Showing posts with label Plastic Bags. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Plastic Bags. Show all posts
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Plastic Bag Fabric
Obviously we're feeling a bit crafty here. Check out the cute purses below made entirely from plastic bags! All you need to make this is a few plastic bags, an iron, and wax paper. Read the detailed "how to" here.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Watch out for the Bag Monster!
Watch out for the Bag Monster this Halloween! Yours could be hiding in a drawer, under the sink, or in the pantry! The best way to avoid it is to reduce, reuse, and recycle the plastic bags that come into your life.
Reducing
BYOB--Bring Your Own Bag! Say no to plastic. Chico Bags are especially awesome because they fit in your purse, can hold a lot of stuff, and are inexpensive. But these days there are a lot of options when it comes to sporting your own bag. Many stores sell their own bags, as do websites, and styles, colors, and sizes run the gamut.
Reusing
The reason most people have a bag monster of their own at home is because sometimes those little plastic bags come in handy. As much as I try to avoid getting plastic bags at stores, I still end up with some at home. I use them to line smaller trash cans, clean out the litter box, pick up dog poop, etc.
Recycle
You can recycle plastic bags at all area Schnuck's. This is a great way to get rid of not only grocery bags, but all of the other plastic bags that are used with other products, like bread, newspapers, etc. Kroger and other stores like Wal-Mart also offer recycling, but I believe it is only for their own brand of plastic bags. If you shop at these stores often, then just keep your bags sorted.
The best news of all though is that all #2 plastic bags can be recycled through the City of Memphis' curbside recycling program. BUT they must be stuffed inside of another hard plastic #2 container. (Think laundry detergent, cat food, coffee, etc.) Most grocery bags are #2 and are clearly labeled. So get a nice #2 container, stuff your bag monster in it, and recycle it at home!
Reducing
BYOB--Bring Your Own Bag! Say no to plastic. Chico Bags are especially awesome because they fit in your purse, can hold a lot of stuff, and are inexpensive. But these days there are a lot of options when it comes to sporting your own bag. Many stores sell their own bags, as do websites, and styles, colors, and sizes run the gamut.
Reusing
The reason most people have a bag monster of their own at home is because sometimes those little plastic bags come in handy. As much as I try to avoid getting plastic bags at stores, I still end up with some at home. I use them to line smaller trash cans, clean out the litter box, pick up dog poop, etc.
Recycle
You can recycle plastic bags at all area Schnuck's. This is a great way to get rid of not only grocery bags, but all of the other plastic bags that are used with other products, like bread, newspapers, etc. Kroger and other stores like Wal-Mart also offer recycling, but I believe it is only for their own brand of plastic bags. If you shop at these stores often, then just keep your bags sorted.
The best news of all though is that all #2 plastic bags can be recycled through the City of Memphis' curbside recycling program. BUT they must be stuffed inside of another hard plastic #2 container. (Think laundry detergent, cat food, coffee, etc.) Most grocery bags are #2 and are clearly labeled. So get a nice #2 container, stuff your bag monster in it, and recycle it at home!
Thursday, June 25, 2009
What Came First? The Chicken or the Plastic Bag?
This recycled, fair trade plastic bag chicken figurine is handcrafted by disadvantaged crafters in the townships near Cape Town, South Africa.
Theses chickens and other crafts utilizing plastic bags came into being after plastic bags were banned in Cape Town. What was once a litter nightmare, is now something beautiful.
They are available for purchase here.
Theses chickens and other crafts utilizing plastic bags came into being after plastic bags were banned in Cape Town. What was once a litter nightmare, is now something beautiful.
They are available for purchase here.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Bags for the People
Bags for the People is a non-profit organization that provides a sustainable alternative to plastic bags. They use all recycled materials and give their bags out for FREE. They also perform workshops (with kids K-12 and elderly groups) and events (i.e. Sweatshop Socials) to not only get people to make the switch from plastic to re-usable, but to inspire people to take an active and creative role in life.At the workshops and events they discuss why they do what they do and how making and using reusable bags is a healthy alternative to plastic. They also give people hands on experience with sewing machines and working with recycled fabric.
Pretty cool, huh?
If you'd like a free bag, please send a self addressed and stamped envelope to:
Bags for the People
281 South 5th St. #3
Brooklyn, NY 11211
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Local Trash Talk
Just the fact that our City Council is actually discussing public recycling and plastic bag bans thrills me! Mary Cashiola covered the issue in her column this week (see below) and has even more info on her blog (click here).
Out With the Old ... Sort of
City Council discusses recycling bins in public places.
By MARY CASHIOLA
New year, new leaf?
The Memphis City Council's parks and environment committee recently discussed an idea to make Memphis more eco-friendly: placing recycling bins on city streets.
