I use compostable plates (paper) for parties. They go straight in the yardwaste bin. My footprint otherwise is not enormous, and if I didn't, I would not entertain. Also, I'd have to buy more dishes. (There are only three of us! I don't need THAT many!)

Yea--please don't become the people who came over for a party I was having, looked at the (admittedly plastic solo) disposable cups I had (it was a big new year's drinking party!) and disdainfully made environmental remarks, then went into my cupboard and grabbed their own cups...leaving me to wash them the next day! (When I already had to clean the whole apartment, wash the floor, deal with my hangover...)

If I'm just having a few friends over, I would normally use regular cups but I lived alone, had only so much stuff, and...already had to deal with recycling a bazillion beer bottles and cleaning up the plastic cups!

Plei, that's what I do for parties, too (compostable plates). I also bought dishwasher-safe plastic utensils that I use over and over.

My next thing is to practice not visibly wincing when I go to people's houses and they say things like "I hate doing dishes so I just use paper plates and plastic and throw it out." It's like kicking me in the stomach.

When we were on vacation last week, sharing a house with 6 other people, every time I had to throw away food waste that we would compost at home, I winced. (No, there was no community composting, and we weren't going to save 8 peoples' food waste for 8 days and drive it back to Ohio.)

We did, however, recycle everything that was recyclable, which assuaged my guilt somewhat.

Yeah, it's mostly family and extended family where this is the biggest problem for me: I mean, I am related to people who throw aluminium cans and glass bottles into the trash.

I hope I didn't sound rude to sarameg or you with my waste/recycling questions.

I love answering waste/recycling questions, and researching if I don't know the answer. Bring it on! (sarameg, I most certainly was not trying to lecture you and I hope it didn't come off that way.)

Oh, I wince. And then I lecture. Because, you know what? It's the fucking PLANET. If people want to think of me as That Pretentious Bitch Who's Always Going On About The Environment, so be it. It's important.

Ahaha! I am so TPBWAGOATE that sost of my friends pre-emptively apologize if they are throwing something away in front of me and explain why. My mom, for example, when we used paper plates in the hotel room at the beach this weekend. We did reuse our plastic utensils and had reusable mugs, at least.

I'm currently trying to muster my energy to deal with the asshole from high school who said on my fb wall, knowing what I do, that he "doesn't much worry about recycling since we're going to end up mining the landfills anyway."

javachik, have you looked into other ridematch programs beyond your neighborhood listserv? Let me know if you need/want help looking into options. You can be my job hunt expert and I can be your greener lifestyle consultant!

My party dishes are cheap acrylic ones from IKEA. I think each plate cost about $1.

Preserve makes durable recycled plastic utensils and dishware from yogurt containers, and they're having a sale! [link] They're dishwasher safe, too.

I also buy their toothbrushes - you can mail them back for recycling. eta omg they have a toothbrush subscription! Awesome.

javachik, have you looked into other ridematch programs beyond your neighborhood listserv? Let me know if you need/want help looking into options. You can be my job hunt expert and I can be your greener lifestyle consultant!

A bit. The problem is mostly that I never go straight to work and come home. You can imagine how difficult that is to coordinate with someone else. If I worked for Genentech, I could drive my car about 4 miles and meet their Green Bus that crosses the bridge. Sigh. I will figure something out. My boss is definitely more that "work from home more" type, but unfortunately not everyone at work shares her view.

We bought 75 acrylic plates and cups on sale (two for a dollar) from Sears a few years ago and use them for all of our parties, including our big Holiday open house. We have a dishwasher so we just pop them in there and put them away until the next party. No waste, no expense.

Yea--please don't become the people who came over for a party I was having, looked at the (admittedly plastic solo) disposable cups I had (it was a big new year's drinking party!) and disdainfully made environmental remarks, then went into my cupboard and grabbed their own cups...leaving me to wash them the next day! (When I already had to clean the whole apartment, wash the floor, deal with my hangover...)

Yeah...that's not my style. Usually when I am at someone's house, I actually wash the dishes and help clean-up. Generally speaking, houses are cleaner for me having been there, not the other way around.