best way to go: paper plates, diswaher or sink wash?

[Blake]

I estimate we use about 20 paper plates and forks a week.

That probably costs maybe $1 a week.

If I use the sink or dishwasher, I feel I'm using up fresh drinking water to do so.

Any good arguments one way or the other?

[JoeChalupa]

Do you wash your paper plates and forks? Are you using styro-foam plates or real paper? I wash dishes by hand.

[marini martini]

Yeah, keep believing you're wasting "fresh drinking water" out of your fawcett!!!

[florige]

I use everything plastic and paper. I hate grimey ass dishes.

[Melmart1]

I use everything plastic and paper. I hate grimey ass dishes.

They wouldn't be grimey if you would just wash them.

[mrsmaalox]

I use disposable paper plates and use a dishwasher for regular dishes. I refuse to hand wash even a single dish ;)

[Viva Las Espuelas]

Paper plates any time I can.

[florige]

I use disposable paper plates and use a dishwasher for regular dishes. I refuse to hand wash even a single dish ;)



Thats because you are a closet richer Maalox. :lol

[JudynTX]

Real dishes and I hand wash them. My husband does the dishes too. :D

[Blake]

Do you wash your paper plates and forks? Are you using styro-foam plates or real paper? I wash dishes by hand.

no, trash.

[Blake]

Yeah, keep believing you're wasting "fresh drinking water" out of your fawcett!!!

I never used the word wasting.

You have a reading problem!!!

[Shaolin-Style]

Paper/plastic products start costing too much in the long run and don't help you with cooking food in pots/pans ect. Dishwashers are expensive too with the tablets ect.

I say just be old school and give your dishes the once over with some dishwashing soap, hell they even make dishwashing soap that moisturizes your hands while you wash them these days.

[baseline bum]

Handwash. It's easy if you give everything a quick rinse when you put it in the sink the first time.

[Dr. Gonzo]

Dishwasha!!

[JoeChalupa]

Paper/plastic products start costing too much in the long run and don't help you with cooking food in pots/pans ect. Dishwashers are expensive too with the tablets ect.

I say just be old school and give your dishes the once over with some dishwashing soap, hell they even make dishwashing soap that moisturizes your hands while you wash them these days.

Palmolive has been around for years.

[bigzak25]

wifey hand washes the dishes as she's not fond of using the dishwasher...she doesn't like the smell of them when they come out of there or something...

i'm not into washing dishes, so i'm all about paper plates, but when i do 'help out' i definitely use the dishwasher and then just wash the pot or pan or two that doesn't fit by hand...

[CuckingFunt]

I don't use paper plates. Because I'm an adult.

I handwash, currently, but would love to have a dishwasher when I move. Won't make a huge difference in time, though, since a lot of things can't go in the dishwasher.

[JoeChalupa]

I even wash clothes and hang them up out on the clothes line so not to use the dryer.

[florige]

I even wash clothes and hang them up out on the clothes line so not to use the dryer.



I did that too. But the clothes seem to come out softer when you use the dryer with the fabric sheets verses the liquid softner for the washer.

[Blake]

I don't use paper plates. Because I'm an adult.


Cool. I use paper plates because I'm a working busy adult.

[bigzak25]

I even wash clothes and hang them up out on the clothes line so not to use the dryer.


now that's old school!

[JudynTX]

Cool. I use paper plates because I'm a working busy adult.

:lol :lol :lol

[JoeChalupa]

Cool. I use paper plates because I'm a working busy adult.

Same here. I known plenty of adults who use paper plates. :lol

[JoeChalupa]

I did that too. But the clothes seem to come out softer when you use the dryer with the fabric sheets verses the liquid softner for the washer.

That is true but the key is to get them off the line just when they dry. Sometimes I will pop them in the dryer for just a few minutes.

Yeah, I'm old school. :lol

[mrsmaalox]

I even wash clothes and hang them up out on the clothes line so not to use the dryer.

Do you use a machine to wash or do you prefer the pounding on a rock method? ;)

[easjer]

I don't do the dishes, SFIE does. He uses the dishwasher. We don't have a water shortage out here, so I don't care to contribute to the paper-products waste.

We also can't line-dry in our complex, so that's out. Though we plan to cloth diaper if we ever have a baby, and will set out diapers to air dry - they last longer that way (and get naturally bleached by the sun).

[JoeChalupa]

Do you use a machine to wash or do you prefer the pounding on a rock method? ;)

:lol scrub...& rinse...scrub....& rinse...

[JudynTX]

I use disposable paper plates and use a dishwasher for regular dishes. I refuse to hand wash even a single dish ;)

I can't even picture you doing dishes, at all. :D

[Viva Las Espuelas]

I even wash clothes and hang them up out on the clothes line so not to use the dryer.

That's what I do. I don't need to wear all my clothes at once in a hurry so I save money this way. Well I put them on hangers. Not on a line but if I could I would. If I need something right away then I'll use the dryer. Plus your clothes don't breakdown/fade as much if they air dry. Colors stay the original color for quite a while. I got your back Joe. I ain't touching your front.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

I can't even picture you doing dishes, at all. :D

:lmao

[mrsmaalox]

I can't even picture you doing dishes, at all. :D

Not even if my life depended on it :lol

[JudynTX]

Not even if my life depended on it :lol

:cooldevil Just messing with you. :lol

[Scola]

I went the paper plate route, the only thing I wash are my metal spoons & forks.

