Do you use paper products?

[tiggerlover]

Do you ever use paper plates, paper or plastic cups or plastic silverware? The reason I ask is because an Italian woman I know thinks that americans are too wateful by using paper products and that we are destroying the earth. I told her we generally use them for large ocassions and generally for the convenience of them. This woman is part of a ladies group I am in, we meet at someones house once a month for a pot luck and all of the american ladies (except one) use paper plates and when we go to the other two ladies homes they use their good dishes. So I am curious as to what other americans use in their homes.

 

[cinmell]

Yes, I use paper/plastic plates, utensils and cups when we have a gathering and sometimes when we have take out.

 

[Pooh67_68]

I just don't use them no resaon just don't.

 

[Robinrs]

I use them but not because I'm lazy.

 

[chadfromdallas]

Originally posted by tiggerlover
The reason I ask is because an Italian woman I know thinks that americans are too wasteful by using paper products and that we are destroying the earth.

Oh we are. We are pretty bad compared to a lot of the world when it comes to things like this and food.

Do you ever use paper plates, paper or plastic cups or plastic silverware?

Yes, because its faster to just throw it away than wash a dish

 

[debster812]

Italian woman I know thinks that americans are too wateful by using paper products and that we are destroying the earth.

I just had this conversation while on vacation with my parents, with some of their friends. The flip side to the quote above is this:

What about the water needed to wash 'real' dishes for these gatherings? And all the detergents needed as well?

There is no easy answer to these, and I think it is important to find the balance between what works for you and your family, and what is the most beneficial/easy on the environment.

 

[Kermit]

I use them for large gatherings, mainly because I don't have enough real dishes. If I had large gatherings often enough to justify the cost of buying more dishes, I would.

I don't think you can really compare the water and detergent used to wash dishes with the effects of throwing away the disposibles. Remember that it takes lots of energy to produce the disposible products in the first place. I know that a lot of people tell me that I shouldn't use cloth diapers because they say it's worse for the environment, but I did my research and found out that it takes as much water and energy to produce one disposible as it takes to wash one cloth diaper.

 

[debster812]

Kermit--you're right about the sheer numbers with regards to energy, water etc. It's just one more piece of the puzzle to think about.

 

[DooDahDay]

I use paper plates alot,the kind that are not coated,for a sandwich or toast just somthing to catch crumbs.

 

[Serena]

I use them, but normally just for outside gatherings, like a park, or even my backyard. I have enough dishes and silverware for everyone.

 

[Bichon Barb]

I don't think the water and soap that is used to wash dishes equals the waste product that is made by the paper goods--especially plastic wear. I agree that we are a "disposable" nation.

That being said, I do use paper goods for large gatherings and sometimes when camping.

 

[mommytotwo]

We use them for large gatherings, and when we give things to people-like when I make desserts and such.

 

[BedKnobbery2]

I use them for larger gatherings for the reason someone else said--I don't have enough "real" dishes if I have more than, say, 8 guests.

We also use them at work when there is a birthday or other occasion someone has brought food in, because we don't have any "real" dishes there.

 

[arminnie]

I used to use them for large gatherings but I inherited a whole lot of mismatched good china from my aunt. She loved to buy a plate or two of something she liked. I have over 20 each dinner, salad and butter plates. So now I like to use these. Plus I have a new dishwasher (the other was decades old) and I don't have to pre-rinse. I find it easier to use the real plates than to deal with taking out the garbage pails full of the paper stuff.

Now I do still use paper if I am going to be away from home.

 

[Boots]

I very very rarely use paper products. I guess it was 2 years ago when DS was a youth director at a big church and had abut 50 high school and junior high school age of his youth group over for a pool party, then I used them. When DH's family has a get together we do, because there about 200 of them, but they don't meet at my house. I just like to use real plates. I do use paper napkins though all the time. But when I have a Birthday or holiday celebration I use cloth napkins. And Boots really really despises plastic forks and spoons. I only use them if I have too.

 

[disykat]

I voted yes, at large gatherings. In reality I usually only use them for kids parties, BBQs and if the kids are eating seperately from the adults at a party. I like a chance to get out my good dishes!

 

[Nutsy]

I use them at Christmas. Our is not a large gathering, it is just the 4 of us & my Mum & brother. Also, if my Mum & Brother come to visit we usually have a BBQ lunch, so I use paper plates then.

Sure makes a difference to the washing up.

 

[shortbun]

I have a supply of paper plates. I might have them 10 years
from now because I rarely use them. I hate using them because
of the environment. We use cloth napkins. Neither the dishes
nor the cloth napkins add much to my water or detergent use
because I'd be washing clothes and pots and pans anyway.
At our house we recycle like crazy. On recycling day(we have
curbside pkup) we put out at least 2 bins each week. It would be more but we reuse lots too. I recycle
every single thing I can. I try to buy glass instead of plastic,
I often use glass jars for other things for a while before throwing
them away-drinking glasses, remnant storage, leftovers instead
of buying those little plastic throwaway things. We're an organic
gardening family/compost/heck, we don't even get a newspaper
anymore as it's such a waste with all the news available online
or on TV. Our motto is: live simply so that others may simply live.
Our biggest vice is travel. It's tough to live simply at WDW although we do our best. BTW, all the reuse and recycle efforts
also save us money-that we can spend on vacation !!!!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I use both all the time and it is not because I am "lazy". We just eat too much I think.