Rocklobster
Master Chef
I don't want to hijack this thread, but I always wonder if the fossil fuels being burned by all of the recycling trucks and machinery in this world is worse for the planet than burying it in land fills...
I don't want to hijack this thread, but I always wonder if the fossil fuels being burned by all of the recycling trucks and machinery in this world is worse for the planet than burying it in land fills...
I think that you make a valid point.
When we lived in the country and had our own burn barrel it was probably better for the environment than going to the expense of building/buying a garbage truck, taking the trash to a landfill or recycling plant several miles away and concentrating the contamination.
I suppose the current system is better for city folks.
We use them for larger parties, especially if there'll be a lot of kids. Not for the special holiday parties with just family, like Thanksgiving or Christmas, but when we have summer bbqs, or my son's team's meetings and parties.
So I voted "sometimes".
And yes, they get recycled. I still beat my neighbors every week by putting out 2 full garbage cans of recyclables, while they sometimes don't put out anything at all. I'm hoping to shame them into saving the planet, lol.
I'm assuming the question refers to using them at home. Although I have used them (I mean, obviously, I think everyone has used paper plates at some point), I voted "never" because I don't use them around the house. The last time I bought any was for a cookout at a park. That was maybe two years ago, and I still have the leftovers sitting in the cupboard.
We don't get recycle pickup. We have to take it down to the bins ourselves at the Town Hall 4 blocks up the street (speaking of which we are due for a run this week). Here they do steel and aluminum cans, plastic bottles and jars, cardboard, and paper. All have to be placed in separate bins. They do not do glass.
We try to be as good as we can about it, but we aren't obsessive. At least the fact that they only pick up the roll-off bins once a week cuts down on the carbon footprint from what it would be if they did home pickup.
We never use them for our dinners, but almost always for lunch. Like PF, if it's for a sandwich sometimes for several days.
I find them very useful for food prep (mise en place).
I keep the heavy weight paper plates between skillets for storage, the very thin ones for between fine china plates.
I'm not concerned about landfills with paper plates but I think styrofoam plates should be outlawed.
We have separate trash and recycling carts. Black for trash, and blue for recycling. The trucks have a giant arm and claw that grabs them, and dumps them into the truck.
CD
That metal bar across the front where they hook onto the bin to lift it breaks quite often..I fixed a couple of them with good ol' Canadian ingenuity..a piece of hockey stick, of course..
We also use cloth napkins, cloth towels for produce, and rarely use paper towels.
That metal bar across the front where they hook onto the bin to lift it breaks quite often..I fixed a couple of them with good ol' Canadian ingenuity..a piece of hockey stick, of course..
Wow, Casey, you must live in quite a neighborhood to have monogrammed trash bins. What does the W stand for?We have separate trash and recycling carts. Black for trash, and blue for recycling. The trucks have a giant arm and claw that grabs them, and dumps them into the truck.
CD