The future or the past?
Plastic dishes are often used during various kinds of events and gatherings. You may see a lot of plastic dishes in use as they’re the cheap option and generally work. Although.. If you’ve experienced the floppy paper plate problem, you’re definitely not alone…
There’s something we all need to realise which is that paper and plastic disposables make these kind of gatherings and parties economical and easy, but as a side effect of this convenience and cost effectiveness, we are causing huge damage to the environment and nature we are dependent on, by over consuming plastic. Luckily there are many viable solutions to plastic pollution that are popping up all over the place today in all types of industries. One of the best alternative to plastic dishes are in fact leaf dishes which are now coming into use more and more.
The concept of leaf dishes is not a completely new thing, in fact they’ve traditionally been used for centuries in Asian countries such as Nepal for rituals and festivals. However, with some innovations and the new technologies we have today, they’ve taken different shapes, sizes and appearances. They’ve become quite a special and unique looking product as you can see. In fact, many people who are conscious of the environment as well as those who like the designs are now proud of having leaf dishes in their homes or even on display. Some might find that leaf dishes are an expensive option in comparison to the cheap plastic or paper plates. To justify this the long term threat on the environment can be considered with the over-use of plastic. In the bigger picture the cost we bear to be sustainable now is actually negligible. They are also higher value than paper or plastic due to being more sturdy and far more aesthetically pleasing.
If you’re living in the UK and would like to be part of this environmental movement of using leaf dishes as an alternative for plastic or paper ones, Tapari Limited has a the solution for you. Leaf dishes can be made up with different types of plant material – Some are made of bamboo, some are made up palm leaves but in Nepal there is a more common practice of making leaf plates and dishes using Sal Tree leaves. Traditionally these Sal leaf plates in Nepal were known as Tapari, hence our name Tapari Limited. As a company we now take the pride of taking a step forward towards environmental conservation by promoting eco-friendly products and a responsible consumption behaviour.
European nations are starting to import large quantity of leaves from Asia to manufacture leaf plates and leaf products.. There is no concern associated with Sal Tree leaves when it comes to decomposition of toxic contents, as they’re all produced in a sterile environment and do not produce or contain any harmful substances. Certain plastics can be hazardous to our health and even the doctors discourage consumption of food and drinks from plastic dishes if they’re not made by a reputable manufacturer, as some of plastics can degrade which can then end up inside our bodies. The more important problem though is the environmental impacts of trying to dispose of plastics are not decomposable. When large quantities of plastics are disposed into oceans it kills all kinds of marine life from birds and fish to turtles and whales. Some people incinerate plastic, but when burned, plastics emit massive quantity of harmful gases which are bad for animal life as well as carbon dioxide which is the prime reason for global warming. Some might argue a case on behalf of paper plates as alternative to plastic plates but again for paper, large numbers of trees have to be cut down which can result in unsustainable deforestation. However, for leaf dishes we can use remains and wastes of existing trees without even having to cut them down.
It is easy to dispose of leaf dishes after use. They can be burned down or buried or simply left out in nature. They are biodegradable and add more value to the soil quality when decomposed so really there is no negative at all to disposing of leaf dishes. Moreover, dishes made with Sal Leaves, Palm leaves and some others are also edible for livestock like cows, buffaloes and others. Leaf dishes are just perfect for sustainable uses today which is why Tapari Limited is promoting them