[Blake]

I went the paper plate route, the only thing I wash are my metal spoons & forks.

we've been using more metal spoons and forks of late.

It's just the plates.....it doesn't take much effort to fill a sink or dishwasher with 20 plates.

[EmptyMan]

Disposable everything because I am a lazy bastard in the kitchen.

[ChumpDumper]

Hand wash unless it's a big meal. Paper plates are for picnics.

[JoeChalupa]

I don't do picnics.

[Dex]

Rinse in the sink, wash in the dishwasher. It's the future, people!

Sometimes I'll also just let my water run down the drain so the martians can't get it.

[Dex]

P.S. Paper plates are only acceptable for picnics, parties, and pizza.

Remember the Three Ps!

Or is it 5 Ps?

[JoeChalupa]

Paper plates are totally acceptable in the chalupa household and are the norm.

[Drachen]

P.S. Paper plates are only acceptable for picnics, parties, and pizza.

Remember the Three Ps!

Or is it 5 Ps?

The OPP?

[Dex]

The OPP?

I'm down.

[tlongII]

Ask Ruff. He's the expert on carbon footprints.

[ploto]

I wash by hand and then still run them through the dishwasher.

I use paper plates if I am having a sandwich or something like that.

[Strike]

I usually hand wash. I live alone so I don't dirty up a bunch of shit. So I usually wash a bowl, plate, silverware, cookware, etc. as I use them.

[Melmart1]

I hand wash, because I don't have a dishwasher. But even if I did, since I live alone I imagine it would would take several days to dirty enough dishes to justify using the dishwasher, and that would annoy me, having dirty dishes lying around that long. So I imagine I would still hand wash most of the time, unless I had a lot of people over or cooked a dish that required a lot of prep.

I never buy or use plastic or foam plates or cutlery. Just don't care for them.

[xellos88330]

I do both. This is how I do it.

My wife uses paper plates when she feels too lazy to do dishes.

What is the point in having a dishwasher when I have a perfectly good wife in the kitchen anyways.

When she wants to get laid, she will use dishes and make me a steak.

[Bender]

I don't use paper plates. Because I'm an adult.
and you don't live in a trailer park.


j/k all you paper plate lazy asses. I use them occasionally. I just hate the cheap, flimsy ones that wont even support a sandwich.

[Fat boy]

and you don't live in a trailer park.


j/k all you paper plate lazy asses. I use them occasionally. I just hate the cheap, flimsy ones that wont even support a sandwich.

All my food comes wrapped or in a box so I just throw as I go.

[Wild Cobra]

I estimate we use about 20 paper plates and forks a week.

That probably costs maybe $1 a week.

If I use the sink or dishwasher, I feel I'm using up fresh drinking water to do so.

Any good arguments one way or the other?
If you are ding this for a combination of cost, labor, and environmental reasons, I would use paper plated and silverware. The silverware can easily be soaked in a drinking glass, then washed together when full. The paper plates are biodegradable and relatively inexpensive. I sort of live this way myself, except for company. I'll use plenty of things to wash, but my daily plate consumption is way down.

I would temper it with where you live and your environmental concerns. If you are in an area lacking in water, then use more paper plates, bowls, plastic-ware, etc. Some people with an environmental conscience doesn't like the cutting of trees to make paper with. To each his own, but if you have a large enough property, you can compost your egg shells, coffee grounds, food waste, paper plates, etc.

[Wild Cobra]

I use disposable paper plates and use a dishwasher for regular dishes. I refuse to hand wash even a single dish ;)
I never use the dishwasher. Yuk...

[TenBuckTammy]

http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/3603409/2/istockphoto_3603409-young-woman-eating-macaroni-and-cheese-out-of-pot.jpg

Plates?

[Dark Gable]

The dishes are rinsed right after use and we have enough dish traffic to run the dishwasher every day.

[florige]

The dishes are rinsed right after use and we have enough dish traffic to run the dishwasher every day.

It saves me tons of time to just fold the plate up and throw it in the trash verses rinsing, soaping, scraping, and drying, and still to find the plate with residue from the last meal still there.

[mrsmaalox]

I never use the dishwasher. Yuk...

It's too hard to argue the yuk factor because it's so different for each individual. We go thru enough dishes at my house that I have no problem with the dw. Most people keep their water heaters around 120 degrees and I know I can't stick my hands in water that hot--but my dw heats the rinse water up to 150 degrees (I believe residential water heater's upper limit is 140) Plus it has a food grinder and a disposal so there are no little chunks left--which can be pretty gross I think. So yes, an old dishwasher can be pretty yucky! But I just can't think of many things that gross me out as much kitchen sponges and cloths; no way I could handle slopping water around on my dishes with one of those.

As far as paper plates go I don't use them as much for serving as for preparing food. They're the best for cutting up raw chicken and meat. I'd much rather crumple up and throw out the chicken gloop than having it on my good cutting boards.

