I need to find affordable earth friendly biodegradable products...?

Question

I'm having a barbeque in a few weeks and would like to find paper or plastic cups, utensils, plates, bowls, etc. WHo makes the most affordable ones and where can I purchase them? Thanks

I would love to wash my dishes to save the earth...but I have about 50 people coming over. I don't even have enough dishes for 10 ppl.

Thanks for the advice though...I'll have to go to Whole Foods to see what kind of earth friendly products they have...I'm looking for the potato or corn based products.

Answer 1

well, if you want to be earth friendly, purchase plastic plates that can be washed and re-used (or use glass or ceramic plates that you either own or rent from a party supply company). ditto for cups and utensil. and even if they are rinsed, plastic cups and utensils are made of a type of plastic that is not recyclable in every community (#6, not recyclable in my community).

no matter how biodegradable the manufacturing materials are, once they are covered in bbq sauce they cannot be recycled, and therefore will be going into a land fill. might be more work to use/wash your own plates, but it's better for the environment.

Answer 2

Most every grocery store carries "green ware" it is made from recycled products and designed to biodegrade. Had you considered using your regular plates though? It is a really nice touch and you don't have to worry about droopy paper or piles of trash. I have a set of mismatched plates that I have bought at thrift stores and yard sales that I use for outdoor picnics and barbeque's they are festive and even with kids I have no problems with breakage - added bonus everyone knows which plate and cup/glass they are using and my guest are always happy to help clean. I keep a plastic tub by the trash bin of plates and glasses then bring them in the house to wash. I even use them at the beach and at parks. You could always use Corell or tinware too if you are not allowed to use glass (like in a public pool area). Good Luck!

Answer 3

Just go to any typical discount super store and buy in bulk. Make sure you're using paper cups and plates and bowls made from recycled materials. The plastic ones (unless recycled properly) take longer to decompose and make more trash.

If it's a small enough BBQ, try just using your everyday silverware instead of the plastic stuff. If that's not an option though, just try to find something that's made from recycled products. We wash and reuse our plasticware at home. It's an option.

Make sure you have plenty of trash bags too, and be sure everything gets thrown away (or recycled) at the end of the BBQ. (I hate going to the park or beach and seeing napkins and paper plates blowing in the wind.)

Answer 4

A fun alternative (if you don't want to do all the washing) is to ask guests to bring their own table-ware. They bring their own plate, cup and sliverwear to the party and you provide the soap and sink to wash them in afterwards. No one has to buy new items, they all take them back home again, and nothing gets thrown away!

We did this in college when we had large dinner parties and no one had that many dishes, so it was out of necessity. But now it makes sense! We didn't pay for the throw-aways and we avoided the mess.

Answer 5

If someone told You that a store 20 miles farther than your usual store carried these "biodegradable" products, would you expend the energy and time to go get them?

Reusing is recycling. Wash the dishes.

Answer 6

I found biodegradable cornstarch cups and plates made from sugar cane at my local big box grocery store. Although I prefer the afforementioned "bring your own" plates and cutlery idea - you can call it "picnic style"

Answer 7

Use real dishes and then wash them. That's the most earth friendly thing to do.