Andrew Kunitsyn

Many food companies and restaurants have started replacing plastic cutlery with paper and wooden alternatives.

“Look, we’re eco-friendly!”

But there are a few things worth examining.

Often this is simply a marketing strategy. Companies rarely consider the entire production cycle. Trees are still cut down, fuel is used in production, and manufacturing creates large amounts of waste and emissions.

Some argue that the raw materials come from certified logging forests, yet even a giant like IKEA has been caught using illegal wood. Corruption remains a global problem.

“Hey, but this cutlery is eco-friendly,” they say.

That would only be true if it were disposed of properly. In reality it ends up in general waste bins and later in landfills, where it does not decompose naturally and contributes to growing mountains of trash.

In my opinion, it is worth thinking about the ecological footprint we leave behind and the kind of environment we create.

Change begins with us. Businesses will adapt if enough people demand it.