[TDMVPDPOY]

1. get a wife
2. if wife doesnt do it, get another wife
3. repeat step 2

[Blake]

1. get a wife
2. if wife doesnt do it, get another wife
3. repeat step 2

4. buy paper plates because wife takes half of your dishes and you are now too broke to buy more dishware due to expensive divorce
5. repeat step 4

[Kori Ellis]

Paper plates for lunch (sandwiches, etc) or pizza. Real plates for everything else.

Maid washes the dishes.

[Smart Ass]

I use plastic plates and cups.

[ploto]

But I just can't think of many things that gross me out as much kitchen sponges and cloths; no way I could handle slopping water around on my dishes with one of those.

I put the sponge in the dishwasher, too.

[NFO]

we've been using more metal spoons and forks of late.


It seems like you are movin on up.

Still surprised that you could cut down on the metal spoons and forks you wash if you owned a metal spork (http://www.amazon.com/Chinook-Plateau-Stainless-Steel-Spork/dp/B0026JJ464). One tool that performs two jobs.

[Strike]

It seems like you are movin on up.

Still surprised that you could down on the metal spoons and forks you wash if you owned a metal spork (http://www.amazon.com/Chinook-Plateau-Stainless-Steel-Spork/dp/B0026JJ464).

Holy Baby Freakin Jeebus!!! I want one!!!

[Blake]

I put the sponge in the dishwasher, too.

I read somewhere to put the sponge in the microwave to disinfect it.

[Blake]

It seems like you are movin on up.

Still surprised that you could cut down on the metal spoons and forks you wash if you owned a metal spork (http://www.amazon.com/Chinook-Plateau-Stainless-Steel-Spork/dp/B0026JJ464). One tool that performs two jobs.

uh...what do you eat that you use a spoon and fork for the same meal?

Even for peas, which I eat mayyybe once a year I can make do with a fork...

The idea is good though to save utensil drawer space I guess :tu

[The Reckoning]

Maid washes the dishes.



you mean timvp?

[Kori Ellis]

you mean timvp?

:lol No, we have a cleaning person twice a week.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

I estimate we use about 20 paper plates and forks a week.

That probably costs maybe $1 a week.

If I use the sink or dishwasher, I feel I'm using up fresh drinking water to do so.

Any good arguments one way or the other?

Anything disposable is going to use far more resources than reusing something non-disposable. The paper to make the plates comes from trees, which means logging, transport, milling, more transport, pulping, bleaching (a very toxic process), processing, packaging, more transport, warehousing, more transport, retailing, and finally landfill. All of that means your paper plates have a significant environmental impact.

OTOH, a ceramic plate will last you 10+ years and you'll get thousands of uses off the one plate. It may take a bit more energy to make the plate in the first place, but you recover that 100s or 1000s of times over when compared to using disposable paper plates. I find it hard to believe that anyone would use paper plates except at a picnic or something similar.

As for dishwashers vs hand washing, it's highly variable depending on how you wash. A super-efficient new dishwasher will use 10-15L of water, whereas I use 5-7 washing by hand. As long as you have an efficient dishwasher and fill it up every time you use it (it will use the same water and energy empty as full, so always fill up before use), that seems okay to me.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

I find it absolutely incredible the degree to which disposability has overtaken everything. Disposable products are a massive waste of resources on the one hand, and leads to huge quantities of pollution on the other. It is a completely unsustainable practice.

[Wild Cobra]

I just hate the cheap, flimsy ones that wont even support a sandwich.
That's what the plate is for...

You put the paper plate on a real one for support. I use a 10" round wooden cutting board, but I doubt everyone has one.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Combination of sinkwash and dishwasher.

Sink wash one at a time to keep stuff under control. When you come home and the sink is inevitably full as shit, and you just need them washed, then go dishwasher.

But Sinkwashing wastes more water than dishwasher. So the real choice is straight up dishwasher all the time.

Paper plates is just plain stupid.


Also its funny how kori goes out of her way to mention their maid in the club while the spurs forum turns into bird dung

[Kori Ellis]

Also its funny how kori goes out of her way to mention their maid in the club while the spurs forum turns into bird dung

:lol What should I do? Have the maid clean up the Spurs forum?

Just so you know, I only mention it for mookie's benefit, so that he can continue to have things to scoff us about.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

I only mention it for mookie's benefit, so that he can continue to have things to scoff us about.

A predictably predictable response

Just sayin. Every post you've made the last three months either has the word "maid" or said something about how yall are top quality foster parent candidates.


Just please
seriously
tell timvp to take one second from making mad bank to salvage the spurs forum

We all know he's still watching games. Spurs Forum is turning to bird dong. Naturally noone can save it but him.

[Kori Ellis]

A predictably predictable response

Just sayin. Every post you've made the last three months either has the word "maid" or said something about how yall are top quality foster parent candidates.

:lmao



Just please
seriously
tell timvp to take one second from making mad bank to salvage the spurs forum

We all know he's still watching games. Spurs Forum is turning to bird dong. Naturally noone can save it but him.