Last September, after returning from the Democratic National Convention, council member Barbara Swearengen Ware noticed something about Memphis.
"After spending a few days in Denver, I see now that we don't have a big emphasis on recycling," she said at the time. "Everywhere you go, there are recycling bins. It's obvious to me that we have not done a comprehensive job on recycling."
Similarly, during a National League of Cities conference in Orlando, she noticed that every hotel room included bags for recyclables.
"I thought it was a great idea," she said. "Out of all the things to gain from a conference. ... We are not getting nearly the benefit that we need to from recycling."
And so the longtime council member proposed putting recycling bins "any place people congregate."
"It's two-fold: Recycling not only will help the city and the environment, but it is also a financial benefit to the city when we recycle. We gain a lot more than we lose," she said.
According to a survey of recycling rates among the 30 most populous cities in the United States by Waste & Recycling News last March, Memphis recycles 26 percent of its total waste.
Which, in terms of the rankings, doesn't put Memphis down in the dump, but it still throws a lot of things there.
San Francisco, which recycles 69 percent of its total waste, led the rankings, followed by Portland and Los Angeles. Houston, Oklahoma City, and San Antonio had the worst recycling rates.
Annually, Memphis collects 6,000 tons of paper, 552 tons of metal, 828 tons of plastic, 1,800 tons of glass, and about 94,000 tons of yard trimmings.
In years past, the city has earned $25 for each ton of recycling, and public works director Dwan Gilliom said Memphis' recycling program was "one of the most profitable in the nation."
But because of the economic downtown — and a worldwide decline in demand for recycled materials — the company that the city contracts recently asked Memphis to pay them for recycling.
"We now have a proposal on the table that we'll just call it even," Gilliom said.
In addition to public places, parks committee chair Jim Strickland would like to see recycling bins at festivals, 5Ks, parades, and any event on public property that requires council approval.
Piggybacking on a previous initiative by former council member Dedrick Brittenum, Strickland introduced — but then held — an ordinance that would ban plastic bags at festivals and public forums and would require the groups that host them to provide recycling bins.
"You go to an event, you have a can of Coke or a bottle of water, and they're just thrown in the garbage," Strickland said. "If you offer people the opportunity to recycle, I think a good percentage will."
City recycling coordinator Andy Ashford countered that the problem with recycling bins at festivals is contamination.
"If you put a dumpster out, it looks like it's for trash," Ashford said. "Even if it says it's for recycling, people are going to put their trash in it."
But times change. When I learned that Ware was the council member who proposed the discussion on additional recycling bins, I have to say I was surprised. In the past, she hasn't always come off as a friend of the environment.
There seems to be a shift in awareness, both with the council and the public at-large. In September, the parks committee — now known as the parks and environment committee — reinstated City Hall's recycling committee. So far, that group has added recycling bins at City Hall, even giving each council member their own bin. "You know we go through a lot of paper," Strickland said.
That committee is now charged with looking into adding recycling bins in public places.
And though the city might not make money off an increase in recycling, each ton of trash diverted from a landfill saves the city $23.
"It's not just about revenue," Ashford said. "It's about savings and what the public wants."
Out With the Old ... Sort of
City Council discusses recycling bins in public places.
By MARY CASHIOLA
New year, new leaf?
The Memphis City Council's parks and environment committee recently discussed an idea to make Memphis more eco-friendly: placing recycling bins on city streets.
Last September, after returning from the Democratic National Convention, council member Barbara Swearengen Ware noticed something about Memphis.
"After spending a few days in Denver, I see now that we don't have a big emphasis on recycling," she said at the time. "Everywhere you go, there are recycling bins. It's obvious to me that we have not done a comprehensive job on recycling."
Similarly, during a National League of Cities conference in Orlando, she noticed that every hotel room included bags for recyclables.
"I thought it was a great idea," she said. "Out of all the things to gain from a conference. ... We are not getting nearly the benefit that we need to from recycling."
And so the longtime council member proposed putting recycling bins "any place people congregate."
"It's two-fold: Recycling not only will help the city and the environment, but it is also a financial benefit to the city when we recycle. We gain a lot more than we lose," she said.
According to a survey of recycling rates among the 30 most populous cities in the United States by Waste & Recycling News last March, Memphis recycles 26 percent of its total waste.
Which, in terms of the rankings, doesn't put Memphis down in the dump, but it still throws a lot of things there.
San Francisco, which recycles 69 percent of its total waste, led the rankings, followed by Portland and Los Angeles. Houston, Oklahoma City, and San Antonio had the worst recycling rates.
Annually, Memphis collects 6,000 tons of paper, 552 tons of metal, 828 tons of plastic, 1,800 tons of glass, and about 94,000 tons of yard trimmings.
