Do you remember those days when you’d pop out for a kebab and be handed a plastic fork to eat it with? Those were bad days!
All plastic knives and forks still exist in a landfill somewhere. It will take up to 1,000 years for plastic cutlery to decompose. This means that every piece of plastic cutlery ever is on this planet somewhere.
It is time to switch to sustainable alternatives. To cutlery that we can use again and again with little to no impact on our planet.
Luckily, there are lots of alternatives for you and to help you, we’ve compiled a list:
Bamboo cutlery set
Bamboo is a fantastically sustainable material. It grows rapidly and is produced with small amounts of water, no pesticides and absorbs huge amounts of carbon dioxide in the process.
It is a strong and durable material too. Meaning that your bamboo cutlery will last you a long time before you need to search for a replacement (if ever).
Bamboo is also lightweight making it the perfect choice for a reusable cutlery set. Purchase yourself a beautiful set and take it with you when you head out.
Stainless steel cutlery set
Another traditional alternative to using plastic cutlery is stainless steel. Most of us already have this in our kitchen drawers at home.
You could make yourself a pouch and take your cutlery with you. If you want a treat though, you could buy a new set purely for that purpose.
Stainless steel is particularly durable meaning that you’ll be able to use it over and over with little wear and tear. However, they can be heavy to carry around.
Edible cutlery
If it is disposable cutlery you are after, then have you heard of this interesting alternative? Edible cutlery!
This magical solution was created in India as a way to reduce their reliance on plastic. You can buy spoons in a variety of shapes as well as chopsticks.
However, as they are still a disposable product, it is important to consider the resources used in production. The carbon impact of single use items will always be higher than reusable ones.
Biodegradable/compostable bio-plastic cutlery
Another alternative if you are looking for disposable cutlery is to look at bio-plastic cutlery. This offers the luxury of being single use combined with an eco-friendly exit route.
This type of cutlery would be perfect for those looking to cater on a mass scale, either through a fast food outlet or even a children’s party.
However, despite the promise, these utensils might not be as eco-friendly as they first appear. Experts say that although they are described as compostable, this cannot be achieved by your average household. They need to be processed at an industrial facility.
Worse still is that these types of plastics can’t be recycled. Therefore, if they accidentally end up at the recycling plant it can contaminate the whole batch.
Recycled cutlery sets
One of our favourite alternatives to plastic cutlery is recycled cutlery. Even though it is still made from plastic it is a far better solution than using brand new plastics.
If you really must use plastic cutlery then it might as well be recycled. This way you are keeping the plastic out of landfill and giving it a new purpose.
Afterwards, you can send it off for recycling again and it can be made into a new knife and fork. This is about as good as it gets for plastic cutlery though. There is always a damaging effect from the recycling process in terms of water and energy.
Make the switch today
Whatever you choose, it is more important that you make the switch than do nothing at all. Plastic pollution is a huge global problem and plastic cutlery is a small but significant part of that.
Look at the options available in our shop to find something that suits you and make sure that you never have to reach for the plastic cutlery when you are out again.
Plus, you are going to look amazing when you whip out your stylish little pouch with your fancy cutlery inside. You would impress us anyway.
What are your opinion about having a reusable cutlery kit? Any feedbacks? Any others tips to share? Share a comment below 😉
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