:lol Okay - I'll tell him. He watched the game with the kids tonight while I was working; so maybe he can post a bit in the Spurs forum tomorrow.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

:lmao



:lol Okay - I'll tell him. He watched the game with the kids tonight while I was working; so maybe he can post a bit in the Spurs forum tomorrow.

It's just funny because
we all know he used to make mad bank and be on spurstalk 20 out of 24 hours a day
while watching all spurs games


now
he has two kids is still making mad bank and is still watching all spurs games


he can at least post for twenty minutes a day
that's like one hundreth of your day

[Kori Ellis]

he can at least post for twenty minutes a day

True. We are still adjusting a little to the kids' schedule. The boy has only been here since Wednesday. But I'll tell him that he needs to step up and save SpursTalk.

[peteee]

True. We are still adjusting a little to the kids' schedule. The boy has only been here since Wednesday. But I'll tell him that he needs to step up and save SpursTalk.
I just wish he hadn't scuppered Spurstalk and that's enough satisfactory to me.

[NFO]

uh...what do you eat that you use a spoon and fork for the same meal?

Soup & salad meals.

Maybe you could have a snack pack of pudding for dessert. :hat




The idea is good though to save utensil drawer space I guess :tu

That was my main point, was that it was a space saver in the drawer, and a time saver for rinsing off spoons and forks.

[Blake]

Anything disposable is going to use far more resources than reusing something non-disposable. The paper to make the plates comes from trees, which means logging, transport, milling, more transport, pulping, bleaching (a very toxic process), processing, packaging, more transport, warehousing, more transport, retailing, and finally landfill. All of that means your paper plates have a significant environmental impact.

OTOH, a ceramic plate will last you 10+ years and you'll get thousands of uses off the one plate. It may take a bit more energy to make the plate in the first place, but you recover that 100s or 1000s of times over when compared to using disposable paper plates. I find it hard to believe that anyone would use paper plates except at a picnic or something similar.

As for dishwashers vs hand washing, it's highly variable depending on how you wash. A super-efficient new dishwasher will use 10-15L of water, whereas I use 5-7 washing by hand. As long as you have an efficient dishwasher and fill it up every time you use it (it will use the same water and energy empty as full, so always fill up before use), that seems okay to me.

good post...info is duly noted. I have read before that it is actually worse on the environment to buy an artificial Christmas tree than a real one unless you use the tree for +/-10 years. I've wondered if it's the same as paper plates to a degree.

I'm also fascinated by the perception in this thread that paper plates are only for picnics. I never knew.

[Blake]

Soup & salad meals.

Maybe you could have a snack pack of pudding for dessert. :hat


snack pack of pudding? :lol

sure, I guess I just could go full high school cafeteria and have salisbury steak, boxed mash potatoes and a box of milk too.

[florige]

good post...info is duly noted. I have read before that it is actually worse on the environment to buy an artificial Christmas tree than a real one unless you use the tree for +/-10 years. I've wondered if it's the same as paper plates to a degree.

I'm also fascinated by the perception in this thread that paper plates are only for picnics. I never knew.


I know me neither. I wonder why they sell them in the winter time too though?

[FatBeaner]

who are all these people going on picnics?


you guys mean a back yard barbeque?

or are you getting your basket and wine and cheese, and putting a blanket out at some park along with your finest dixie plates?

i mean other than the time honored tradition of families camping out at brack (god knows why?) to barbque, i figured most people stay home to do it.

enlighten us picnickers!

[ChumpDumper]

Sure, any outdoor eating. Sorry, I should have been more precise when addressing such a burning, contentious issue.

They are also acceptable at those huge get-togethers where folks are walking through the house with their meals and eating all over the place on tv trays and crap. Especially kids.

[Blake]

Sorry, I should have been more precise when addressing such a burning, contentious issue.


I think 4 pages so far clearly shows that this a scalding hot topic.

A few more hundred pages and it may catch the Apollo missions hoax thread.

[CuckingFunt]

Sure, any outdoor eating. Sorry, I should have been more precise when addressing such a burning, contentious issue.

They are also acceptable at those huge get-togethers where folks are walking through the house with their meals and eating all over the place on tv trays and crap. Especially kids.

This is about what I think of when I think of paper plates. Not in a million years would it even occur to me to use disposable kitchenware in any other situation.

Same goes for the ubiquitous red plastic cup, which looks horribly out of place unless next to either a keg or a punch bowl.

[Blake]

Same goes for the ubiquitous red plastic cup, which looks horribly out of place unless next to either a keg or a punch bowl.

It goes just fine next to my fine Chinet

[florige]

It goes just fine next to my fine Chinet


Chinet?! Please even those are too classy for me. I buy the hefty paper plates that comes a 100 to a pack. Chinet's are the "good dishes" of the paper paper plate industry. lol

[Blake]

Chinet?! Please even those are too classy for me. I buy the hefty paper plates that comes a 100 to a pack. Chinet's are the "good dishes" of the paper paper plate industry. lol

Eh, truth be told, I don't do Chinet any more......but not because I don't want to...

Costco just recently stopped carrying my favorite 300 count bag of the smaller size 8 inch Chinet plates and I've had to settle on the Dixie (maybe it's hefty?) brand.

[bus driver]

I estimate we use about 20 paper plates and forks a week.