In years past, the city has earned $25 for each ton of recycling, and public works director Dwan Gilliom said Memphis' recycling program was "one of the most profitable in the nation."
But because of the economic downtown — and a worldwide decline in demand for recycled materials — the company that the city contracts recently asked Memphis to pay them for recycling.
"We now have a proposal on the table that we'll just call it even," Gilliom said.
In addition to public places, parks committee chair Jim Strickland would like to see recycling bins at festivals, 5Ks, parades, and any event on public property that requires council approval.
Piggybacking on a previous initiative by former council member Dedrick Brittenum, Strickland introduced — but then held — an ordinance that would ban plastic bags at festivals and public forums and would require the groups that host them to provide recycling bins.
"You go to an event, you have a can of Coke or a bottle of water, and they're just thrown in the garbage," Strickland said. "If you offer people the opportunity to recycle, I think a good percentage will."
City recycling coordinator Andy Ashford countered that the problem with recycling bins at festivals is contamination.
"If you put a dumpster out, it looks like it's for trash," Ashford said. "Even if it says it's for recycling, people are going to put their trash in it."
But times change. When I learned that Ware was the council member who proposed the discussion on additional recycling bins, I have to say I was surprised. In the past, she hasn't always come off as a friend of the environment.
There seems to be a shift in awareness, both with the council and the public at-large. In September, the parks committee — now known as the parks and environment committee — reinstated City Hall's recycling committee. So far, that group has added recycling bins at City Hall, even giving each council member their own bin. "You know we go through a lot of paper," Strickland said.
That committee is now charged with looking into adding recycling bins in public places.
And though the city might not make money off an increase in recycling, each ton of trash diverted from a landfill saves the city $23.
"It's not just about revenue," Ashford said. "It's about savings and what the public wants."
Friday, December 19, 2008
Elvis Has Been Recycled
Meet Eco Elvis, Kansas City's own environmentally friendly Elvis impersonator, who makes recycling fun. Maybe he'll come visit us someday. He's already met the Bag Monster!
Check out Eco Elvis' website to learn more about him and his music!
Check out Eco Elvis' website to learn more about him and his music!
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Recycling Can Fix This, Right? Wrong.
After discovering that the City of Memphis will recycle #2 plastic bags that are stuffed inside of a #2 plastic container in their Curbside Recycling Program, I was elated. However, as this article from ReusableBags.com shows, recycling is not the solution. Reducing our over-consumption of plastic bags by choosing reusable bags is much more effective. However, keep reusing the bags you have already accumulated and recycle the rest.
Recycling Can Fix This, Right? Wrong.
Recycling is not the solution to the plastic bag problem. Recycling rates for plastic bags are extremely low. Only 1 to 3% of plastic bags end up getting recycled. There is a reason why "recycle" comes last in the mantra "reduce, reuse, recycle".
In addition, the economics of recycling plastic bags are not appealing. From the process of sorting, to the contamination of inks and the overall low quality of the plastic used in plastics bags, recyclers would much rather focus on recycling the vast quantities of more viable materials such as soda and milk bottles that can be recycled far more efficiently. If the economics don't work, recycling efforts don't work.
For example, it costs $4,000 to process and recycle 1 ton of plastic bags, which can then be sold on the commodities market for $32 (Jared Blumenfeld, director of San Francisco's Department of the Environment as reported by Christian Science Monitor).
Furthermore many bags collected for recycling never get recycled. A growing trend is to ship them to Third world countries like India and China which are rapidly becoming the dumping grounds for the Western world's glut of recyclables. Rather than being recycled they are cheaply incinerated under more lax environmental laws.
Even if recycling rates of plastic bags increase dramatically, it doesn't solve other significant problems, such as the use of non-renewable resources and toxic chemicals in their original production, or the billions of bags that wind up in our environment each year that eventually breakdown into tiny toxic bits.
Recycling Can Fix This, Right? Wrong.
Recycling is not the solution to the plastic bag problem. Recycling rates for plastic bags are extremely low. Only 1 to 3% of plastic bags end up getting recycled. There is a reason why "recycle" comes last in the mantra "reduce, reuse, recycle".
In addition, the economics of recycling plastic bags are not appealing. From the process of sorting, to the contamination of inks and the overall low quality of the plastic used in plastics bags, recyclers would much rather focus on recycling the vast quantities of more viable materials such as soda and milk bottles that can be recycled far more efficiently. If the economics don't work, recycling efforts don't work.
For example, it costs $4,000 to process and recycle 1 ton of plastic bags, which can then be sold on the commodities market for $32 (Jared Blumenfeld, director of San Francisco's Department of the Environment as reported by Christian Science Monitor).
