Halls of the Dark Muse

I know that they are using biodegradable plastic bags at the health food store. DO they sell biodegradable plastic plates? If I were your mom, I'd be annoyed at you. Things like parties sometime require a relaxed environmental view. (I can feel the pies being thrown at me now.)

I do not know if they make biodegradable plates, but my family is use to me and my radical environmentalism, and my mom does share my basic views about it, I am just must less willing to be flexible in my beliefs so I help motivate them to do what is in the best interests of the earth.

You are correct in your stance, but I'd still huff. Haha!

My parents have had a lot of practice getting use to this sort of thing, I was like this even as a kid.

I'd've thought the paper plates were more eco friendly than plastic ones. Most low-grade paper products are made of recycled paper, are'nt they? Where as plastic plates use alot of energy in their production and won't bio degrade. More research needed.

Originally Posted by prendrelemick

I'd've thought the paper plates were more eco friendly than plastic ones.

I was thinking the exact same thing. Paper plates can be produced sustainably either through recycling or through forestry renewal. There's not a great deal goes into the manufacturing process either, especially compared to the production of plastics. Plus, those plastic plates, though reusable, will still be here, a little faded, when we're all long dead and rotted unless someone has the foresight to put them in for recycling. So in all likelihood they'll be lingering in a landfill site, or floating around the North Pacific Gyre in the garbage patch ruining ocean life for a long, long time.

A case of false ecology?

I think DM is planning to re-use the plastic plates -- "reusable plastic plates" -- probably for a good long while. Now whether this is ecological, I'm not certain. But from my reading of the blog, she does not intend to pitch them in the rubbish.

I have to say DM that I think Fifth is correct in her assessment of plastic, and that paper plates are more eco friendly than plastic, even if you are planning to re-use them.

In any event, at least you care and are making an effort, which is more than I can say for myself (I mean the making an effort part ).

Well for the event we are not actually going to be buying extra plastic plates, we are going to be using dishes which we already own. The plastic plates were to be only if backup was needed and we did not have enough dishes, and of course than the plates if we did buy any extra would be used again every year.

But as it turns out it seems like we will have enough without having to buy any extra. So I do think that this best choice is to use what is already in the house than to go out and buy more stuff be it plastic or paper.

Are you talking about those hard plastic plates that some people use for casual or everyday use? In which case I see your point. I thought you were talking about those disposable plastic plates that I think are supposed to be sturdier than paper.

I was talking about the hard plastic plates which are made for everday use.

As the comment above brought up the point that perhaps my use of the phrase plastic plates may have caused confusion and not been clear as to my meaning.

When I said that I was thinking of using "reusable plastic plates" I did not mean the cheap, basic, disposable plastic plates that are commonly used for parties such as this:

http://www.partysmartys.co.uk/plates.htm

But I had meant the hard plastic plates which can be used for ever day use and can serve as regular dishes, such as are commonly sold in stores like Target.