New Year’s Eve is an evening made for fun. Washing the dishes
Load the dishwasher
Why spoil your evening with household chores
Better to use disposable dishes ! Or maybe it would be better not.
Like plastic containers, disposable tableware is also disappearing. In their place, eco-friendly plates and cutlery are appearing , both washable and disposable. Ecological materials multiply every day, so much so that now you are spoiled for choice between biodegradable dishes , compostable dishes , washable ecological dishes .
Let’s investigate the matter, in this way you will be ready to celebrate the new year in a green way. The ideal material for eco-friendly dishes and cutlery to wash
The first question you need to ask yourself is: will you want to wash the dishes
If you plan to celebrate with family or a few close friends, you could opt for washable ecological dishes . Being reusable, they are the most ecological alternative of all and also the most economical, in the long term. One question remains: what material should Eco-friendly plates and cutlery bethey are recyclable, made with safe and renewable materials. From this point of view, the glass plates are among the best available on the market. It’s just a pity that they are so fragile, so unsuitable for a buffet or a very lively context. This is why it is advisable to focus on a material that is still too little known: bamboo .
As we will see later, many bamboo fiber plates are disposable. In this case, we are talking about reusable tableware instead. Bamboo ones are the strongest washable ecological plates you can find. They do not contain plastic, can go in the dishwasher and do not break when falling. In short, they are really buffet-proof.
But what if you don’t feel like washing the dishesWhat is the difference between compostable and biodegradable dishes
Maybe the idea of ​​washing the dishes on the first of the year doesn’t excite you: it’s normal. In this case, you just have to choose eco- friendly plates and cutlery that are also disposable. It seems a contradiction in terms, yet they exist. In particular, you can choose between biodegradable dishes and compostable dishes .
- Biodegradable, they decompose 90% within 6 months .
- Compostable, they decompose in 3 months . What’s more: compostable dishes become compost, in fact, and can be used as fertilizer.
Both solutions are eco-friendly, although compostable dishes have an advantage over biodegradable ones. In the first case, you avoid creating garbage that will be disposed of, but nothing else. In the second case, choose items that will have a second life.
You may be wondering if it’s not enough to choose recyclable plates and cutlery . First, the hard plastic used for tableware tends to be non-recyclable. Furthermore, disposal still involves a waste of energy. Instead, both compostable and biodegradable products are disposed of by themselves and without waste. What biodegradable and / or compostable dishes are made of
Once you have decided to start the year in the name of the environment, you just have to choose the dishes to use. If you rely on online stores, you are spoiled for choice: there are both biodegradable and compostable dishes , of all shapes and sizes. Let’s see in which materials. Paper
Cardboard plates are the forerunners of biodegradable plates , the ones that paved the way for all the others. As anyone who has left a cardboard box in the rain knows, paper degrades very easily. Unfortunately this does not always make it compostable. Also, you need to be careful about where the trees used to produce it come from. Bagasse
It is a derivative of the waste of thesugar cane . After squeezing the cane over and over, there is a fibrous shell free of sucrose and unusable for human consumption. It used to be fed to animals. Today it is used to produce a particular type of paper, which is then used to make eco-sustainable and compostable plates and cutlery . Bamboo fiber and cellulose pulp Bamboo fiber plates and cellulose pulp cutlery
often come from the same plant. Cellulose pulp is in fact a versatile material, obtainable from different types of wood. Bamboo is one of these.
The crockery made of bamboo fiberthey can be both disposable and washable. While fully compostable, they are also resistant to high temperatures. Also for this reason, bamboo fiber office mugs are becoming popular . PLA
Looks like traditional plastic, but is made from corn starches . PLA is one of the most popular materials for eco- sustainable disposable cutlery , being light and pleasant to the touch. You may have seen it in ice cream spoons. Unfortunately, it has poor heat resistance: if you have soups and hot dishes planned, avoid it. Palm leaves
They are perhaps the best compostable dishesavailable today, but also the most expensive. They are obtained from spontaneously fallen palm leaves. In this way the plant is not stressed and the leaf is drier, less prone to mold.
Collect the leaves, wash them and press them in order to obtain the desired shape. From a single leaf it is possible to obtain 2 or 3 plates, depending on the size. Compared to other environmentally friendly plates and cutlery, these are naturally waterproof and anti-grease . They are also distinguished by their unique veins, which make them extremely elegant for disposables. There are colored biodegradable dishes
Biodegradable dishes can also be colored, depending on the material you choose. Those in bamboo fiberor in palm leaves are almost always wood-colored, with the classic veins of plants. This makes them elegant, but perhaps unsuitable for a playful and informal New Year’s party.
If you are looking for colored biodegradable dishes, we recommend you choose those in paper or cellulose pulp. These are the materials that offer the widest range of colors, including those typical of the last year. But make sure they are dyed with natural and equally eco -friendly dyes .
To make sure you are dealing with eco- friendly plates and cutlery , check the packaging and look for these certifications.
- Ecolabel and Nordic Ecolabel, which guarantees the eco-sustainability of the entire production cycle. It is a rigid quality mark, which takes into account: energy and water consumption; origin of raw materials; packaging; waste management; use of chemicals, including dyes.
- Seedling / Compostable, which guarantees compostability of plates and cutlery. In the case of colored biodegradable plates, the certification also takes into account the inks used.
- FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and PEFC. The two certifications have a focus on the provenance of paper and cardboard, to ensure that they come only from controlled forests.
Prepared the menu of the party
Decorated the room in view of the guests
Buy eco-friendly plates and cutlery
You just have to give yourself to the celebrations, this year with an eye to the future of the planet.