Furthermore many bags collected for recycling never get recycled. A growing trend is to ship them to Third world countries like India and China which are rapidly becoming the dumping grounds for the Western world's glut of recyclables. Rather than being recycled they are cheaply incinerated under more lax environmental laws.
Even if recycling rates of plastic bags increase dramatically, it doesn't solve other significant problems, such as the use of non-renewable resources and toxic chemicals in their original production, or the billions of bags that wind up in our environment each year that eventually breakdown into tiny toxic bits.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Not Your Average Bag Lady
A few weeks ago, I posted that I wanted to make a Bag Monster costume like the one Chico Bags created in order to raise awareness of the environmental impact of plastic bags. Well, turns out I didn't have to make one after all. Chico Bags let me borrow one of theirs!
The Bag Monster suit is constructed from 500 plastic bags. That is the average number of bags each American uses each year!
Last Friday I suited up and went down to Tom Lee Park. It didn't take long for me to start drawing attention. (A few people thought I was a giant chicken!) The fact that I had a camera crew with me made me look even more intriguing. Lots of people came over to ask what we were doing which allowed me to talk at length about reducing, reusing, and recycling plastic bags. It was actually really fun.
The suit itself is really heavy and HOT! I had hoped to wear it trick or treating, but it's pretty hard to even walk in it. We decided to shoot a piece for Memphis Energized. It will have footage of my visit to the park as well as tips for reducing, reusing, and recycling plastic bags.
In case you weren't among the few who got to hear me talk shop at Tom Lee, and you can't wait until the end of the month to see the spot we did for Memphis Energized, here are some things to think about:
Reducing
BYOB--Bring Your Own Bag! Chico Bags are especially awesome because they fit in your purse, can hold a lot of stuff, and are inexpensive. But these days there are a lot of options when it comes to sporting your own bag. Many stores sell their own bags, as do websites, and styles, colors, and sizes run the gamut.
Reusing
The reason most people have a bag monster of their own at home is because sometimes those little plastic bags come in handy. As much as I try to avoid getting plastic bags at stores, I still end up with some at home. I use them to line smaller trash cans, clean out the litter box, pick up dog poop, etc. (Plastic bags can also be turned into art!)
Recycle
I've blogged before about recycling plastic bags at Schnuck's. This is a great way to get rid of not only grocery bags, but all of the other plastic bags that are used with other products, like bread, newspapers, etc. Kroger and other stores like Wal-Mart also offer recycling, but I believe it is only for their own plastic bags. If you shop at these stores often, then just keep your bags sorted.
The best news of all though is that all #2 plastic bags can be recycled through the City of Memphis' curbside recycling program. BUT they must be stuffed inside of another hard plastic #2 container. (Think laundry detergent, cat food, coffee, etc.) Most grocery bags are #2 and are clearly labeled. So get a nice #2 container, stuff your bag monster in it, and recycle it at home!
The Bag Monster suit is constructed from 500 plastic bags. That is the average number of bags each American uses each year!
Last Friday I suited up and went down to Tom Lee Park. It didn't take long for me to start drawing attention. (A few people thought I was a giant chicken!) The fact that I had a camera crew with me made me look even more intriguing. Lots of people came over to ask what we were doing which allowed me to talk at length about reducing, reusing, and recycling plastic bags. It was actually really fun.
The suit itself is really heavy and HOT! I had hoped to wear it trick or treating, but it's pretty hard to even walk in it. We decided to shoot a piece for Memphis Energized. It will have footage of my visit to the park as well as tips for reducing, reusing, and recycling plastic bags.
In case you weren't among the few who got to hear me talk shop at Tom Lee, and you can't wait until the end of the month to see the spot we did for Memphis Energized, here are some things to think about:
Reducing
BYOB--Bring Your Own Bag! Chico Bags are especially awesome because they fit in your purse, can hold a lot of stuff, and are inexpensive. But these days there are a lot of options when it comes to sporting your own bag. Many stores sell their own bags, as do websites, and styles, colors, and sizes run the gamut.
Reusing
The reason most people have a bag monster of their own at home is because sometimes those little plastic bags come in handy. As much as I try to avoid getting plastic bags at stores, I still end up with some at home. I use them to line smaller trash cans, clean out the litter box, pick up dog poop, etc. (Plastic bags can also be turned into art!)
Recycle
I've blogged before about recycling plastic bags at Schnuck's. This is a great way to get rid of not only grocery bags, but all of the other plastic bags that are used with other products, like bread, newspapers, etc. Kroger and other stores like Wal-Mart also offer recycling, but I believe it is only for their own plastic bags. If you shop at these stores often, then just keep your bags sorted.
