No I don't have paper plates! - Page 4

[jeca]

I can't even remember the last time I bought paper plates.

[hibana]

Originally Posted by jeca

I can't even remember the last time I bought paper plates.

I have paper plates because my family bought them about 15 years ago, and I ended up with them after my parents split up and moved!

So far no one has given me major grief about using cloth in my house. I think some people would be disturbed if I only left a basket of family cloth in the guest bathroom, though. But really, I don't want to deal with non-family excrement if I can help it. Recycled TP is good enough in that instance!

[bscal]

Wow... I am seriously cracking up at some of the crazy relatives. Thank goodness my mom is totally cool about me switching to CD (which I did recently due to DS's problems with diaper rash and disposables). She is so excited that CD is easier these days and was impressed with the bag to put them in.

On the other hand, DH keeps telling me to put paper plates on the grocery list b/c he wants to get out of helping with the dishes. Um, I'm really trying to work hard on our budget and getting us out of debt and he wants to throw money away on one time use items that fill up our landfills. NO WAY! When I mention the impact on our environment he always comes back with "trees are biodegradable" and that turns into an argument! So I just keep "forgetting" to grab more. Easier that way.

Beth

[chinaKat]

I hate paper plates and paper napkins. I do not use them for outdoor dining (we eat dinner on the deck most nights in the summer) or camping (we have camping dishes that we wash after each meal), and I certainly don't use them for every day meals. The only time I do use paper plates is when we have a party with more people than we have place settings for.

I guess my problem with paper plates (aside from the waste) is that it adds such a fast-food mentality to dining. I put considerable effort into making a meal, why shouldn't I put effort into how it is served?

[loriedna]

Originally Posted by chinaKat

I guess my problem with paper plates (aside from the waste) is that it adds such a fast-food mentality to dining. I put considerable effort into making a meal, why shouldn't I put effort into how it is served?

I love how you put it! It is so true!

[Laggie]

I don't understand the "I don't want to make a mess" thing. Paper plates ARE a mess! I can't even imagine how much garbage we'd have if we used paper plates all the time How is it harder to put a real plate in the dishwasher than to put a paper plate in the garbage? Bizarre.

Thank god, my family thinks using paper plates is trashy. However, MIL hates me for telling her not to use the paper towels. I can't help it, my eyes bug out of my head when I see her rip off 5 or 6 of them and use them to clean spilled water or juice off the floor.

[damona]

you know, i read this thread yesterday, but didn't get a chance to respond. lo and behold, today we went shopping at sams club. my DH started to put a huge thing of paper plates in the cart and i said "no, that's silly, we have real plates" he replied, "yes, but i'm tired of washing them" to which i responded "tough!" and back on the shelf they went!

i also bought a pack of 30 large, plain white washcloths, which i intend to leave in a basket in the kitchen for use in mopping up spills, drying hands, etc, b/c i hate using paper towels, but i don't have many dishtowels. i'm keeping the paper towels reserved for cleaning up things like cat barf!

i grew up in a house where my mother had at least 5 or 6 full sets of dishes, and yet, we rarely used anything but paper plates. once i moved out on my own, i fell into the disposable trap for awhile, but i'm glad i'm out of it!

[HelloKitty]

Oh man, this is an on-going saga at our house too. Nearly every time my MIL comes over she brings paper plates and napkins even though I've told her a thousand times that we don't use them here. I always send them back with her - if she tries to insist on leaving them I take them and put them in her car when she's not looking.

For Solstice / Christmas I had a brunch and put out a basket of cloth napkins and a stack of regular plates. She came in with a stack of paper plates and paper napkins and told me they were leftover from her Christmas Eve party. I said thanks but we're all set. I said that everything was already all set up and for her to save them for her next get together. She tried to insist that we use them - I was like "No really, I want to use the regular stuff." Besides I have special cloth for holidays and they are really cute, I like to use them.

So everyone is enjoying brunch and I happen to notice someone with a paper napkin... then I look around and see others with paper napkins. I'm thinking "Huh?" I look over at the buffet and she had stacked the paper napkins right next to my basket of cloth!!! : I grabbed them and put them in her car.

[cuttiebearmom]

We had a big gathering for my MIL's 60th B-day and my BIL must have ased me 10 times that morning when we were getting ready if I needed him to go out and get some paper plates. Ugh....I told him that neighbors are usually very willing to let you borrow plates and flatware if you ask and bring it back clean.

So at the end he was 'shocked' at how little trash there was and how well all the REGULAR plates worked out.

[althara]

That is kind of odd. It's 8 extra dishes in one day; that is so not a big deal.

If it concerned me that much, as a visitor, I would offer to do the dishes after at least one meal a day. I wouldn't ask for disposables in a house that clearly stated they don't use them.

[skeegan23]

Originally Posted by Caneel

She totally would do exactly what you described - plastic bag, paper towel (with the crumbs shaken off for later use), empty cereal box - you name it.

LOL, atleast there is so me recycling going on here. lol. It took us almost a year to become completely paper free. Paper towels, napkins, plates.. we also don't buy water bottles or lunch baggies. It aggravates me when people come into my house and can't respect the way we live our household considering we've worked hard to become the way we are...

We live in TN and most our fam is from up north so they come and stay with us for weeks at a time... it boggles my mind as well when they go to the store and buy disposable products or water bottles. GRR. Can't they live w/o it for a week????? Did the world not exist before disposables? You find how it easy it is to live W/O it when you just don't buy it!!