disposable Chopsticks per some are an environmental because they are not reused. They increase deforestation. There was a protest against chopsticks at a Microsoft facility in Beijing that made the Wall Street Journal. Great publicity! 63 Billion disposable chopsticks are made each year in China.

The problem is many people believe the chopsticks are more sanitary than reused ones. For noodle soup and other Chinese Food, the wooden chopsticks are better to use than plastic ones because they hold the noodles better. Some even suggest bringing your own chopsticks where you clean them in the restaurant before leaving (first I had heard about this). Correction, my daughter has reusable chopsticks she takes to school, and per my wife metal chopsticks that are reusable are popular in Taiwan. I just never thought of taking them to a restaurant.

I wonder, what type of chopsticks are on the front cover of Dim Sum For Everyone! by Grace Lin. A cute book about Dim Sum that with a cute girl with chopsticks on the front.

Labels: chinese environment, Chinese Food