The best news of all though is that all #2 plastic bags can be recycled through the City of Memphis' curbside recycling program. BUT they must be stuffed inside of another hard plastic #2 container. (Think laundry detergent, cat food, coffee, etc.) Most grocery bags are #2 and are clearly labeled. So get a nice #2 container, stuff your bag monster in it, and recycle it at home!
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Boo-tiful Bags
Speaking of bags...
This limited edition reusable Green Halloween ChicoBag is eek-o-fabulous and available for $5 at Greenfeet. It's perfect for trick-or-treaters or for small shopping loads.
Like all ChicoBags, the Halloween version is compact and fits into your pocket or purse. Unlike the regular bags, this one is designed by kids! The bag, designed by 12-year-old Estefania Vargas, features a happy skeleton watering his pumpkin field/ graveyard at night underneath a full moon. The pouch (inspired by artwork submitted by a 6-year-old) features a little ghost saying, "Keep our Earth Boo-tiful!"
What's even sweeter? A percentage of the sale of each bag will be contributed to Treeswing, the organization making Green Halloween (and other great initiatives) possible.
This limited edition reusable Green Halloween ChicoBag is eek-o-fabulous and available for $5 at Greenfeet. It's perfect for trick-or-treaters or for small shopping loads.Like all ChicoBags, the Halloween version is compact and fits into your pocket or purse. Unlike the regular bags, this one is designed by kids! The bag, designed by 12-year-old Estefania Vargas, features a happy skeleton watering his pumpkin field/ graveyard at night underneath a full moon. The pouch (inspired by artwork submitted by a 6-year-old) features a little ghost saying, "Keep our Earth Boo-tiful!"
What's even sweeter? A percentage of the sale of each bag will be contributed to Treeswing, the organization making Green Halloween (and other great initiatives) possible.
I am the Bag Monster
Is it too soon to start talking about Halloween costumes? I know what I want to be...
Single-use bags are easy to spoof since they're such a bad idea, so ChicoBag invented Bag Monsters™. They feature 500 bags; the average number of plastic bags an American uses yearly. Bag Monsters deny their bags harm the planet and they're mobilizing to “mock” reusable bags. These clueless critters are behind the times and their single-use bags are going out of style like leisure suits.
So I figure I can solicit leftover bags from friends, but how on earth would I construct this costume?? Help!
Single-use bags are easy to spoof since they're such a bad idea, so ChicoBag invented Bag Monsters™. They feature 500 bags; the average number of plastic bags an American uses yearly. Bag Monsters deny their bags harm the planet and they're mobilizing to “mock” reusable bags. These clueless critters are behind the times and their single-use bags are going out of style like leisure suits.
So I figure I can solicit leftover bags from friends, but how on earth would I construct this costume?? Help!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Plastic Portrait
Local artist, Niki Johnson has recycled hundreds (thousands?) of plastic bags in order to make a fabulous (& gigantic) portrait. It's on display at the Marshall Arts Gallery until this Sunday (639 Marshall Avenue). Gallery hours are Saturdays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. or by appointment.)
Pictures courtesy of Weeden Arts Watch
Pictures courtesy of Weeden Arts Watch
Friday, September 12, 2008
Feelgood School Fundraisers
Whether or not you have kids, chances are that someone has hit you up recently to buy candy, wrapping paper, or coffee to raise funds for a school. I don't know about you, but I get bummed out spending my money on things I don't want or need. However, I often find myself purchasing (and even selling) these items out of a desire to help the school. Considering all of the recent cuts to Memphis City Schools, I'm sure I'm not alone.
I wish that schools could raise funds by selling more useful items. After doing a little research, I found that there are a couple of companies offering Compact Fluorescent Light bulb (CFL) fundraisers. Considering that incandescent light bulbs are being phased out, I think that CFL fundraisers are a perfect way to raise money and awareness.
My School Lights has a very extensive collection of bulbs for sale and includes an educational component that offers information and ideas to help children understand where energy comes from, how we use it, and the effects on the environment. Best of all, MSL handles all of the money and product distribution.
In addition to CFLs, One Planet Fundraising offers a reusable water bottle and cloth shopping bag campaign. Greenraising and Grow Kids also offer a host of earth-friendly products.
Chico Bag, a reusable bag that can be folded into itself and put in a purse or pocket, offers school fundraisers that allow the school to keep 50% of profits. It also has an educational component that focuses on the effect of plastic bags on the environment. (Chico Bags has a zero waste component as well--unused/worn out bags can be mailed back to the company who in turn will either donate them to a needy family or have them recycled into rugs.)
