zerowaste

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Discussing ways to reduce waste and build community!

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Compostable dishes vs washing dishes (slrpnk.net)

submitted 6 days ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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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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[–] [email protected] 10 points 6 days ago (12 children)

I would like to point out that the amount of materials and water to process and make compostable plates is huge. I think washing some stoneware dishes is a better plan.

People say dishwashers use less water than hand washing and they do. But the cost to get all the materials, the water to process it all, ship it, and make a dishwasher probably never come close to less in the end.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Aha, the question of whether washing by hand or using a dishwasher is better! Another person on this thread made a good point about the amount of uses a ceramic plate needs in order to offset the carbon footprint of its production.

So, I suppose the real question is can we use a dishwasher enough times to offset the carbon footprint of its production? I would say yes, and if we can assume that a dishwasher loads is less intensive than the same load washed by hand, then the dishwasher is better in the long run.

But what do we do with the dishwasher when it's no longer usable?...

[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I would love to see someone do a break down of this cost. I can not imagine all the metal plastic rubber aluminum electronics being made and shipped all over the world is going to come out ahead of of a stainless steel sink that can last a life time. Dishwashers now only last 9 to 12 years or something now.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago

I feel like there is an equation in here

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