washing the dishes can ruin a good evening, but its ok to be wasteful and buy disposable plates so you can toss them into the landfills?

i had 15 people for dinner last week and don't have anywhere near that much tableware.

so i ordered some of the biodegradable tableware sold here:

http://www.gaiam.com/

and i guess i'll find out next spring if they really did break down in my compost heap.

eh, its still a paper plate, and an expensive one at that.

I just stock up on inexpensive dish plates from Ikea or Crate and Barrel Outlet (I'm lucky to live near one).

I would rent dishes from a party rental store. They take them back dirty and it's really not that expensive.

Definitely not a "re-nest" post...

Deal with the small sink and reduce, reuse, recycle.

Also, I'd just like to beg for you to PLEASE get rid of the royal "WE" in the writing on this site-- it's so awkward and unnecessary! Just say "I hate doing dishes, MY sink is too small"!

"Would you serve these Disposable Party Plates at your holiday party?
What are your favorite options for disposable party products?"

Disposable things are an incredible waste of money
(Is the money you spend on this stuff what they mean by "Disposable Income"?)

...and after watching a documentary on TV this weekend about how Alabatrosses are starving to death because they're eating plastic crap floating in the ocean that they think is food - it makes me never want to buy another "disposable" thing again.

http://www.treehugger.com/galleries/2009/05/great-pacific-garbage-patch.php?page=1

we (my husband and i...not you and me!) regularly have parties with 25-80 guests. after 10 years of this, we have decided to nix disposables in favor of reusables.

right now this includes silverware bought from sam's club, dinner plates, saucers, coffee cups and soup bowls bought at a restaurant supply shop and plastic tumblers bought at walmart.

yesterday we had 80 people over for my kid's bday party. i am still working on the dishes. clean up may take a few days, but at least i can look myself in the mirror and not feel so selfish and wasteful.

Valid ecological concerns aside, I think that disposable plates at a party may be a hint that just as little effort went into the food. Plus, you're going to have dishes no matter what. What's a few more plates on top of the silverware, serving pieces, and pots & pans?

Supporting the trend in comments to buck-up and either wash or rent dishes... just not okay ot add to landfill for the sake of a party.

I would be so sad to go to a dinner party where the hosts used disposable plates. All that garbage just so you don't have to wash dishes. You do know that dishes can be done by hand? Don't wait until you have a dishwasher before you stop filling up landfills.

What about a round-up of compostable dishware? I went to a wedding where they used compostable cups and plates, and they were cute and a nice compromise between washing up a ton of dishes and buying cute but not-so-green dishware.

I'm with farmhousemoderne. I try to be eco friendly when possible.... but beyond even that, it's simply a downer to eat thanksgiving or christmas dinner with plastic utentils from a paper plate. It's supposed to be a special occassion.

I've also attended holiday dinners that were catered... equally bad letdown. I prefer a homemade turkey that may not be perfectly cooked to something mass produced in a restaurant kitchen.

If you need more plates, get a nice simple set from ikea, or crate and barrel. Even CB2 has some affordable glassware and serving dishes. Most of all, if you volunteer to host a holiday dinner, put in the expected amount of effort!

I understand that using disposable plates is not for everyone- I was simply providing unique, biodegradable options for all Apartment Therapy readers. The mentioned plates (except image 4) are 100% biodegradable and are all natural.

WASARA (Image 1): made from reed pulp, bamboo and sugarcane waste. 100% biodegradable

Hampi (Image 2): "made from naturally shed leaves of a special kind found in tropical countries. The process uses absolutely no chemicals or toxins." 100% biodegradable

Veneerware (Image 3): Made of 100% organically grown bamboo, No bleaches or dyes, After disposal- biodegrades in 4-6 months.

These are very pretty. I wouldn't fault someone for using paper plates at a party, nor would I assume that it signified less attention to the food. No one is perfect when it comes to environmental consciousness -- even those who think they are. It might be paper plates, or non-CFL lightbulbs, or failing to compost, or whatever. We're only human.

Amen to Heather77. In the spirit of holiday generosity and forgiving-ness? If it's compostable, after all, there's no "waste."
I can't imagine going to someone's holiday party and turning up my nose at one-time-use dishes, being heartbroken at having to suffer through food served in such a way, and inwardly accusing my hosts of being selfish and wasteful! :-(

Aren't most things 100% biodegradable if we wait long enough? After looking at the Wasara website I see that there is no mention of the plates being 100% biodegradable. Please show me where this is stated, obviously it's possible I missed it.

They are made from biodegradable ingredients, but what else are they made from? Is it to be assumed that the three natural ingredients the website states they are made from are the sole ingredients?

I'm truly asking these questions in earnest. No sarcasm here. Just leery of green-washing.

The biodegradable description can be found on the second page of Wasara's product description. It looks like they are completely compostable and legit.