Chico Bags has had a lot of success with its program. I especially like the example below:
I wish that schools could raise funds by selling more useful items. After doing a little research, I found that there are a couple of companies offering Compact Fluorescent Light bulb (CFL) fundraisers. Considering that incandescent light bulbs are being phased out, I think that CFL fundraisers are a perfect way to raise money and awareness.
My School Lights has a very extensive collection of bulbs for sale and includes an educational component that offers information and ideas to help children understand where energy comes from, how we use it, and the effects on the environment. Best of all, MSL handles all of the money and product distribution.
In addition to CFLs, One Planet Fundraising offers a reusable water bottle and cloth shopping bag campaign. Greenraising and Grow Kids also offer a host of earth-friendly products.
Chico Bag, a reusable bag that can be folded into itself and put in a purse or pocket, offers school fundraisers that allow the school to keep 50% of profits. It also has an educational component that focuses on the effect of plastic bags on the environment. (Chico Bags has a zero waste component as well--unused/worn out bags can be mailed back to the company who in turn will either donate them to a needy family or have them recycled into rugs.)
Chico Bags has had a lot of success with its program. I especially like the example below:
“…students, faculty, parents and guests were reminded of the importance of planting trees, bettering the environment and taking care of our fragile planet. But this year, students didn’t stop there. They also lined up to show just how big a problem plastic bags can be!
… the students collected plastic bags at home for one week. Students tied the bags end to end to form an immense chain. After the chain was rolled into a huge ball to demonstrate how much room the bags would take up in a landfill, students walked the chain around the campus to see just how much plastic is wasted in one week! They circled the campus nine times!
To do their part to save the planet, students have teamed up with ChicoBags, to sell reusable nylon bags that fit into their own pouch so that they can be carried with you at all times.”
Mrs. Toni Napier, Vice Principal - Our Lady Refuge School of Long Beach, CA
Friday, August 22, 2008
Plastic Bag News
Plastic Bag Ban in Seattle
In July, the City Council [of Seattle] approved a 20-cent fee, starting in January, for each disposable paper or plastic bag used at grocery, drug and convenience stores. While other U.S. cities have banned plastic bags, Seattle is believed to be the first to discourage use by charging a fee. Although the new fee may force Seattle residents to permanently alter their shopping habits, council members said the environmentally correct behavior will become natural, just like recycling.
The city plans to give at least one free, reusable bag to each household, and the council directed Seattle Public Utilities to come up with a plan by the end of November on how to provide extra bags to low-income residents.
Backlash
NPR reprts that not all Seattle residents are happy about the ban. Listen to Seattle's Bag-User Fee Spurs Backlash.
What do you think would happen if (and that's a big IF) something similar was passed in Memphis?
In other news...
Plastic bag Art
This is by far one of the coolest public art projects I have ever seen. (Technically defined as "Street Art.") NYU art student Joshua Allen has been making animals out of discarded plastic bags. He ties the bags to the ventilation grates above the subway lines so that when the subway rushes through underneath, the animal jumps up and springs to life.
Take a look:
Polar bears!
The Loch Ness Monster!
And there's even a gorilla climbing a building!
There's lots more to see on YouTube...and NPR also has a story you can listen to N.Y. Student Recycles Plastic Bags as Subway Art.
In July, the City Council [of Seattle] approved a 20-cent fee, starting in January, for each disposable paper or plastic bag used at grocery, drug and convenience stores. While other U.S. cities have banned plastic bags, Seattle is believed to be the first to discourage use by charging a fee. Although the new fee may force Seattle residents to permanently alter their shopping habits, council members said the environmentally correct behavior will become natural, just like recycling.
The city plans to give at least one free, reusable bag to each household, and the council directed Seattle Public Utilities to come up with a plan by the end of November on how to provide extra bags to low-income residents.
Backlash
NPR reprts that not all Seattle residents are happy about the ban. Listen to Seattle's Bag-User Fee Spurs Backlash.
What do you think would happen if (and that's a big IF) something similar was passed in Memphis?
In other news...
Plastic bag Art
This is by far one of the coolest public art projects I have ever seen. (Technically defined as "Street Art.") NYU art student Joshua Allen has been making animals out of discarded plastic bags. He ties the bags to the ventilation grates above the subway lines so that when the subway rushes through underneath, the animal jumps up and springs to life.
Take a look:
Polar bears!
The Loch Ness Monster!
And there's even a gorilla climbing a building!
There's lots more to see on YouTube...and NPR also has a story you can listen to N.Y. Student Recycles Plastic Bags as Subway Art.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Recycling Plastic Bags
Despite my best efforts to carry small reuseable bags in my purse for unexpected purchases and to take larger, sturdier bags on all of my grocery shopping trips, I still end up with plastic grocery bags at my house. I keep a few of them around in case I need to empty the litter box or properly dispose of a broken CFL. If I get more than ten or so, I put them aside to be recycled.After establishing this pattern at home, my husband started adding all sorts of plastic bags to my recycling collection. Bags from other stores, bags from bread and other grocery items, bags from the dry cleaners, etc. Soon, I followed suit.
