They should switch totally to bamboo if they can, that stuff grows like mad.
27182818284 on
This has been known for a while–that is at least Friendman quotes a Chinese expert on the subject in his book Hot Flat and Crowded who spoke of the same problem. What I don’t like is that although this concept has been out there for a while, it seems to demonize the Chinese as if western cultures using disposable plasticware don’t share some blame in hurting the environment from with their eating utensils.
majorneo on
I wouldn’t worry about it. Eventually they will have to stop.
glittalogik on
The last article about this that I saw was enough to make me purchase a set of reusable stainless steel chopsticks that now live in my bag. I assume it’ll take several hundred uses to balance out the extra resources used in their manufacture and shipping, but with the amount of laksa, ramen and sushi I get through, that shouldn’t take long.
Wow, we use disposable chopsticks in my apartment because we don’t have to wash them. We’ll probably switch to using our normal ones after we finish these few hundred packs we have left.
gerundronaut on
This article doesn’t say how many acres of trees are planted every 24 hours to supply the nation with chopsticks.
SamFuckingNeill on
that’s why my friends i grow my own trees and make my own chopsticks
[deleted] on
Whereas we just pump our disposable silverware right out of the gulf.
deuteros on
In related news, disposable forks used in the US are responsible for the destruction of 100 acres of oil trees every 24 hours.
superfreak77 on
Totally believe the last human will clear the last acre to feed the last cow for a last steak and the hell with it all. We can’t seem to see beyond today.
notcaptainkirk on
I always said that people who used chopsticks for the sake of using chopsticks were douchebags.
Now I know I’m right.
BeJeezus on
The ridiculous effort to cut back on the use of paper/wood, as some kind of ‘pro-Earth’ effort has always annoyed me.
Recycling plastics and even metals I understand, but paper and wood?
I mean, is there a *more* renewable resource?
ruadh on
I thought disposable chopsticks was made from bamboo, which is a grass, and not a tree?
polishbrucelee on
Why doesn’t everyone just bring a set of eating utensils to use throughout the day? Who cares if it’s a little bit of a hassle. Seems like it’d save a lot of pollution.
bewarethetreebadger on
What about all of East Asia? Japan alone goes through a ton.
didithappen on
STOP THE CHOPSTICKS CUTTING DOWN THE TREES
[deleted] on
What’s whack is that we have a lot of really nice chopsticks from various trips, and never use the disposable ones we get when we order food delivered — no matter how much we tell them, though, they never leave out the damn things.
judgej2 on
If they go into landfill, then maybe that counts as carbon sequestration?
21 Comments
Why would you use disposable chop sticks? They must be the easiest things to clean.
Original [LA Times link](http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-0815-gardner-chopsticks-20100815,0,2729426.story)
They should switch totally to bamboo if they can, that stuff grows like mad.
This has been known for a while–that is at least Friendman quotes a Chinese expert on the subject in his book Hot Flat and Crowded who spoke of the same problem. What I don’t like is that although this concept has been out there for a while, it seems to demonize the Chinese as if western cultures using disposable plasticware don’t share some blame in hurting the environment from with their eating utensils.
I wouldn’t worry about it. Eventually they will have to stop.
The last article about this that I saw was enough to make me purchase a set of reusable stainless steel chopsticks that now live in my bag. I assume it’ll take several hundred uses to balance out the extra resources used in their manufacture and shipping, but with the amount of laksa, ramen and sushi I get through, that shouldn’t take long.
Wow. [And this is just a tiny factory in the middle of nowhere Mongolia.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yk-ed3C-Bdc)
Wow, we use disposable chopsticks in my apartment because we don’t have to wash them. We’ll probably switch to using our normal ones after we finish these few hundred packs we have left.
This article doesn’t say how many acres of trees are planted every 24 hours to supply the nation with chopsticks.
that’s why my friends i grow my own trees and make my own chopsticks
Whereas we just pump our disposable silverware right out of the gulf.
In related news, disposable forks used in the US are responsible for the destruction of 100 acres of oil trees every 24 hours.
Totally believe the last human will clear the last acre to feed the last cow for a last steak and the hell with it all. We can’t seem to see beyond today.
I always said that people who used chopsticks for the sake of using chopsticks were douchebags.
Now I know I’m right.
The ridiculous effort to cut back on the use of paper/wood, as some kind of ‘pro-Earth’ effort has always annoyed me.
Recycling plastics and even metals I understand, but paper and wood?
I mean, is there a *more* renewable resource?
I thought disposable chopsticks was made from bamboo, which is a grass, and not a tree?
Why doesn’t everyone just bring a set of eating utensils to use throughout the day? Who cares if it’s a little bit of a hassle. Seems like it’d save a lot of pollution.
What about all of East Asia? Japan alone goes through a ton.
STOP THE CHOPSTICKS CUTTING DOWN THE TREES
What’s whack is that we have a lot of really nice chopsticks from various trips, and never use the disposable ones we get when we order food delivered — no matter how much we tell them, though, they never leave out the damn things.
If they go into landfill, then maybe that counts as carbon sequestration?