Bring Your Own Chopsticks Movement Gains Traction in Asia
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN 
on 01.30.06
A recent article in the China Post tells the story of “young yuppy” from Taiwan who refuses the disposable bamboo chopsticks that are ubiquitously handed out to customers at cafeteria eateries. He packs his own sticks—and apparently it’s part of a growing movement in Asia. He is one of “tens of thousands of chopstick-carrying customers” who not only bring their own, but are getting rewarded for it: usually in the form of a discount, a free bowl of soup, or some other goodies. China even entertained the idea of legislation that would compensate restaurants for rewards they give customers who bring their own.
A Chinese blog claims that 45 billion pairs of disposable chopsticks are tossed out yearly in China, contributing to deforestation and mounds of unnecessary waste. The blog also claims that Japan has outlawed the cutting of bamboo for disposable chopsticks, so China has begun exporting large amounts to Japan. Stimuli for the spreading movement of bring-your-own culture is coming from different directions. One company boss even introduced a rule that all employees must bring their own sticks to the office—fining them if they don’t.
For more info on bring-your-own culture in the States, check out our friend Anna’s site, bringyourown.org. And if people have more leads on bring-your-own movements, please drop me a line.
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I think bringing your own chopsticks is a great idea.
I wonder how much giving a bowl of soup per set of chopsticks squanders the resource savings.
When is my grocery store going to give me something free for bringing in my own bags? $.05 is hardly an incentive, and I do it anyway, but more people might get on board if the incentive were real!
I found it interesting that normally bamboo usage is promoted in these circles (as a fast growing alternative to wood), but this story is based on a drive to reduce our usage of it.
Goes to show that nothing's black and white in the green game...
Personally, I think there should be incentives ($ seems to work) placed on all recyclable items... Even if a dime (or better) a quarter per item.
I remember as a kid running around collecting aluminum cans for the refund (to buy sugary sweets). Can you imagine if anything with a recycle symbol could be easily turned in for cash?
Here in Tasmania there is becoming a big trend in re-usable shopping bags, the supermarket sells them for 99c each and the trend has caught on, it is becoming very un-trendy to be using plastic shopping bags in Hobart(capital of Tasmania). there are no incentives apart from it being a cool bag.
Bring your own chopsticks is not a bad idea. Consider all the plastic spoons and forks non-chopstick user across the world must throw away.
Also, the fact that people need an incentive to do anything good for the general public, the environment, or for their own good is almost cliche. How about this for an initiative at the grocery stores? Charge people to use store bags (paper or plastic).
Try these:
http://www.snowpeak.com/gears/sct003.htm
It´s quite common for plastic bags to have a hefty price on them in northern europe. Here in Iceland they cost about 25 US cents. Still most people will buy as many as they need when shopping... my compatriots are not very eco conscious. The positive thing is that the national erosion fighting team was given all the money from the bag sales to plant trees!
I bought a pair of plastic child size chopsticks that cam in a plastic clamshell case. The chopsticks were unusable because they were pointy and slick. I took a couple of adult size chopsticks and cut part off the top ends to make them short enough to fit the case. These became my backup emergency eating tools that I use whenever I'm in a situation where I need a fork and don't have access to one.
I almost always bring a pair of chopsticks where ever I go. And I have even made chopsticks out of found sticks a couple of times. You just have to strip off the part of the bark.
I too used the child-sized chopsticks in a little case, all through college! They were totemo kawaii (very cute) and a great conversation starter. Somewhere along the way I stopped doing it, but I think this post has inspired me to start it up again...
I almost always bring a pair of chopsticks where ever I go. And I have even made chopsticks out of found sticks a couple of times. You just have to strip off the part of the bark.
When is my grocery store going to give me something free for bringing in my own bags? $.05 is hardly an incentive, and I do it anyway, but more people might get on board if the incentive were real!
It´s quite common for plastic bags to have a hefty price on them in northern europe. Here in Iceland they cost about 25 US cents. Still most people will buy as many as they need when shopping... my compatriots are not very eco conscious. The positive thing is that the national erosion fighting team was given all the money from the bag sales to plant trees!
It's great to be the top psychology blog on the list, but I think mindhacks is probably actually a more popular blog, and it's written by scientists.
The best is not always the most popular. My favorite scientific blogs....
I have a pair of stainless steel collapsible chopsticks from a site called tripstixx.com. It makes me a lot happier when I'm out eating ume shiso maki.
We recently wrote about duck hunters and tree huggers having a common, if unexpected, interest in mitigating climate change. It turns out that by conserving prairie pothole wetlands for the purpose of supporting duck breeding, that carbon sequestration by these wetland areas occurs at much higher per-hectare level than from cropping or tree planting.
I've never understood the logic of giving disposable wooden chopsticks to dine-in patrons (New York Asian restaurants} while the forks, knives & spoons are regular silverware. Are chopsticks that difficult or time-consuming to wash?
