Wow, I must throw out at least two pairs of these a day. Hmm. Something to think about.
The Chinese government is introducing a 5% tax on disposable wooden chopsticks in a bid to preserve its forests.
It produces about 45 billion pairs of chopsticks a year, consuming millions of trees and bamboo plants.
The move came as China said it would raise some consumption taxes next month in a bid to help the environment and narrow the gap between rich and poor.
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The disposable splints of wood, usually between eight and 10 inches long, have long been a target for Chinese environmentalists.
School children have written to the Chinese prime minister asking for a ban on disposable wooden chopsticks, while students have persuaded some college cafeterias to replace them with spoons.
In recent years, the government has actually encouraged their use, in a bid to reduce the spread of infectious illnesses by sharing eating utensils.