That probably costs maybe $1 a week.

If I use the sink or dishwasher, I feel I'm using up fresh drinking water to do so.

Any good arguments one way or the other?

i use the girlfriend, she throws away paper plates, washes dishes and put dishes in the dishwasher.

[Blake]

i use the girlfriend, she throws away paper plates, washes dishes and put dishes in the dishwasher.

I bet the girlfriend costs you more than $1 a week

[Horn Tooter]

Sounds to me like CF thinks she is too good to use paper plates unless it is the proper time and place. Do you also only use paper napkins in the proper place and time and use only cloth napkins everday?

[DoubtingThomas]

There is such a thing as paper plate etiquette?

[Richard Cranium]

We always break out the paper plates for Easter.

http://i.infopls.com/images/BunnyMask1_H.jpg

[mrsmaalox]

I think 4 pages so far clearly shows that this a scalding hot topic.

A few more hundred pages and it may catch the Apollo missions hoax thread.

:lol

Well everyone is just going to do what is best for them. Most of the people I know have families and are busy and prefer not to invest their limited time in cleaning dishes. So it's likely a combination of paper/real dishes. On the other hand it's pretty easy for a person who lives alone, cooks for one, and cleans up after one to hold to a real dishes only rule. Paper plates and cups would be a totally unnecessary expense.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

This thread depresses the shit out of me. :depressed

[The Reckoning]

i dont use anything, really. just the tray i cooked the food in or my hand.

[oklahomasuckstexas]

This thread depresses the shit out of me. :depressed
y?

[oklahomasuckstexas]

paper plates & plastic cups all day and all night. fuck regular plates/cups/silverware.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

y?

Because the world IS NOT DISPOSABLE. Everything has limits, and every act of consumption has consequences. This is not widely understood, and it is acted upon even less, as is clear from many of the comments above.

The mindset behind using disposable cutlery because you can't be bothered to wash things is the same mindset that will bring down civilisation through rapid and unnecessary resource depletion and pollution. If you have 2 meals a day on disposable items, you will use 730 sets of those disposables per year, 7300 hundred sets a decade per person! The cost of that in terms of energy, resources and pollution, not to mention money, is 100s-1000s of times higher than using crockery/cutlery and washing it. Get it?

Disposability as a minset has only truly arisen in the last 50 years as an offshoot of convenience culture - the idea that instant gratification is a right that usurps all other concerns... as long as you can afford it. The problem arises because the cost of things does not incorporate the depletion of resources, environmental damage, and damage to human health done by consuming things. If we paid the full price (including all externalities) for what we consume we, as individuals and societies, would consume the planet's resources more rationally, understanding the limits placed on us by a finite planet.

Sustainability in all things is the only way to prolong the wonderful lives we live for future generations. Living disposably dooms our great grandchildren to life on a ravaged planet.

/rant

PS Rather than reacting with vitriol and calling me a Communist, I ask you as a friend and fellow traveler just to think about what I've written above for a moment - really think about the implications for the future of living a disposable lifestyle. Thanks.

Of course, what you do about it is up to you.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

i dont use anything, really. just the tray i cooked the food in or my hand.

Now this guy is into sustainability! :lmao

[Blake]

Because the world IS NOT DISPOSABLE. Everything has limits, and every act of consumption has consequences. This is not widely understood, and it is acted upon even less, as is clear from many of the comments above.

The mindset behind using disposable cutlery because you can't be bothered to wash things is the same mindset that will bring down civilisation through rapid and unnecessary resource depletion and pollution. If you have 2 meals a day on disposable items, you will use 730 sets of those disposables per year, 7300 hundred sets a decade per person! The cost of that in terms of energy, resources and pollution, not to mention money, is 100s-1000s of times higher than using crockery/cutlery and washing it. Get it?

Disposability as a minset has only truly arisen in the last 50 years as an offshoot of convenience culture - the idea that instant gratification is a right that usurps all other concerns... as long as you can afford it. The problem arises because the cost of things does not incorporate the depletion of resources, environmental damage, and damage to human health done by consuming things. If we paid the full price (including all externalities) for what we consume we, as individuals and societies, would consume the planet's resources more rationally, understanding the limits placed on us by a finite planet.

Sustainability in all things is the only way to prolong the wonderful lives we live for future generations. Living disposably dooms our great grandchildren to life on a ravaged planet.

/rant

PS Rather than reacting with vitriol and calling me a Communist, I ask you as a friend and fellow traveler just to think about what I've written above for a moment - really think about the implications for the future of living a disposable lifestyle. Thanks.

Of course, what you do about it is up to you.

I would have to agree....there are things/habits I have that I would like to and am trying to change and I absolutely acknowledge the understanding that we are living on a planet with finite resources.

IIRC, you are an energy consultant of sorts? I like hearing this kind of stuff, so I'm curious, what other things do you do to help conserve our resources? What method of transportation do you have, how do you wash clothes/take showers, what is your source of energy for your house, etc...

[florige]

Eh, truth be told, I don't do Chinet any more......but not because I don't want to...

Costco just recently stopped carrying my favorite 300 count bag of the smaller size 8 inch Chinet plates and I've had to settle on the Dixie (maybe it's hefty?) brand.


