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Single-use bamboo plates and serverware is a great way to replace disposable paper plates towards eco friendly use. They can be used for home meals, picnics, celebration parties, weddings, catered events, offices, or any other occasion where disposal paper or plastic dishes are utilized. Look for companies that manufacture a collection from sustainable bamboo in your grocery or cooking products stores.

What's great about these products is that although they're meant to be for single use, there is nothing preventing repeat use. Just wash with an eco friendly dish soap that's biodegradable, which you can extend by adding water to the bottle when it's half full. Use bamboo plates for children's arts and crafts or your home art collection. I know someone who loved the look of bamboo so much they created a huge "found object" wall collage for their living room and a smaller one for their kitchen that was cost effective art, and a great design feature.

Photo: courtesy of All Occassion Veneerware ®

• Bike, Carpool, Keep Tires Inflated: One-third of all traffic is commuters. Map out and use alternative transportation when possible. If you must drive, go slower with proper tire inflation. It saves both fuel and tires, and lowers emissions. It also saves lives.

• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Compost: Reusing packaging material saves more energy than recycling. By avoiding extra packaging, you save both energy and landfill space. Yard and kitchen waste (leaves/grass/vegetable scraps) are 30% of trash. Reduce this amount by composting. Also be sure to re-use plastic bags. Better yet... refuse plastic bags when you really don't need them. Take your own cloth bags and keep them in the car for shopping.

• Conserve Water: Don't let faucets run. Never water your lawn at midday. Place a brick in older toilets. Take low flow short showers. If your tub is big enjoy bathing together! Run dishwasher only when full. Plant native or drought-tolerant plants instead of grass.

• Quit Smoking: Second-hand smoke is a major indoor air pollutant and health hazard. Work towards quitting. Big gain for your home and health.

• Don't Use Pesticides/Herbicides On Your Lawn: Along with nitrogen fertilizer runoff, these are major water pollutants. Change your lawns for eco friendly plants and use environmentally friendly products.

• Keep Your Cat Indoors: Domestic cats kill over one billion small birds and animals every year. They upset natural balances and eliminate ground-nesting birds.

• Eat Less Meat - More Local Organic Food: Feedlots are a major source of organic pollution. Tropical forests are cut to raise beef.

• Lower Thermostat In the Winter - Raise It In The Summer: Wearing layered sweaters to moderate comfort and sleeveless/short sleeves in summer, saves on energy bills, grid overload, and reduces pollution.

• Dispose Of Paint, Chemicals, and Oil Properly: Don't put batteries, antifreeze, paint, motor oil, or chemicals in the trash. Use proper toxics disposal sites. Don't buy more than you need. 

• Consider Environmental Costs: Compare efficiency when purchasing new cars or appliances. Buy fewer things and choose sustainable products and food. Choose products with lower energy inputs. Pool resources. Donate and recycle rather then discard.

• Wash dishes by hand in a basin, then use the dish water for outdoor gardens. Make beautiful things grow. Wherever, whenever you can.

• Volunteer/Lobby For The Environment: Work locally and globally to save natural places, reduce urban sprawl, lower pollution and prevent destruction of wilderness areas for timber and oil. 

• Plant A Tree With A Child: Take walks in the woods, plant trees which store CO2. Give trees as gifts for children to plant instead of plastic toys. Teaching children to love and care for the planet is the most important thing we can do to insure our future.