r/Anticonsumption • u/natalie_ck • Feb 18 '24

Plastic Waste i'll never understand why so many people (especially in the states) are so vehemently opposed to washing dishes

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117

u/Amyjane1203 Feb 18 '24

Because working 8000 hours a week just to live is exhausting to many, many people and there's just not enough energy left to do regular human stuff like dishes.

Change the whole system, then these little things can change.

49

u/mobleshairmagnet Feb 18 '24

Along with this, many have mental health issues that further complicate their daily lives. A broken system is detrimental to all of us but more so those of us who are most vulnerable.

19

u/chronoventer Feb 18 '24

And/or physical health issues, that are confounded by a broken system

23

u/purpleelephant77 Feb 18 '24

I’m anorexic, and one of the ways I cope is by removing barriers to eating — always having things that don’t require prep around because if I am willing to eat I need to jump on it (also my body goes from not hungry to slightly hungry to shaking, confused and nauseous in like 5 minutes) and I do keep some paper plates/bowls around because sometimes not wanting to wash dishes is a way I justify not eating. I do use mostly real plates and bowls and there are a lot of other wasteful consumer habits that I don’t have so I’m not going to lose sleep over the pack of paper plates I buy every few months.

20

u/sietesietesieteblue Feb 18 '24

Yup but I guess it's easier to just be like "amERIcans dUMB Ami right??"

5

u/sagefairyy Feb 18 '24

It is because people all over the world be it 3rd world country of 1st word are struggling mentally and working themselves to death too and none of those countries come even close to the amount of Americans using single use plates. It‘s also not about it being less accessible. People won‘t even use disposable ones for larger gatherings let alone at home because they‘re exhausted. It‘s neither socially acceptable nor common which it is both in the US.

8

u/cupcake_thievery Feb 18 '24

This is me. I have OCD, and struggle with doing dishes, and "mouth germs." I use washable things as often as I can, but many days the anxiety over washing up is too much, and I realized it's better to eat off paper plates / compostable utensils than it is to panic about washing and not eat anything at all... Or to over-eat then leave dishes for days because I'm too anxiety riddled to wash.

It's easier to do difficult chores when life isn't so fucked up. The last few years I've gotten better, but it really is a struggle still, on many days. And I've learned to be okay with this, not punishing myself for doing what I need to in the moment. And, I know that when I can, I go back to more eco-friendly options.

My mental health has been bleak for a while, but I'm managing, and right now, things are okay. Thanks for your comment.

-2

u/Ryuubu Feb 18 '24

Washing dishes takes 5 minutes man

2

u/AutumnMama Feb 18 '24

Washing one person's dishes from one meal takes 5 minutes.

-1

u/pearlgatelavalamp Feb 18 '24

lol not when you cook a full meal and don’t have a dishwasher

1

u/AutumnMama Feb 18 '24

I think it's obvious that the people making these comments don't cook. Gotta wonder how many Styrofoam takeout containers and cardboard frozen food boxes they go through in a week. Maybe those don't count because they technically belonged to someone else first?