I never really had a problem with Chinet dishes. I just can never find a large enough quantity of them. I do need to stop being lazy though. :lol

[Dex]

Because the world IS NOT DISPOSABLE. Everything has limits, and every act of consumption has consequences. This is not widely understood, and it is acted upon even less, as is clear from many of the comments above.

The mindset behind using disposable cutlery because you can't be bothered to wash things is the same mindset that will bring down civilisation through rapid and unnecessary resource depletion and pollution. If you have 2 meals a day on disposable items, you will use 730 sets of those disposables per year, 7300 hundred sets a decade per person! The cost of that in terms of energy, resources and pollution, not to mention money, is 100s-1000s of times higher than using crockery/cutlery and washing it. Get it?

Disposability as a minset has only truly arisen in the last 50 years as an offshoot of convenience culture - the idea that instant gratification is a right that usurps all other concerns... as long as you can afford it. The problem arises because the cost of things does not incorporate the depletion of resources, environmental damage, and damage to human health done by consuming things. If we paid the full price (including all externalities) for what we consume we, as individuals and societies, would consume the planet's resources more rationally, understanding the limits placed on us by a finite planet.

Sustainability in all things is the only way to prolong the wonderful lives we live for future generations. Living disposably dooms our great grandchildren to life on a ravaged planet.

/rant

PS Rather than reacting with vitriol and calling me a Communist, I ask you as a friend and fellow traveler just to think about what I've written above for a moment - really think about the implications for the future of living a disposable lifestyle. Thanks.

Of course, what you do about it is up to you.

:tu

[Tree hugger]

Because the world IS NOT DISPOSABLE. Everything has limits, and every act of consumption has consequences. This is not widely understood, and it is acted upon even less, as is clear from many of the comments above.

The mindset behind using disposable cutlery because you can't be bothered to wash things is the same mindset that will bring down civilisation through rapid and unnecessary resource depletion and pollution. If you have 2 meals a day on disposable items, you will use 730 sets of those disposables per year, 7300 hundred sets a decade per person! The cost of that in terms of energy, resources and pollution, not to mention money, is 100s-1000s of times higher than using crockery/cutlery and washing it. Get it?

Disposability as a minset has only truly arisen in the last 50 years as an offshoot of convenience culture - the idea that instant gratification is a right that usurps all other concerns... as long as you can afford it. The problem arises because the cost of things does not incorporate the depletion of resources, environmental damage, and damage to human health done by consuming things. If we paid the full price (including all externalities) for what we consume we, as individuals and societies, would consume the planet's resources more rationally, understanding the limits placed on us by a finite planet.

Sustainability in all things is the only way to prolong the wonderful lives we live for future generations. Living disposably dooms our great grandchildren to life on a ravaged planet.

/rant

PS Rather than reacting with vitriol and calling me a Communist, I ask you as a friend and fellow traveler just to think about what I've written above for a moment - really think about the implications for the future of living a disposable lifestyle. Thanks.

Of course, what you do about it is up to you.

:clap

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

I would have to agree....there are things/habits I have that I would like to and am trying to change and I absolutely acknowledge the understanding that we are living on a planet with finite resources.

IIRC, you are an energy consultant of sorts? I like hearing this kind of stuff, so I'm curious, what other things do you do to help conserve our resources? What method of transportation do you have, how do you wash clothes/take showers, what is your source of energy for your house, etc...

I am a sustainability consultant and educator, and an energy auditor for households, soon to branch into businesses.

The first thing you can do to make your lifestyle more sustainable is to baseline your consumption - that is, find out exactly what you are doing now. For this I would use a spreadsheet and track your consumption of:
*electricity/natural gas/wood/whatever other fuels you use at home,
*water
*petrol/diesel/LPG/any other transport fuels you use
*long-distance journeys (such as car trips over 100kms, flights)
*food (what it is and where it comes from, how much you eat at home vs takeaway vs restaurants)
*consumables (things like drinks, gum, magazines that you buy and throw away but forget about)
*waste/recycling
*anything else you regularly consume.

Once you have set this up it only takes a few minutes a week to keep the figures going in so that you can track your consumption through time (important since it is often seasonal). After a year you will have a pretty complete picture of your consumption patterns.

Now, how do you change these things? There are hundreds of things you can do... I don't have time to list them all now but there are plenty of books out there on the subject. This one is particularly good (second one down... Greeniology:

http://www.tanyaha.com/Pages/books.html

The simplest things you can do:
1. minimise your use of transport fuels (look in the other recent thread for ideas I mentioned about that).
2. recycle and compost everything possible - it takes very little time to do properly, and once you do this you should have very little waste going to landfill, and you even get a useful product out of it!
3. do a home energy audit and minimise your use of electricity/gas (I help people to do this as part of my work and get amazing results - it even makes people happier).
4. eat as much fresh, locally grown food as possibly.
5. reuse and repair, or buy second hand, if at all possible. It is energy/material throughput that is the problem, so by doing these things you help to 'close the loop'.

Want to know more, ask specific questions and I'll fill you in. :tu

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

What method of transportation do you have, how do you wash clothes/take showers, what is your source of energy for your house, etc...

