Do you regularly use disposable plates?

[TinklednPants]

Like NEVER? Like you'd starve first?

Do you eat at McDonalds? Do you eat at Disney World? You are eating off of a PIECE of paper at those places. Or, do you carry Corelle in your purse?

No, I don't eat at McDonalds or any fast food places. If at Disney World I eat in a restaurant. So yes NEVER.

 

[bettymae1121]

I was using them every day for the last few weeks until my new dishwasher was installed. I actually wonder if it isn't "greener" to to use paper plates than use all that water / soap / electricity,

Today's dishwashers use a very small amount of water and electricity to run, and you use soap either way so that doesn't matter too much (especially if you use an eco friendly soap). If you wash full loads of dishes, it takes less water to use a dishwasher than to wash by hand in most cases. If you've ever seen or heard of the show "Living With Ed", Ed's a Hollywood actor that is HUGE into the "green thing", long before it was fashionable. This guy rides a bike to power a toaster so he can have toast in the morning, he's that into it! Anyway, no matter how careful he was when doing the dishes, he couldn't manage to use less water than a dishwasher, so he had one installed. If this guy says something is efficient, you can believe it!

 

[luvsJack]

No, I don't eat at McDonalds or any fast food places. If at Disney World I eat in a restaurant. So yes NEVER.

Wow, what a sheltered life. You really need to get out more and EXPERIENCE the paper plate! LOL Just kidding.

 

[mhsjax]

Today's dishwashers use a very small amount of water and electricity to run, and you use soap either way so that doesn't matter too much (especially if you use an eco friendly soap). If you wash full loads of dishes, it takes less water to use a dishwasher than to wash by hand in most cases. If you've ever seen or heard of the show "Living With Ed", Ed's a Hollywood actor that is HUGE into the "green thing", long before it was fashionable. This guy rides a bike to power a toaster so he can have toast in the morning, he's that into it! Anyway, no matter how careful he was when doing the dishes, he couldn't manage to use less water than a dishwasher, so he had one installed. If this guy says something is efficient, you can believe it!

I am sorry, but there is no way that I could ever take anything seriously that came out of the mouth of a man that rides a bike to power his toaster. NUT CASE.

 

[mrodgers]

I am sorry, but there is no way that I could ever take anything seriously that came out of the mouth of a man that rides a bike to power his toaster. NUT CASE.

Not only that, but the quoted poster was responding to someone stating "I actually wonder if it isn't "greener" to to use paper plates than use all that water / soap / electricity," Interesting that a dishwasher uses less water, soap, and electricity than using a paper plate and tossing into the garbage. I personally don't use any water, soap, or electricity tossing stuff in the garbage.

 

[taitai]

Not only that, but the quoted poster was responding to someone stating "I actually wonder if it isn't "greener" to to use paper plates than use all that water / soap / electricity," Interesting that a dishwasher uses less water, soap, and electricity than using a paper plate and tossing into the garbage. I personally don't use any water, soap, or electricity tossing stuff in the garbage.

It isn't. It might be more convenient, life-style friendly, easy, simple, whatever but it isn't greener. The environmental impact of paper plates is far greater than that of reusable plates. The clear cutting of forests for the paper, the electricity used in the manufacture, the water, the chemicals (they have to be bleached white or dyed colors), the transport to the warehouse, the transport to the store, the drive home, the hauling to a landfill, the use of landfill, etc. causes far greater harm than the use of a reusable plate. Dishwashers use far less water than hand washing. The new, Energy Star dishwashers use very little energy or water at all and the water that is used is recycled at treatment plants. I have Fiestaware plates that we use every day that I purchased over 20 years ago. So, these plates at $10/plate have been used once or twice a day for 20 years or approximately 12,000 times. At a cost of $.0008 plate, they have been a bargain compared to paper.

It is a good point. Perhaps she should not have used Ed Begley, Jr to make it but is a good point.

Having said that, for many, the idea of what is the greener alternative just does not come into play. They make their decisions on other factors which is fair.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

Not only that, but the quoted poster was responding to someone stating "I actually wonder if it isn't "greener" to to use paper plates than use all that water / soap / electricity," Interesting that a dishwasher uses less water, soap, and electricity than using a paper plate and tossing into the garbage. I personally don't use any water, soap, or electricity tossing stuff in the garbage.

Meh. Even though the quoted poster compared dishwashers to handwashing, instead of dishwashers to paper plates, the point is still that modern dishwashers use very little water, soap and electricity. And while you may not use any of those when you throw a paper plate in the trash, it has already been shown in this thread that it takes more resources to produce paper plates that is does to wash ceramic plates, not to mention the effect on landfills.

Use them or don't, I don't give a darn what anyone else does, but I do find it laughable to suggest that constantly using and tossing paper plates is "greener" than washing regular ones.

 

[bettymae1121]

I am sorry, but there is no way that I could ever take anything seriously that came out of the mouth of a man that rides a bike to power his toaster. NUT CASE.

yeah I think he's a nut too. but that's kind of my point actually. if someone THAT nuts has a dishwasher, it's only because it's the most efficiant way to go.

Meh. Even though the quoted poster compared dishwashers to handwashing, instead of dishwashers to paper plates, the point is still that modern dishwashers use very little water, soap and electricity. And while you may not use any of those when you throw a paper plate in the trash, it has already been shown in this thread that it takes more resources to produce paper plates that is does to wash ceramic plates, not to mention the effect on landfills.

Use them or don't, I don't give a darn what anyone else does, but I do find it laughable to suggest that constantly using and tossing paper plates is "greener" than washing regular ones.