I normally take my bags to the midtown Schnucks for recycling. The container is provided by Trex, a decking and railing manufacturer. The bin clearly stated that the bags would be used in their product so I figured it was okay to add a few extra non-Schnucks bags. I also noticed that I wasn't the only person doing this.
My husband makes frequently trips to Kroger and when I found out they offered recycling too, I asked him to take my bag collection along. Later when he returned with the bags he said that the Kroger bin specifically said "grocery bags only."
So then I started to wonder whether my assumption about the plastic bag recycling bin at Schnucks was a good one.
After talking to the manager at Schnucks and reviewing Trex's website, I learned that my assumptions were correct. Turns out Trex has a lot of excellent Environmentally Friendly Practices.
Here are a few facts:
Trex keeps some 300,000 tons of plastic and wood scrap out of landfills every year--that comes to about 600,000,000 pounds saved annually!
NO TREES ARE CUT DOWN for the purpose of making Trex.
Trex recycles all forms of polyethylene.
Trex is one of the largest plastic bag recyclers in the United States.
So, please continue to use your own bags whenever possible, but know that the plastic bags (all of them!) that still find their way into your life can be recycled at all area Schnucks.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Say No to Plastic Bags
Another entry for my ongoing investigation into why Plastic Bags Blow...
Vishal Mody, a public school teacher in Chicago, put together a slideshow to demonstrate the effects of plastic bags on our environment and on wildlife. It was formatted into video by the good folks at ReusableBags.com.
Reusable Bags is also holding a Plastic Bags Blow Photo Contest. The five finalists are below. Vote for your favorite here. (You can also see all of the entries and more pictures in the Reusable Bags Flickr pool.)
Meshl - "Sunset, obscured"
Surprise Pally - "Plastic bag"
Lauren Lately - "No title"
Jay and Jules - "What's under the ice?"
Scott Wyden - "Plastic bags with...plastic bags inside"
Vishal Mody, a public school teacher in Chicago, put together a slideshow to demonstrate the effects of plastic bags on our environment and on wildlife. It was formatted into video by the good folks at ReusableBags.com.
Reusable Bags is also holding a Plastic Bags Blow Photo Contest. The five finalists are below. Vote for your favorite here. (You can also see all of the entries and more pictures in the Reusable Bags Flickr pool.)
Meshl - "Sunset, obscured"
Surprise Pally - "Plastic bag"
Lauren Lately - "No title"
Jay and Jules - "What's under the ice?"
Scott Wyden - "Plastic bags with...plastic bags inside"
Friday, April 25, 2008
Paper vs. Plastic Revisited
We've already discussed the issues surrounding plastic bags and examined the paper vs. plastic issue here, but this graphic from the Washington Post has some information I haven't seen before.
Click on the picture to enlarge it:
Click on the picture to enlarge it:
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Happy Earth Day!
From today's Commercial Appeal:
Tennesseans are worst energy gluttons, so adjusting to a green lifestyle is challenging
By Andria Lisle
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
When it comes to living green, doing the right thing isn't just good for the environment.
Reducing, reusing and recycling saves money as well.
And, thanks to the growing interest in the eco-trends, more Americans than ever are waking up to the fact that, as Al Gore decried in "An Inconvenient Truth," the Earth could use our help.
Even on Earth Day (officially today, although many people celebrated the holiday over the weekend) it's difficult to navigate the tenets of green living.
For instance, the paper vs. plastic bags debate is enough to send any would-be environmentalist scuttling for cover. (For the record, neither is good, when it comes to bringing home your groceries. Bring your own reusable shopping bags, or ask for a sturdy cardboard box that you can use for another purpose later.)
Factor in the carbon footprint left by your morning commute, the water you waste while brushing your teeth and the energy sapped by your television sets -- even when they're turned off -- and saving the Earth will feel like a Sisyphean task. (A carbon footprint is the amount of greenhouse gases produced in units of carbon dioxide by a particular action, a measure of the impact human activities have on the environment. Go to CarbonFootprint.com)
"It's easy to get stressed out over the small things, so you just have to stay focused on the big picture," said environmental lifestyle expert Danny Seo, a champion of the environment since he founded the Earth 2000 organization at age 12.
"I had to figure out how to create a green lifestyle on my own, but today, it's certainly possible to have a great home that's stylish, fun and eco-friendly," says Seo, 31, who is an author, a contributor to CBS' "The Early Show" and partner in JC Penney's Simply Green, an eco-friendly line of clothing and home furnishings.