What do I do?

Okay, I live in a small 2-bedroom apartment and do the following:
*turn everything off at the switch when not in use, and minimise my use of heating and cooling - this results in consumption of 8kWh/day of electricity in winter (I have no access to natural gas for heating, so use it only to take the chill off the place), 4kWh/day in summer (I use only fans for cooling). I recently put awnings on my western windows and that made a HUGE difference to my comfort level. Before I started doing these things I was averaging 12kWh/day+.
*when showering, I take quick showers (2-3mins) when all I need is a wash, and occasionally (say once a week) longer showers (8-10mins) when I'm tired and sore - this results in an average of about 4mins and 36L of water used per shower (I measured the flow rate of the shower and multiplied it out during my annual self-audit).
*I wash very little laundry - 2 full tubs a month. Unless something is actually dirty or smelly I see no point to washing it, which means I don't waste water on clothes that could be re-worn.
*For transport I have a car (on LPG, not gas - it produces about 25% less emissions/km than my old petrol car) and a bike, and also use the bus. I use each according to need and purpose. This results in filling the car only once a month (about 75L of LPG, down from 250L of petrol/month 7 years ago).
*buy locally grown food where possible (and it is possible for 90%+ of what I eat).
*buy second hand goods where possible, and simply don't buy much.

In all I've cut my footprint by about 60% in 4 years, and I'm as happy as I've ever been.

All of this, and the fact that I own my apartment and car, means that I only need $13k a year to live a comfortable, happy lifestyle. I don't use credit so I'm never in debt, and work doesn't rule my life - I work to live, not live to work.

I say this not to be smug or an arse, but because Blake wanted to know. Everyone can make their consumption more efficient whilst saving money and the environment, and not going without. I am living proof.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

OH HERE IT COMES!

HERE WE GO!

The AUSTRALIAN (who loves to post on AMERICAN message boards(1)) is telling us that he, an AUSTRALIAN, is (after roughly a decade of being in college (2) working toward a post-graduate degree in a laughably comical field (3)from an AUSTRALIAN university(4)) is finally ready to monetize his inherent bitchiness and go into business for himself as a professional gaping vagina.(5)

:smchode:

Why don't you but out of a conversation that has nothing to do with you?

(1) When did SpurTalk become for Americans only again? Didn't get that memo. And I don't post on it because it's American, I post on it because i am a Spurs fan and have friends in SA... :rolleyes

(2) Sorry? I did my first degree back in the '90s, and my second from 2006-8? While studying, and in-between, I worked about 15 different jobs, so don't pull the "lazy student" bullshit on me.

(3) What exactly do you do for living, shitbird? Sustainability is "laughable", huh? How exactly is civilisation going to perpetuate itself when over 2/3s of our energy comes from NON-RENEWABLE sources, and we are devastating the planet's oceans, rivers, soils and atmosphere?

(4) Oh, you mean the ANU, 16th ranked university in the world? Yeah, what a terrible place to be educated.

What makes you think American universities are better than Australian, European, Japanese, Canadian, etc. universities? If you had a fucking clue you'd know that there are great universities in most developed nations.

(5) You just cover yourself with glory in every post. Does anyone around here actually like you or respect you? No-one I can see.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

You are living proof that anyone can increase their vaginal footprint by 60% in four years.

And you are living proof that human beings can turn their brain into an arsehole.

Fuck off and die you worthless piece of shit.

[Dr. Gonzo]

haha what a bitch.

[Dr. Gonzo]

I like to buy a pack of 100 Styrofoam and dissolve them in some gas. Then I write the word pussy with the sludge created by the dissolved mixture on a vacant street and set it on fire. Not only is it cool because it burns for a very long time, it is amusing because it says pussy.

[The Reckoning]

I like to buy a pack of 100 Styrofoam and dissolve them in some gas. Then I write the word pussy with the sludge created by the dissolved mixture on a vacant street and set it on fire. Not only is it cool because it burns for a very long time, it is amusing because it says pussy.


i used to do that and called it NAPALM

USA! USA! USA!

[florige]

OH HERE IT COMES!

HERE WE GO!

The pacifistic AUSTRALIAN is telling me, an AMERICAN, to "Fuck off and die"!

Yet, not a long time ago, the same AUSTRALIAN, was talking about me, an AMERICAN, to the two owners of SpursTalk.com, who also happen to be AMERICANS:

You two should just fight it out in person and get it over with. Probably would feel alot better afterwards.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

OH HERE IT COMES!

HERE WE GO!

The pacifistic AUSTRALIAN is telling me, an AMERICAN, to "Fuck off and die"!

Yet, not a long time ago, the same AUSTRALIAN, was talking about me, an AMERICAN, to the two owners of SpursTalk.com, who also happen to be AMERICANS:

Yeah, about 3 years ago, and you deserve every bit of it. You stalk me like I'm your fucking pet project. You contribute nothing to this place. You are not smart or funny, you don't help out in any way, so why the fuck are you here? Just to be an arsehole?

