Chopsticks originated in China nearly 5,000 years ago. In Japan, jade and ivory chopsticks were originally used only for religious ceremonies. Chopsticks made of chestnut wood and persimmon wood were said to bring wealth and long life.
But in the late 1800s, as chopsticks became more common, the Japanese started using disposable utensils made of bamboo and wood, called “wari-bashi.” Today, nearly 80 billion pairs of disposable chopsticks are produced each year (about 10 pairs for every person in the world), costing the planet an estimated 10 to 20 million trees a year.
Some disposable chopsticks are made from quick-growing bamboo, but nearly half come from the wood of birch, poplar and spruce trees. Because domestic wood in Japan is protected by financial incentives, the source of 90% of the wood for their chopsticks come from Southeast Asia, Canada and the United States.
The wood used for disposable chopsticks is bleached and treated with chemicals like hydrogen peroxide and sulfur, making the chopsticks non-biodegradable, so that millions of them end up in landfills when they're discarded.
I’m happy that we’re now exploring innovative alternatives to this throwaway situation. Wood fibers from chopsticks are being added to biodegradable plastics, and to produce sustainable battery electrodes. And the Chinese government has imposed new taxes on them to protect the environment. But we’re still a long way from sustainably dealing with both the production and waste from these single-use utensils.
So, next time you go out for sushi, think about embracing the idea of B-Y-O-C — “bring your own chopsticks” — allowing more trees to live longer.
