The pace of modern life can leave us craving convenience, but that often comes at the cost of sustainability.
The convenience of disposable plates
Finishing an evening of entertaining with a pile of washing up can put a dampener on festivities. With disposable tableware, clean-up is easy – no matter the scale of the event.
Choose completely compostable event catering and there is no need to sort the dishes for washing, just put them into a compost heap – food scraps and all.
Besides saving time and patience, compostable tableware also conserves water and heating resources used when washing up. While modern dishwashers are designed to be less wasteful, detergents can still contain harsh chemicals.
As household wastewater often ends up in rivers and oceans, reducing the amount in circulation benefits the environment.
Throwaway culture generates waste
It is important to be mindful of the negative environmental impact of plastic or paper disposable plates and utensils. Landfill waste and plastic pollution cause widespread environmental damage.
Compostable products are better for the environment
Reducing plastic usage and waste is an important tenet of sustainable living. For this reason, ethical companies have developed ways to use natural resources which provide eco-friendly alternatives to plastic. Biodegradable tableware is one such innovation.
Less landfill waste
Instead of going to landfill or creating litter, compostable tableware biodegrades into biomass, water, and carbon dioxide.
Some of the benefits of reducing landfill waste include:
- Less land cleared and fewer ecosystems destroyed
- Better waste management to reduce the chance of toxic leaks and littering
- Fewer waste collections, cutting vehicle emissions.
Natural materials are renewable
Unlike fossil fuels used in the production of plastics, natural resources can be replanted and regrown quickly.
For example, bamboo is used to make reusable drinking straws. It can be harvested continually without the need for replanting as it regrows from its roots once cut.
Using reclaimed resources makes products more sustainable. An example is palm leaf tableware: made from areca palm leaves that would otherwise be discarded after falling naturally to the forest floor.
Disposable wheat drinking straws are another example. These are wheat stalks from grain harvests that would otherwise have been discarded or burned.
Utilising these resources reduces waste while creating a natural product that, in turn, replaces plastic and further reduces waste.
Buying eco-friendly products funds sustainable manufacturing
Economic pressure can make environmental considerations difficult for some manufacturers. Finding ways to reward sustainability and diversify existing agricultural or manufacturing processes helps to push more businesses towards adopting eco-friendly sustainable practices and product selections.
Renewable resources offer a path to stability, in the face of dwindling fossil fuel reserves. Growers can make money from resources and land they already own, which encourages sustainable investment and reduces waste and environmental harm.
Protecting ecosystems from chemical pollution
Plastic product production uses resource-intensive methods and comes with harmful by-products and emissions. These are released into the atmosphere as gases or into waterways and the ground through liquid run-off, with far-reaching negative environmental effects.
In contrast, the process to create high-quality palm leaf plates is simple:
- Collect fallen leaves
- Clean in freshwater
- Hot-press into shape
- Dry in sunlight
This low-waste manufacturing process does not release harmful chemicals and results in natural products with a small footprint.
The benefits of palm leaf plates
Unlike paper plates, which are often flimsy and easily saturated – even when reinforced with a plastic coating – palm plates are strong. Microwave and freezer safe, palm plates hold all kinds of foods and liquids without leaking or weakening.
Palm tableware is durable enough to be wiped clean and reused. Even though they are disposable, they don’t have to be single-use.
Buying sustainable plastic alternative plates
Eco-friendly disposable plates help protect the environment while bringing natural elegance to events.
At FOOGO green, our palm leaf plates are all made using responsible sustainable processes. They are 100% chemical free and fully home compostable.
Our sugarcane bagasse plates are also a popular choice for disposable dinnerware. It is fibrous and makes beautiful plates and bowls when mixed with certain binding agents.
If you’re new to natural biodegradable tableware, or are just unsure, our sample packs are a good starting point for exploring our complete range.