Reusable, Biodegradable Party Tableware

[ChrisGreaves]

I need my head examined.

I saw a kit of 4 side-plates, 4 dinner-plates etc. in the supermarket last night.
" ... the tableware will biodegrade in about a year in a landfill or compost. They are also washable and top-rack dishwasher safe, however they can not be used in the microwave ..."

I sed to myself, "self", I sed

What's the point?
Where would I use them?

Paper plates I can understand - use them when you have, say, 1,900 guests over for a wedding tomorrow.
Paper plates I understand and accept - use them once then compost them.
I'm all for them.

Crockery plates I can understand - use them repeatedly until you get older and your eyesight fails and you start dropping them on the kitchen floor.
Crockery plates I understand and accept - use them and landfill them to give future archeologists something to paw over and to pore over.
I'm all for them.

But these things, 75% corn starch plus other stuff?
What's the point?
I mean, if you are going to use them once and toss them, why not go with paper plates?
And if you plan on using them all summer long at the cottage and then bury them at the cottage (ugh!), why not use crockery and cart it home and store them in the attic or garage until next summer?


Am I missing something here?
These biodegradable plates seem to straddle the fence.

[HansV]

If you're REALLY hungry you can eat the plates...

[steveh]

I need my head examined.

Agreed, but I couldn't see the poll thing to leave my vote

But these things, 75% corn starch plus other stuff?
What's the point?

I think the point you are missing Chris is that it doesn't say you have to use them once, take them on canoe trips, use them at parties etc. and if one get brooken you bury them and be happy in the knowledge that it 1 year you have done your bit for the planet.

[Leif]

And you probably don't have to cut down any trees to make them.

And you probably don't end up with a soggy, floppy plate after 15 seconds.

And you can use them as an interesting conversation piece. I mean, who wants to talk about paper plates?

[ChrisGreaves]

If you're REALLY hungry you can eat the plates...

Well, that's another issue, like using corn to replace gasoline.
I don't say we could have eaten the corn to start with, but the land that grew the corn to make the plates might have been better put to use growing food.
Maybe that's why I am still REALLY hungry !

[ChrisGreaves]

I need my head examined.

Agreed, but I couldn't see the poll thing to leave my vote

But please see also This Thread

... if one get broken you bury them

I think this translates into "no need to put pottery shards in the landfill site.

If so, it's not been the pottery shards that has had me worried as much as the metals and food scraps.

OK.

I still have this feeling that it's a yuppie-green-in-thing-to-brag-about.
(signed) "Grumpy" of Toronto