To save money and protect the environment, many people and even some responsible businesses are cutting back on their use of plastic. However, other brands have sadly doubled down on their plastic use. One Puerto Rican Redditor recently shared a frustrating example.
What's happening?
The post appeared in r/Anticonsumption, a subreddit about reducing waste. "This restaurant I go to only gives plastic silverware regardless if you're eating in or not," the original poster said.
They attached a photo of the problem, showing a waffle topped with fries, eggs, and a chunky sauce. The restaurant served the meal on an ordinary, reusable plate but gave the OP a black plastic fork instead of a metal one.
Why is a plastic fork important?
For one thing, plastic forks have to be replaced every time they're used, which costs more than washing metal ones, especially if the business already has a dishwasher for its larger dishes. That small extra cost is tacked on to the price of your meal. If the business cuts expensive corners in other ways, prices could be even higher.
More importantly, that restaurant sends a mountain of plastic forks to landfills every year. Plastic takes decades, a century, or even longer to break down and sheds microplastics that can contaminate soil and water.
Why might the restaurant be doing this?
It's possible that using disposable cutlery is an effort to cut down on the labor of washing and sorting traditional silverware and, ultimately, the cost in money and time.
However, the costs of reusable versus disposable have been weighed many times, and according to Restaurantware, reusable comes out on top.
Owners often overlook the increased waste management cost when throwing out so many plastic forks, not to mention that disposable forks still have to be separated from other tableware and dealt with, reducing any labor savings.
Also, if this restaurant really wanted to go disposable, it could have chosen an eco-friendly option like bamboo utensils.
What can I do about plastic waste?
"For clarification I've only been twice," said the OP in a comment. "First time I thought it was a one time thing because it would be crazy if it wasn't. Second time I realized they just do this all the time. I'm not coming back."
Like the original poster, everyone has a choice about what businesses to support. You can avoid ones with environmentally damaging practices like this restaurant and support eco-friendly initiatives where you find them.
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