Monthly Archives: October 2010

My town recently switched to biodegradable plastic dog waste bags.  Stands of them dot most trails and roadsides, along with bear-proof wastebaskets for disposal.  The bags inside these wastebaskets are plastic – presumably not biodegradable. What happens to a biodegradable … Continue reading →

It’s always nice to write about something positive.  Especially in the face of a floating plastic garbage patch the size of Texas in the Pacific Ocean.  And marine wildlife dying because they mistake the plastic for food. Enter “Vac from … Continue reading →

Here’s a question for you – Is it reasonable to expect people to sacrifice for the greater good, when classical economics teaches that human beings will seek to maximize their own gain? In other words, would you spend extra money … Continue reading →

I use my paper grocery bags as kitchen garbage bags.  The same morning my paper bag tore because of moisture and covered the floor with a disgusting mess, the Town Council banned plastic bags and imposed a fee on paper. … Continue reading →

Bag banning may not fix all the environmental problems and toxic threats in our world, but that’s not the point.  The point is to start small, to take one tiny action at a time that will alert people to the … Continue reading →

Canada Becomes First Nation to Officially List BPA as Toxic by Brian Merchant Photo: Steven Depolo, Flickr Effective immediately, the chemical Bisphenol A is officially considered toxic in Canada. BPA, as you’re likely aware, is a chemical commonly found in … Continue reading →

I am sitting in a coffee shop in Telluride, Colorado, where last week Town Council passed an ordinance banning plastic bags from stores in town starting January 2011.  There will also be a fee imposed on paper bags.  I wondered … Continue reading →

Because this is a blog, I can entitle the post “Come on, people!” if that’s how I’m really feeling.  Sometimes informality is a gift. On the heels of the Telluride bag-banning triumph comes the news that Frito Lay plans to … Continue reading →

Banning bags might have been unsuccessful in California, but not so in Telluride, Jeb’s hometown.  Setting a precedent for other resort towns, and hopefully the rest of the country, today Telluride’s Town Council voted 5-2 to ban single-use plastic bags … Continue reading →