I try to limit my use of disposables as much as possible. Reusing something is, after all, the greenest option. But it’s not always practical. For an office kitchen or corporate event, it may not make sense to have reusable plates that could be broken or lost.  At the same time, all those boxes of plastic plates won’t biodegrade any time soon. In fact, they’ll probably still be around for thousands of years. On top of it all, they’re made from oil, a nonrenewable resource that requires intensive processing. Some plastic plates can technically be recycled, but most recycling facilities will ultimately reject and trash plastics that are greasy or oily. That makes for some pretty dim prospects for recycling plates that have come in contact with any food. All and all, while it’s really convenient, disposable tableware is basically an eco-nightmare all around.

So, I was intrigued when I found some “eco-friendly” alternatives to disposable plastics. But at the same time, I was skeptical. Could something that’s disposable ever really be eco-friendly? After digging deep into this question, I think the answer is a clear yes. In fact, I feel so good about these products that Green Irene is now offering a line of disposable tableware.

So what is this magic material? In a word, sugar – the source of many wonderful things. Green Irene’s plates, bowls, and cups are made from bagasse, a byproduct created during sugarcane processing. Before it was used for tableware, bagasse was burned as waste. Turning this waste product into something useful is much greener than cutting down forests to make paper plates. These products can be torn up and put in your indoor or outdoor composter. They can also be sent to a municipal compost facility, or recycled along with your paper products. Green Irene’s bagasse items can handle hot and cold foods, and they’re even safe for microwave use.

For more information about Green Irene’s disposable tableware, check out Ask Green Irene entry #1204. If you are not a member (which you are when you get a  Green Home Makeover or Green Office Makeover), your local eco-consultant can help you select and order Green Irene’s recommended eco-friendly plates, bowls, cups and utensils.

Rosamaria Caballero
The Original Green Irene Eco-Consultant
rosamaria.caballero@greenirene.com

Your business may have a tradition of throwing away plenty of office materials that it doesn’t know can be reused or recycled. Every time we throw away potentially reusable or recyclable materials, we contribute to resource depletion and further fill up our already saturated landfills. In turn, this leads to a greater environmental footprint and can contaminate our local waters. Many of these materials, when thrown on a landfill, leach out toxic substances that are bad for our health and the health of our local environment.

Green Irene can help your business reduce its waste impact. You may not know that most office materials can be reused or recycled. Our comprehensive green knowledgebase, Ask Green Irene, can help you identify all the materials in your office that you can reuse or recycle. You will be surprised to find out how much can be recycled that you didn’t know. From the rarest items to the most common office supplies, you will learn where and how to recycle almost everything in your office. Apart from reducing your footprint, this can also help reduce your operational costs associated with waste.

Don’t wait any longer. You can learn how to make your business go green by asking a local Green Irene Eco-Consultant. He or she can also provide a Green Office Makeover to help you identify critical first steps to green your business. It is time to Green The World, One Office at a Time!

Face it. Your small business needs to purchase many goods and services to ensure it runs smoothly and prospers. That is a fact we all need to accept, but we also need to accept the fact that your business can purchase goods and services in a way that supports socially responsible and green efforts. Green purchasing is the art of buying goods and services that have reduced footprints and support socially responsible causes. By purchasing green goods and services, not only can you eliminate potential problems, such as toxic substances in materials, but you can also significantly reduce your business’ footprint.

Most of the goods and services your business needs carry a footprint. Whether it is paper sourced from a rainforest or energy sourced from dirty coal, goods and services used by your business tend to carry along an environmental and social impact. But through the art of green purchasing, your business can reduce this impact and help steer manufacturers towards more sustainable practices and production methods. Green Irene provides you with all you need to know about green purchasing through its broad network of local Eco-Consultants and its comprehensive Ask Green Irene Service.

You no longer have to spend time trying to figure out how you can make an impact through the way you buy. Green Irene has done all the research you need to make critical decisions about green purchasing. Ask a local Green Irene Eco-Consultant today to learn more about our services. You can help us Green The World, One Office at a Time!