zerowaste

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Discussing ways to reduce waste and build community!

Celebrate thrift as a virtue, talk about creative ways to make do, or show off how you reused something!

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Compostable dishes vs washing dishes (slrpnk.net)

submitted 6 days ago by RideAgainstTheLizard@slrpnk.net to c/zerowaste@slrpnk.net

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Many cafés and fast food places these days provide disposable dishes and cutlery when you're eating in. This used to infuriate me, but it seems to be improving slightly now as the trend has moved towards using compostable dishes instead of plastic ones.

However, it's still waste. It makes me wonder, what is more costly in the long run? Providing customers with compostable items or running hot dishwashers and using soap and water all day to reuse dishes?

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[–] HubertManne@moist.catsweat.com 1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

yeah that was exactly the point. can use paper towels with a variety of other foods if they have bread or crust. sandwiches, pizza, etc. You can put a plate underneath for stability and not wash it but I think some people won't be able to handle that mentally.

[–] Pandemanium@lemm.ee 1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Hmm, I'm not sure paper towels are compostable where I am. I've been trying to use as little as possible because I was told the volume of them builds up in the landfills. Is it really that wasteful to wash a plate?

[–] HubertManne@moist.catsweat.com 1 points 5 days ago

um. you compost them at home not throw them in the trash. that would make no sense.