Day 5 of 20: What are the alternatives?

Went to a barn dance in the country last night. People came from as far as three states away for this annual June party that my friend, Richard, hosts. There's hiking, dancing and a giant potluck...complete with a rooster crowing in the background. 

I brought ceramic plates and the cloth napkins from my table to use, but wasn't surprised that the primary option for dishware was disposable considering the size of this event. I don't think the old farmhouse has a dishwasher, and the kitchen is small by today's standards. Still, it was unsettling to see so much headed for landfill.

A friend and I started separating the trash: plastic forks and spoons in a bucket; napkins and paper in a 'burnable' bin for Richard's next bonfire; food waste in a second bucket. (There was already the standard recycling bin.) This still left a significant amount of garbage, but less than there might have been, and most people were interested in separating their waste once the process was set up.  Good news, right?
 

Below is a picture of the 94 pieces of plastic soaking in my sink this morning. Despite washing them and soaking them over night, they're still a little greasy. So I started researching how to clean plastic utensils....

Plastic utensils are usually made with polystyrene (plastic #6). One article I found suggests that we shouldn't reuse plastic utensils. Another post explains why this plastic could be recycled but often isn't. After searching a bit, I discovered that my own municipality does not recycle plastic utensils.

So if we shouldn't reuse them, and we can't recycle them (or our municipalities won't because they'll lose money), the sanest alternative, folks, is to avoid creating demand for the stuff!

If this doesn't convince you, check out The Life of a Plastic Fork, written by Ashleigh Lewis. I don't know who she is, but she writes a compelling story. 

Lastly, here's how to implement a sane alternative: The next time a friend throws a party, get a small group together ahead of time to provide nondisposable dishes and silverware. Yes, it may mean running to your local second-hand store to buy a handful of used plates and silverware; setting up bins for collecting the dirty dishes; and getting volunteers to haul them back to a place where you can wash them if you're outside. Yes, this is a lot more work than throwing your plastic plate and fork in a bin. You'll feel better though. I know I would have.