Disposable Culture

Often I don’t notice the increasing trend of making products disposable. Where does it come from; the desire to make and buy things of a small enough value that they are easily discarded? Why is it desirable to make one time use items, so that after it is used it is worthless? Some things that come to mind are convenience, laziness and cost. It seems easier and cheaper to throw something away to reuse it. If it is out of sight, it is out of mind.

When I think of disposable, I think of diapers, plastic bags and bottles, but one thing that a person doesn’t think of that I would argue is definitely disposable is teflon coated pots and pan.

Teflon is quite a remarkable material. It really reduces friction. It can withstand fairly heigh temperatures. The problem is that when it is coating a pot or pan, a metal utensil will scratch it and scrape it off. I am pretty particular about using only plastic utensils on teflon, but even I forget on the occasion. I am sure that there is someone out there who never uses metal on their teflon. However, it is my estimate that by far the majority of teflon users use metal and scratch their pots.

I know that many people believe that the ingestion of teflon will cause health problems. The most notable that I can remember is the accusation that eating teflon pieces will contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease. I don’t know the validity of these perspectives but it does seem to me to be some reason to avoid using a extremely scratched pot.

An amazing alternative to the disposable teflon pot is cast iron and steel pots and pans. They can be seasoned to become non-stick. My experience is that they work very well in this way. They are easy to clean, and can be scrubbed vigorously without worry. It is true they are not meant for the dishwasher. But I have a steel wok that I use often, for many types of dishes. To clean it I just use a scrubber with water and then towel dry. Another great thing about these types of pans is that they can be handed down from generation to generation. If they get rusty, they can be lightly sanded and re-seasoned. Another thing is, cast iron puts small amounts of iron into the food which the body needs for healthy blood; compared to teflon which the body doesn’t need at all.