How long have chopsticks been around?
Chopsticks have been used for over 5000 years and are an important part of many Asian cultures. They also signify sustenance, history, the sacred (special ones are used in religious ceremonies) and the mundane. Not all Asian cultures use chopsticks. For many Asian Americans, they represent the strengths of our ancestors and our cultural inheritance. The distinction, of course, should be made between reusable/washable chopsticks and the throw-away kind. Waribashi, disposable chopsticks, pose a great problem to our environment through deforestation and destruction of forest habitats. Every year, throughout the world, hundreds of billions of disposable chopsticks are thrown away after a single-use.