What frustrates me is you whet my appetite and you can't buy these products in the US! If you know a US source, please post it.

To clarify my previous post, at least the Wasara product line isn't available in the US. Local resource?

A frozen yogurt place in my neighborhood uses allegedly biodegradeable spoons. One of those spoons is still intact in my compost pile, and summer is long long gone. Actually, I think it's been since April.
: (

Home compost doesn't build up the heat needed to breakdown those eco-friendly potato starch alternatives to plastic. Still, it's not petroleum so that's better.

And as for "What was typically a faux pas, now seems a little more acceptable — due to the fact that from a distance you can't tell the difference." I guess you can tell by now, KristenATDC, that disposable is not a faux pas on solely aesthetic grounds. Fill up the sink with suds and let 'em soak. It's not so terrible, really.

Please don't take the reaction you've provoked as a personal attack. We all need to do better.

Anything, ANYTHING has to be better than plastics and polystyrene! Personally, I'd go with the real plates and washing up, but then, I have the kind of friends who'd pitch in if necessary (sabjimata, you are a plate-washing martyr - 80 people's worth of washing up....!!!).

There's some confusion between 'biodegradable' and 'compostable'. Biodegradable stuff will break down eventually and sooner than plastic, but the length of time this takes will vary depending on what it is made from so, it is not necessarily going to rot down in your compost!

Compostable stuff will... compost... At least, I'm hoping so because I use the 'compostable' wrapping that my loo roll comes in, to line my compost caddy and ditch it into the bin, along with the contents!

So, if you're worried about stuff not rotting down, rip it up and scrunch it to help expose those fibres. If it resurfaces when you're turning the compost, just shove it back in - very likely it will help to absorb excess moisture and help to aerate your heap! If it's not too gross, repurpose it, if only the once and Guido, if that spoon is STILL there (and accessible!) rescue it! It could make an excellent 'label' for a plant or a tray of seeds!

Heather77, sure no one's perfect but that's no excuse not to do what you can.

Oh, with the exception of Guido's spoon, when I wrote 'If it's not too gross, repurpose it', I meant, BEFORE you add it to the heap.... yeah, no one's perfect! ;)

You can rent plates, return them dirty, and still come out ahead $$-wise and environmentally. Or you could ask everyone to bring his/her own plate and silver.

"Our sink is small, and our landlord will not install a dishwasher."

You can always get yourself a countertop dishwasher, Danby, Edgestar, etc. Such a dishwasher has been working for our family of four for 10 years.

I try to be environmentally repsonsible, but am not a die hard. That said, I can't imagine using disposable dishes. We don't have a dishwasher and have only one sink. I say suck it up or rent dishes that, as the others have mentioned, can be returned (or in some cases picked up) dirty.

honestly this site is starting to get on my nerves. i totally understand about the need to preserve our environment but why dont we stop attacking each other for trying to make our lives just a little less stressful and start putting our attention to where it really can make a difference. Its like telling someone they are horrible people for eating fast food once in a while! Sometimes, you just need a break!

Yes, regular plates and silverware are better for the environment but wait! what soap are you using? and sponges? what about staph? but then how much water are you wasting washing all those dishes? if i put them in a dishwasher is that ok?? where does it end?!

After getting up every morning at 5am, working a full day including LA traffic both ways, I have to say I can TOTALLY understand someone who chooses single use dinnerware for ONE holiday a year. Its exhausting! I would stay "smart girl! save some time using recycled paper plates!"

I prefer non-disposable plates, and here is my unorthodox method for washing large numbers of dishes without a dishwasher. Be warned, it's not a water-saver. I have a medium-sized rubbermaid tub with a lid that fits under my sink. When a lot of dishes are being generated, I fill it about 1/3 full of hot, soapy water. As plates are done, I scrape them and set them into the tub. They are out of sight, and if they need to sit until the next morning, so be it. (If you plan on leaving them overnight, I recommend using automatic dishwasher detergent rather than regular dish soap-- it dissolves pan crud better). In the morning, I'll put on my rubber gloves and pull out the big tub. The plates still have to be swished in hot water, but anything stuck on has dissolved, and nothing has dried to an impenetrable crust.

To keep the cooking dishes at a minimum in my small kitchen, I try to keep one sink full of hot soapy water and wash prep bowls, whisks, pots, etc. as soon as they are empty. I know it's an old trick, but it really helps cut down on the mountain of dishes after a meal without adding a lot of time to the prep.

If you have large dinner parties and don't have enough plates why not go to the thrift store and buy a bunch of plates and when you are done donate them back to a place of your choice.

Yes clean as you go along, assign one person to help you.

Here's a thought, (it was a long time coming, admittedly!) how about a bring-your-own-place-setting theme. You give your guests a list of the items they need to bring and they can opt to either wash them in your kitchen or take them home dirty!!!