Cheap wooden chopsticks have become as much a part of Asian dining experience as won tons and wasabi. They simplify clean up, so it's little wonder that so many restaurants chose to use disposable sticks — despite the sheer number of trees that are cut down to manufacture them.

The volume of chopsticks discarded every year is enormous. A Miami News post puts the number at 60 billion pairs per year -- 45 billion of which are used and discarded in China alone.

Two alternatives have started to draw attention, however. One comes from consumers and the other from sushi restaurants. There's a growing movement among sushi eaters (and other diners) to carry their own reusable chopsticks with them, eliminating the need for disposable utensils. The other, also mentioned in the Miami News post, is an effort by sushi restaurants to sell their customers reusable chopsticks. The restaurant labels, washes, and stores the chopsticks, pulling out the correct pair when its owner visits for a few rolls.

The consumer-driven effort is certainly experiencing success. Restaurants' efforts, however, are a little slower-moving to date, given that there's no clear financial incentive for consumers to adopt either plan. Unless restaurants begin to offer some kind of discount to customers willing to invest in reusable sticks, that effort risks falling by the wayside.

Restaurants wash and re-use forks, spoons, and knives... I wonder if there's any reason that chopsticks can't safely be treated similarly.

Photo — Mr Wabu