"Just like a professional pool cue, these tools of eating wonder are made in parts." Collapsible chopsticks from ThinkGeek

“Bring Your Own {fill in the blank}”-ing (along with DIYing), is yet another glorious by-product of conscious hipsterdom. We citizens of the Earth are finally learning that we can save money and the environment by making the most out of what we have. And… it’s cool!

One idea that has been slowly but surely catching on here in North America has been the notion of bringing your own chopsticks (or any cutlery for that matter) to restaurants. Greenpeace China recently revealed that 100 acres of forest are cut down every single day for disposable cutlery – catering to the demand for chopsticks in particular. Pretty damn terrible, huh?

Our friends in Japan have already been on this for a while now (but of course they have, they’re Japanese!) The 5 cent fee for plastic bags worked wonders for Toronto. Why not apply that same rule to our disposable cutlery? I know we love our sushi, but I think we might just love our socially-responsible-cool-factor more.

Some solutions:

1. Buy yourself a fancy set of portable chopsticks from here, here, here, here (as seen above) or Pacific Mall.
2. When getting takeout, request that they don’t throw in the chopsticks. Seriously, do you really need them? I bet you still have a drawer-full of those you’ve been “saving”.
3. Don’t have a portable set? That’s right, go big or go home. Wrap your full-sized pair of chopsticks in a handy hanky/fabric scrap/bandana for your restaurant adventures. Ready to wipe and wrap when you’re done for the wash when you get home.