Are Paper Plates More Eco Friendly Than Washing Up After A Party?
This might sound a bit strange – but I am opting for disposable plates for my party!
I never thought I would find a positive reason to buy a disposable product – but paper plates might just be the first!
I was thinking, I don’t have a dishwasher and I only have about 10 plates and even less bowls, so hosting an 4 day munchies feast with some friends would have caused me some serious problems in the kitchen department!
Now, there was no reason to buy more crockery for the occasion as it would just sit in the cupboard for ever more as I don’t need any more - and washing up several times a day just seemed a bit of an energy drain and a huge party-pooper: ‘Lets have some more houmus and dips!’ says a friend after beating me at Mario Kart for the 4th time, ‘Yeah sounds great, but hang on while I just quickly wash up again…..’
In come the paper plates!
So, they are disposable and I couldn’t find any in my store that were FSC approved – but they can be composted with the remnants of food still on them or biodegrade very easily – and they won’t waste hot water and detergent.
But does that make them the better choice?
If I had a larger family and/or a dishwasher then the plates would be a much better option.
Firstly, the crockery would be well used over the following year so well worth upping the stocks – and secondly, most dishwashers are now so energy and water efficient that they are less wasteful than washing up the old fashioned way!
But when you only have a hot water cylinder and live alone – then washing up doesn’t seem like the best option. For a start, I would have to have the boiler on most of the day to make sure that everyone can have a bath and wash their hands through the day – let alone keep filling the sink.
Yes, I could boil the kettle for the washing up water – but this is really going out of the way – especially if my not-so-eco-friendly friend offers to do the dishes for me!
After The Party:
Well, my compost heap will have a fresh layer or tough materials to stoke it’s bacteria, and the water system will have less food waste flowing through it – that’s for sure.
But will it nag at my conscience?
Did I do the right thing?