Wasara sustainable paper platesA picnic can make for a very romantic date -- wine, strawberries and cream, a baguette with some fresh cheese. Careful you don't kill the mood when you pull out the "Ben 10" paper plates you bought on special at the party-supply store.

The Japanese company Wasara has a line of high-end, sustainable paper plates, cups and bowls made from bamboo and sugarcane fiber. This composite design allows the paperware to handle hot liquids without sweating or depositing oh-so-delicious wax into your coffee.

You can buy them online in the U.S. from Branch. Prices vary. (A pack of six coffee cups, for instance, will run you $10.)

One warning: They are single-use. They can, however, be thrown into your home composting system -- which most people refer to as "the garbage."