Yes you're right, I wasn't comparing apples to apples, but what you wrote was the broader point I was try to make. Thanks for stating it more clearly.

 

[Gigi22]

We don't use paper plates--but I do own some. I think I have had them for 5 years or more now. I have some cocktail style paper plates in case of extra guests at parties, and I have some regular paper plates--in case of lengthy power outages (we have had two major power outages since the late 1990s, and I wanted to stock up on a supply of non-perishables in case of another long power outage).

 

[Big Cuddly Bear]

Meh. Even though the quoted poster compared dishwashers to handwashing, instead of dishwashers to paper plates, the point is still that modern dishwashers use very little water, soap and electricity. And while you may not use any of those when you throw a paper plate in the trash, it has already been shown in this thread that it takes more resources to produce paper plates that is does to wash ceramic plates, not to mention the effect on landfills.

Use them or don't, I don't give a darn what anyone else does, but I do find it laughable to suggest that constantly using and tossing paper plates is "greener" than washing regular ones.

I didn't suggest anything. I wondered if it was true.

In any case, I use paper plates whenever I feel too lazy to wash dishes or put them in the washer.

I gotta wonder why you are always so snide in regards to my posts. I think you have issues.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

I didn't suggest anything. I wondered if it was true.

In any case, I use paper plates whenever I feel too lazy to wash dishes or put them in the washer.

I gotta wonder why you are always so snide in regards to my posts. I think you have issues.

Sorry, I don't usually notice usernames much, and I don't recognize yours, so I looked back at your recent posts and in 6 pages, couldn't find one thread we both posted on, so I don't know what you're talking about. Do you post under another name as well?

Anyway, I didn't mean to be snide, sorry if I came across that way. The "laughable" comment wasn't really directed at you. There were several posters who implied that washing dishes was at least as bad for the environment as using and throwing away paper plates.

 

[luvmy3]

I just finished dinner, my boys had theirs on paper plates

Anyway I noticed the packaging and this is what it says:
Nature's Own Green Label
made from 100% paper (well, duh ) A renewable natural resource
recyclable
compostable
biodegradable

Also has Sustainable Forestry Initiative "seal" on it
www.sfiprogram.org

And I don't even care about being green, I just don't want to do the dishes

 

[Mrs.Toad]

Nature's Own Green Label
made from 100% paper (well, duh )

That's hysterical!

 

[mumto3girls]

We don't use paper very often. I used to use them when we had more people than plates, but that was only during birthday parties for my kids and maybe the occasional bbq or when we would eat on the deck after grilling. A few years ago I found plastic plates at Target/Walmart. I think they are meant to be disposable, but I buy a couple of sets at the beginning of the summer and use them all summer long when we eat outside. By the end of the summer they are showing some wear and I just toss them and buy a new set the following year. I wash them in the dishwasher.

Paper definitely has its place, but for me I really would only use them during a move or remodel or maybe when my dishwasher wasn't running.

I do use paper towels and paper napkins daily though.

 

[disfan07]

I use them during midterms and finals weeks at school.

I usually cook meals for the week the weekend before midterms and finals so that I have food uring those weeks. I like just being able to heat and toss because I hand wash my dishes because it would take forever to have a full load of dishes for one person. During midterms and finals, those extra couple of minutes that it takes to do dishes are precious minutes that I don't have. During midterms and finals I barely have enough time to sleep or eat so beeing "green" and using dishes are not a high priority

Those weeks are also big weeks for frozen foods so heat and eat is the motto for those weeks. Otherwise, I usually use regular dishes unless it has been a very hectic week like having 3 term papers due in 3 days.

 

[tlbwriter]

I am sorry, but there is no way that I could ever take anything seriously that came out of the mouth of a man that rides a bike to power his toaster. NUT CASE.

Well, that's the point, isn't it? If someone that far to one side of the spectrum decides to install a dishwasher because it uses less water, soap, and electricity, it's probably true!

 

[mhsjax]

Well, that's the point, isn't it? If someone that far to one side of the spectrum decides to install a dishwasher because it uses less water, soap, and electricity, it's probably true!

Probably, but then again, I have to question the thoughts of anyone that peddles to power a toaster, maybe they aren't thinking clearly on anything. Maybe they are in la la land, and have all sorts of delusional thoughts. Who knows.

 

[tlbwriter]

Probably, but then again, I have to question the thoughts of anyone that peddles to power a toaster, maybe they aren't thinking clearly on anything. Maybe they are in la la land, and have all sorts of delusional thoughts. Who knows.

Well, I try not to assume anyone is delusional simply because they don't live exactly like I do. Because using that definition, YOU are obviously delusional.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

Probably, but then again, I have to question the thoughts of anyone that peddles to power a toaster, maybe they aren't thinking clearly on anything. Maybe they are in la la land, and have all sorts of delusional thoughts. Who knows.

I prefer to give people the benefit of the doubt. While I think it's pretty wacky to pedal a bike to power a toaster, maybe he regularly uses a stationary bike to work out in the mornings, anyway. Maybe he was watching Gilligan's Island, got inspired when he saw Mary Ann riding the bike to power one of the Professor's contraptions, and decided to spend his spare time that day hooking his up to his toaster instead of DISing.

Hmm, yea, still pretty wacky IMO, but the point stands that you can't get much more "green" than Ed Begley Jr.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

I am guessing you are all talking about Ed Begley Jr. i haven't seen the show mentioned.

The thing I like about Begley is though he takes environmentalism seriously - he doesn't seem to take himself too seriously. He was on an episode of "Hanna Montana" making fun of himself doing exactly what some of you are making fun of him for!!!! IMHO, you gotta like a guy like that!