What is your fascination with your being AMERICAN. WGAF? How is it at all relevant? I have known Kori and LJ for about a decade now and consider them friends, but because we don't come from the same country I'm not allowed to talk to them about your appalling behaviour? Fuck you, pal. You have some real mental issues.

Oh, and who says I'm a pacifist? Once again, you assume/make things up/attribute words to me I never said, which is, of course, your modus operandi. Hell, I'd love to take a fucking axe handle to your knees and watch you writhe in pain. You encapsulate everything I hate about humanity.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Ah, of course, you are Cosmic Cowboy's troll, eh? Just occurred to me, but makes perfect sense.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

I love how RuffnReadyOzStyle spells 'behaviour'

crofl waffle

What, you mean the correct way?

English came before American English, moron. They dumbed-down the spelling because fucknuckles like you can't handle it.

[Yahoo Serious]

RuffnReadyOzStyle makes me ashamed of being Australian.

[Dr. Gonzo]

What, you mean the correct way?

English came before American English, moron. They dumbed-down the spelling because fucknuckles like you can't handle it.

Now you are talking shit about America? That's not cool.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

You two should just fight it out in person and get it over with. Probably would feel alot better afterwards.

Yeah, I think so. I wonder if he can actually fight or if he's just another internet tough guy? if it is actually Cosmic Cowboy I think I'd get my arse handed to me, but if he's just some average internet wanker I'd tear him apart.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

RuffnReadyOzStyle makes me ashamed of being Australian.

:lol Nice one, mouse.


Now you are talking shit about America? That's not cool.

Sorry? Reading comprehension a problem for you? I didn't talk bad about America, I responded with a statement of fact (spelling in American English is simplified, such as removing the 'u' from '-our' endings), and then an insult to the guy who insulted me. That is insulting America??? GTFOH.

[Dr. Gonzo]

:lol Nice one, mouse.



Sorry? Reading comprehension a problem for you? I didn't talk bad about America, I responded with a statement of fact (spelling in American English is simplified, such as removing the 'u' from '-our' endings), and then an insult to the guy who insulted me. That is insulting America??? GTFOH.

You stated that the English was "dumbed down". That suggests that Americans aren't smart enough to spell words with extra useless shit at the end of them.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Anyway, enough of the banter.

Don't you love how 4cc never admits anything? Never answers a question? Never gives anything away? Why? Because if we knew the truth it would be that he's a sad little joke of a man sitting in his crappy apartment chain-smoking himself to death, eating Cheetos and abusing his fellow humanity... what a life! I really should feel sorry for him, but I don't because he's pathetic beyond pity.

[Yahoo Serious]

Ruff, as Australia's only successful citizen I command you stop with your nonsense. Seriously, you are making us all look bad.

[Dr. Gonzo]

Anyway, enough of the banter.

Don't you love how 4cc never admits anything? Never answers a question? Never gives anything away? Why? Because if we knew the truth it would be that he's a sad little joke of a man sitting in his crappy apartment chain-smoking himself to death, eating Cheetos and abusing his fellow humanity... what a life! I really should feel sorry for him, but I don't because he's pathetic beyond pity.

Who are you to judge whether that life is pathetic?

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

You stated that the English was "dumbed down". That suggests that Americans aren't smart enough to spell words with extra useless shit at the end of them.


They dumbed-down the spelling because fucknuckles like you (4cc) can't handle it.

So you're trying to tie one hand my back in an insult war with a troll who has been obsessed with me for years? You're taking a little language smack (which HE started - go and take a look) as a personal affront to your nation? Grow up.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Who are you to judge whether that life is pathetic?

I find it to be pathetic. You can make your own judgments.

[Dr. Gonzo]

So you're trying to tie one hand my back in an insult war with a troll who has been obsessed with me for years? You're taking a little language smack (which HE started - go and take a look) as a personal affront to your nation? Grow up.

Why would the entire language need to be dumbed down for one person, who I might add was not even born at the time? So it had to have been "dumbed down" for Americans in general, in your words.

[Dr. Gonzo]

I find it to be pathetic. You can make your own judgments.

You think really highly of yourself to judge others. I find that to be pathetic.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

paper plates, ceramic plates, whatever..

as long as they're white and speak proper Queen's English, right!

Z7eubc-Yk3M

No. Your brain doesn't work properly, does it? That's the only way you could go from language smack to accusing me of being a white supremicist.

Anyway, two can play that game:

gLyBkH4Q2d0

iKbiLBXIccw

You really are a dumbass.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

You think really highly of yourself to judge others. I find that to be pathetic.

:lol

Everyone judges everyone else. That you pretend that you don't says a lot about you.

As for thinking highly of myself, that couldn't be further from the truth. I am utterly aware of my insignificance in the universe.

[Rocky Dennis]

at least I know how to spell supremacist!

Language smack! owned!

Wow, I haven't seen ownage like that since the last time I looked in the mirror and saw how bad God pwned me.

[Suicidal Jack]

:lol


As for thinking highly of myself, that couldn't be further from the truth. I am utterly aware of my insignificance in the universe.

You and me both, pal. :depressed

[Suicidal Jack]

Wow, I haven't seen ownage like that since the last time I looked in the mirror and saw how bad God pwned me.

:lmao