outlets switched en masse to tiny plastic cups 15 years ago.

But now, Indian Railway has decided to reintroduce kulhads for serving tea at certain stations in UP. It's a welcome move, considering how clay pots are a lot more eco-friendly than plastic, and don't pose as many health hazards either. What's more, they lend an earthy essence to the drink and help promote local craftspeople. But why should it stop at railway stations and at kulhads? Why can't biodegradable serving material be made more of a norm in city restaurants too? Some have already introduced it for certain items. For instance, they have innovated with plates made out of bamboo leaves, and straws made out of pasta. Here's our pick of some of the coolest eco-friendly ideas across city eateries and watering holes that have taken a leaf from the same book.