Residents of central Taiwan’s Nantou County have developed disposable but sustainable plates and bowls from an abundant local resource: betel nut leaves.
Betel nut is a chewable stimulant that’s popular in Asia and some parts of Africa. The nuts grow on big palm-like trees that are a regular sight in Taiwan’s mountains. Usually, the leaves of the betel nut trees would be swept up and tossed out, but one neighborhood in Nantou County Taiwan has found a new use for these leaves.
With its large banana and betel plantations, Nantou County has no shortage of oversized leaves. In the past, these leaves were left to decompose in the ground. But now, people in one neighborhood here are cutting the leaves and turning them into plates and bowls with the help of hydraulic presses. Each leaf only needs to be pressed for eight minutes to form a bowl or plate.
Local Yang Cheng-Lian says that this disposable but eco-friendly dishware has caught the attention of an Italian company. These sustainable plates and bowls may spell a better quality of life for this rural corner of Taiwan.