There are billions of people in the world, but we only fall in love with the ones who feel special to us.  Same with forks!  In America people use more than 100 million plastic utensils every day.  An ordinary plastic fork is just that—ordinary, not special.  Also, like all plastics, such a fork is a source of pollution that exposes birds and other wildlife to toxins—and because of its size, shape, and materials, it’s super hard to recycle.  Fortunately, there are better, standout disposable forks available.  I fell in love with one at the 50th anniversary party of the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge (an inspiring place to go birding).  The fork charmed me not only because it had yummy chocolate cake on it, but also because it was made of bamboo that breaks down naturally when disposed of.  This fork is good for the planet, it’s my new sweetheart, and with cake on it, it was extra sweet!  I’m going to wash it and let it remind me  that there are much better options than plastic for on-the-go utensils.  Since I’d like to see more of these darlings at events, I’m going to encourage organizations, entertainment venues, and restaurants that I patronize to shift to using them.  (Just please don’t tell my husband that I have a fork sweetheart on the side!  He knows I’m in love with birds, but now forks, too???)

Christine Du Bois – Buxbaum, Ph.D., Lansdowne Bird Town Coordinator of the Lansdowne Bird Town, provided the content and photo for this article.