Despite the projections for cloudy skies and rain in Bend, many Central Oregonians will be braving the inclement weather and hosting Memorial Day parties. Typically, these parties include a big barbecued meal served on paper plates with a side of plastic cups, plastic flatware, and paper napkins.
While it is unquestionably easier to use disposable tableware, it is also unquestionable that this practice is not eco-friendly. These items use up our precious natural resources, create an enormous amount of waste, and leak chemical toxins into the ground as they break down.
Plastic items are especially villainous, as plastic never truly decomposes, and is made from petrochemicals. Our over-consumption of plastic has had gruesome consequences on the earth and its creatures. It is contributing to our dependence on oil, turning our oceans into giant landfills, causing harm to the animals who mistake plastic for food, and releasing toxins into our water systems and soil.
The best thing you can do is to completely avoid using disposable items. Simply use the plates, cups, and flatware that you already have in your home. If you are dreading the task of washing dishes, either invite less people, or ask a few guests to help you clean up (and give them an extra helping of dessert).
If you are having a picnic-style party, be sure to check out reusablebags.com.* They carry stainless steel water bottles, sustainably harvested bamboo flatware, cloth napkins, glass and metal reusable straws, reusable sandwich wraps and snack bags, and stainless steel, portable food containers.
Whatever you do, do not be fooled by the greenwashing of the disposable products industry. There are many companies now making “compostable” paper plates, cups and plastic flatware. According to The Washington Post:
These days, you can...find a number of plastic products — not just cups but also plates, bowls and straws — that trumpet their biodegradability. But because the federal government doesn’t regulate “biodegradable” as a marketing term (as it does for “organic”), manufacturers can sometimes get away with being a little squirrely in their advertising. In fact, none of those products will magically disappear wherever you happen to toss them. Not all biodegradable cups break down at the same rate, or to the same extent, or in the same environment.
Check out Beth Terry’s experiments with these products at Fake Plastic Fish, and you will see that these “biodegradable” items are not all they are cracked up to be.
You may argue that you can recycle or compost paper plates, but if you are going to serve meat at your party, this is not an option. You should never put grease (or grease-stained paper products) into your compost bin. As for recycling, grease-stained paper products contaminate the recycling process and therefore, should never be put in the recycling bin. (That includes the greasy bottom of pizza boxes.)
So break out your real plates and silverware and enjoy and paper- and plastic-free Memorial Day Weekend!
For more information, check out these links:
Quick Suggestions for Picnics This Weekend
Plastic Breaks Down in the Ocean, After All - And Fast
10 Simple Ways to Cut Down on Disposables
What About Biodegradable Bags?
Plastic waste is choking the life out of Earth (video)
*The author is not receiving any compensation in any form for promoting this company.
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The Great Pacific Garbage Patch on GMA
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