Stainless steel or plastic?

stainless steel or plastic? Which type of silverware is better for the environment: stainless steel or plastic? My office uses disposable everything and I am trying to make a change.

Variations of this question have been asked and answered in this column before. Of course the answer does not just lie in the manufacturing of the materials for disposable and durable goods such as plastic and metal cutlery. This is also a question of how they will be used and cleaned. Years ago I was asked if it's better to wash dishes by hand or use the dishwasher.

I collected some empirical data on my clunky old dishwasher to find that washing by hand is better. Meanwhile, a German study using the new energy-efficient dishwashers showed that they can use half the energy, one sixth the water, AND less soap. The question of disposable dishes, cups and cutlery has been a recurring theme as well. In my very first Ask Pablo article ever I did a life cycle analysis of sorts comparing paper cups, ceramic mugs, and beautiful metal coffee mugs. Later I revisited the matter in more detail.