Share and Voice: Environment-Friendly Plates

For my first Share and Voice, I chose to discuss a product that I brought to Health 4000 this week and what I will be bringing to our class on Monday for snack. The product is environment-friendly paper plates.

These Sweet Table plates come in packs of 20 and were bought at a local grocery store in Duluth (Super One Foods) for just over $3.00 each. This company also makes other picnic products such as bowls and cups. Although you can likely get a value pack of regular paper plates for cheaper, these are much better for the environment for the following reasons.

1. They are 100% biodegradable.
2. They are created with a natural substance, sugar cane pulp, which is typically considered a waste product from sugar cane harvesting.
3. They can be composted in 90 days and recycled like other paper products.
4. In terms of use, they are freezer and microwave safe as well as water and oil resistant. Therefore, you won't have to worry about doubling up on plates since nothing will leak through them! This cuts down on the use of materials.

Overall, I think these are a great alternative to the plastic and styrofoam dinnerware we use for occasions like this. Although they are made in China and consume a lot energy to get to the United States, I feel that continuing to use products like this will benefit our society by cutting down on the use of products that harm our planet such as the aforementioned plastic and styrofoam.