I never thought I’d be singing the praises of a disposable plate company on the Green Baby Guide, but I am about to do so.  Here’s how it happened: first, I wrote about Greening My Family Reunion.  I noted that with over forty people in my extended family, we used as many real dishes as possible and supplemented with paper plates and cups, which racked me with eco-guilt.  Next year, I vowed, we could reduce our impact by choosing recycled paper products.  I then checked out the paper plate selection at my local grocery store and noticed that Chinet’s plates were made from “recycled materials.”

Chinet contacted the Green Baby Guide, sending along  some interesting facts about their company.  After reading about their plates, I couldn’t believe they didn’t advertise their eco-friendly practices more conspicuously.  “Made from recycled materials” could mean anything–but it turns out that Chinet’s Classic White and Chinet Casual plates are made from 100% recycled materials and they’re biodegradable.  They don’t contain chlorine bleach, so you can toss those used plates in your compost bin, where they will break down in about sixty days.

I’ve got to say that I used to be annoyed by Chinet’s television ads for the same reason I hated paper towel commercials.  I am someone who has hosted parties for twenty people and washed all the dishes by hand afterwards, so it’s not as if I am a big paper plate advocate.  That said, I am really impressed by Chinet’s environmental efforts.  Because Huhtamaki American, Inc. (the makers of Chinet products) uses recycled materials, they save almost three million trees, one billion gallons of water, and 65 million gallons of oil each year.   It’s great to see a mainstream company offer more sustainable products that can be found at most of our everyday grocery stores.

Would you like to try some of Chinet’s products for your next gathering?  Just post a comment by Tuesday and you’ll be entered to win two sets of Chinet’s eco-friendly paper plates and some biodegradable napkins.   You’ll get special consideration if you promise to compost them when you’re done!

Read more about Chinet’s environmental efforts here.