INFORMATION ABOUT THE BIODEGRADABLE MATERIALS WE USE
We compost all of our plates, cutlery and cups in at a Long Beach organic garden! Here's Jaide, Director of Long Beach Organic, showing off our composting plates.
All are totally compostable in a few months
and do not use fossil fuels or virgin trees!!
Plates: made of sugarcane fiber waste
Cups: made from plant-based poly lactic acid
Cutlery: made from potato starch
Napkins: 100% post-consumer waste
WHERE ARE THESE PRODUCTS SOLD?
Locally:
The Road Less Traveled (wide selection) in Santa Ana
Wild Oats (limited selection) (also Whole Foods)
On-line:
Green Earth Office Supply
Recyclaholics
Reusablebags
WHAT IS THE COST OF THESE PRODUCTS?
The cost of biodegradable/post-consumer products is not significantly different from conventional
plastic and virgin paper products. You can save more if you buy in bulk. Average cost of 200 9”
plastic plates: $30 (15¢ ea). Average cost of 125 9¾” biodegradable plates: $24 (19¢ ea).
There are many reasons not to use plastic disposable products!
* It degrades slowly and only gets smaller, doesn’t totally break down.
* Sealife is killed when plastic is ingested.
* Plastic absorbs and concentrates toxins such as DDT and PCBs (which may contribute to
cancer and immune disorders and can damage a developing fetus) and released as plastic,
ingested by wildlife and ingested up the food chain
* Some plastic components are hormone-like and carcinogenic, can affect brain development.
OTHER WAYS TO ENGAGE
(And ways to save money too)
* When shopping, forget paper or plastic. Bring your own bag. Many stores give a 5¢ refund
(saving $20-$60 a year).
* At the coffee shop, bring a mug, you can often get a discount (daily drinkers can save $20
per year, the cost of a mug).
* Dump the disposable water bottle and save big. Invest in a counter top water filter like Britta
($20) or an undersink reverse osmosis model ($100 at Home Depot) and get a fashionable
reusable bottle like Sigg or Kleen Kanteen ($15). Family of 4 can save $700 or more a year!