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Also, the fact that people need an incentive to do anything good for the general public, the environment, or for their own good is almost cliche. How about this for an initiative at the grocery stores? Charge people to use store bags (paper or plastic).
I think bringing your own chopsticks is a great idea.
I wonder how much giving a bowl of soup per set of chopsticks squanders the resource savings.
I live in Korea and was pleasantly surprised to find that most restaurants use metal chopsticks here. My good friend has a business in China reusing wooden chopsticks by making them into art pieces and home accents. They're really quite beautiful and they're sold in boutique all over America. You should take some time to read about it on his web page:
http://www.kwytzakraft.com/about.htm
I'm glad to see people are doing something to make a difference.
I think, chinese peopele must use metal chopsticks.
===
I can assure you, we use all kinds.
I live in Canada and was pleasantly surprised to find that most restaurants use metal chopsticks here. My good friend has a business in China reusing wooden chopsticks by making them into art pieces and home accents. They're really quite beautiful and they're sold in boutique all over America. You should take some time to read about it on his web page:
http://www.kwytzakraft.com/about.htm
I'm glad to see people are doing something to make a difference.
Thanks!
"I found it interesting that normally bamboo usage is promoted in these circles (as a fast growing alternative to wood), but this story is based on a drive to reduce our usage of it.
Goes to show that nothing's black and white in the green game"
surely
I almost always bring a pair of chopsticks where ever I go. And I have even made chopsticks out of found sticks a couple of times. You just have to strip off the part of the bark.
I bought a pair of plastic child size chopsticks that cam in a plastic clamshell case. The chopsticks were unusable because they were pointy and slick. I took a couple of adult size chopsticks and cut part off the top ends to make them short enough to fit the case
Bringing your own chopstkicks seems like a great idea i'll try it.
I've never understood the logic of giving disposable wooden chopsticks to dine-in patrons (New York Asian restaurants} while the forks, knives & spoons are regular silverware. Are chopsticks that difficult or time-consuming to wash?
I found it interesting that normally bamboo usage is promoted in these circles (as a fast growing alternative to wood), but this story is based on a drive to reduce our usage of it.
Bringing your own chopstkicks seems like a great idea i'll try it.
Ok.Bringing your own chopstkicks seems like a great idea i'll try it.
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It's great to be the top psychology blog on the list, but I think mindhacks is probably actually a more popular blog, and it's written by scientists.
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I found it interesting that normally bamboo usage is promoted in these circles , but this story is based on a drive to reduce our usage of it.
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I found it interesting that normally bamboo usage is promoted in these circles , but this story is based on a drive to reduce our usage of it.
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I almost always bring a pair of chopsticks where ever I go. And I have even made chopsticks out of found sticks a couple of times. You just have to strip off the part of the bark.
think, chinese peopele must use metal chopsticks.
I found it interesting that normally bamboo usage is promoted in these circles , but this story is based on a drive to reduce our usage of it.
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I found it interesting that normally bamboo usage is promoted in these circles , but this story is based on a drive to reduce our usage of it.
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Thanks for this article. I like it.
When is my grocery store going to give me something free for bringing in my own bags? $.05 is hardly an incentive, and I do it anyway, but more people might get on board if the incentive were real!
Here in Tasmania there is becoming a big trend in re-usable shopping bags, the supermarket sells them for 99c each and the trend has caught on, it is becoming very un-trendy to be using plastic shopping bags in Hobart(capital of Tasmania). there are no incentives apart from it being a cool bag.
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Why don't the restaurants just not use them... customers can't be carrying chopsticks with them all the time...
me something free for bringing in my own bags? $.05 is hardly an incentive, and I do it anyway, but more people
Thanks for this article. I like it.
Chopsticks are great for eating popcorn and other snack foods. Keeps your keyboard and reading material clean.
They have lots of uses so I recommend a variety (Chinese, Japanese, durable, disposable, semi-durable).
I have steel chopsticks and cutlery at work which I have saved a tremendous amount of plastic and wood.
Thanks for this article. I like it.
Bring your own chopsticks is not a bad idea. Consider all the plastic spoons and forks non-chopstick user across the world must throw away.
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It´s quite common for plastic bags to have a hefty price on them in northern europe. Here in Iceland they cost about 25 US cents. Still most people will buy as many as they need when shopping... my compatriots are not very eco conscious. The positive thing is that the national erosion fighting team was given all the money from the bag sales to plant trees!
If you went with the SunEdison model you could basically do this without any capital outlays. And save money at the same time.
Bring your own chopsticks is a really cool idea, but it they should just ensure that disposable chopsticks can be recycled. All the shops/restaurants need to do is just throw away the chopsticks in recycle bins, and maybe even come up with their own recycle program. I'm sure that chopsticks can easily be recycled, if everyone really put their heads together and came up with a solution.
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