"Going green isn't a trend -- it's a cultural shift," Seo says. "The nice thing about it being so big right now, is that the more people talk about it and the more they do, the easier it's going to get."
For Memphians, the easiest step to take might be recycling their plastic water bottles via the city's curbside recycling program established in 1991.
Granted, switching to a refillable metal or polycarbonate water bottle is best for the environment -- and for your grocery budget.
But if you've got to buy bottled water, please recycle, says Andy Ashford, administrator of recycling, composting, household hazardous waste and illegal signs for the city of Memphis.
"Every time a citizen puts their recyclables in a garbage cart, it's costing the city. Every time they put a recyclable into their bin, it's saving the city," says Ashford, who explains that garbage disposal costs $22 per ton, while plastics, glass and paper recyclables are sold for $25 per ton.
"That's not just responsible solid waste management -- it's over $40 in savings," Ashford says adding the $22 saved from not disposing of recyclables and the $25 earned from selling them.
"You might not have money to give to charity or time to volunteer, but if you separate your waste, you can really help the city and feel good about yourself in the process." Memphis residents can request additional recycling bins by calling 576-6900.
"We have great water here in Shelby County and we need to keep it that way by protecting our aquifer," says Lisa Williams, the environmental programs coordinator for Shelby County. She oversees the Memphis and Shelby County Household Hazardous Waste Facility at 6305 Haley Road near Shelby Farms.
Williams urges local residents to divert potentially dangerous garbage -- aerosol cans, used motor oil, pool chemicals, pesticides, oil-based paint and unwanted computers and cell phones -- from curbside pickup. (Take them to the household hazardous waste facility, which is open on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, including a complete list of acceptable items, go to CityofMemphis.org.)
While collecting your own hazardous waste and hand delivering it sounds like a chore nobody wants, Williams says more than 2,000 households have participated, diverting some 20 tons of electronics and 6,000 pounds of used oil since the facility opened in November.
"From a citizen's standpoint, this is the most aggressive thing we can do," she says.
Andrew Couch, executive director of the West Tennessee Clean Cities Coalition, warns against disposing of anything that's still useful -- even working incandescent light bulbs, which are gradually being phased out for compact fluorescent lights. As they burn out, replace them with compact fluorescent lights.
"My grandmother was cut from the waste-not, want-not Depression-era cloth," says the 28-year-old, who worked in the organic food industry, founded Deep Fried Rides, a company that converted cars from running on diesel fuel to cooking oil, and went on to establish the Clean Cities group in August 2005.
"Recycling is fantastic, but not buying something in the first place is even better," Couch said. "The green movement isn't exclusive, or even something that requires you to do a whole lot -- it actually requires you to do less. Start re-thinking the stuff you have to buy, whether it's a car, an appliance or a light bulb, and (prioritize) energy efficiency and quality first."
Unfortunately, Tennesseans are the worst offenders in a nation of energy gluttons.
The numbers are grim, according to the 2006 energy usage statistics provided by E Source Companies LLC:
The United States' average annual use, per household, was 11,035 kilowatt hours.
The state of Tennessee's household average during 2006 was 15,614 kilowatt hours.
"Tennessee uses more energy (per household) than any other state," said Stacey Greenberg, who has worked as a community relations coordinator for MLGW since 1999.
Her educational efforts emphasize simple energy-saving techniques, such as installing programmable thermostats that can be turned down while you're at work, and checking ductwork for leaks or holes.
MLGW is also offering free energy efficiency kits and a voluntary carbon offset program called Green Power Switch, which offers consumers and companies the opportunity to purchase monthly "power blocks" that facilitate the construction and usage of green power facilities (solar, wind or methane gas) by the Tennessee Valley Authority.
Currently, TVA operates a solar generation facility in North Memphis, and at a second facility uses methane gas that is burned with coal, to augment the energy supply for customers in West Tennessee.
"Buying two power blocks for $8 per month," says MLGW spokesman Chris Stanley, "is the equivalent of recycling 15,322 aluminum cans, planting an acre of trees or not driving your car for four months."
Paying more than your monthly utility bill requires might be more than most Mid-Southerners are willing to commit to, but says New York-based Ruth Altchek, a features editor at lifestyle magazine Domino, going green is "a radical reconsideration of how we live, a total shift in mindset that people are slowly adapting."
"Even before it became such a hot topic, everyone here wanted to make an effort to integrate environmental awareness into the magazine," she says of the Conde Nast publication, which has a circulation rate of 700,000.
Since her work jump-started her own interest in the green movement, Altchek has repainted her Brooklyn apartment using no-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint, switched to an organic and almost all-local diet, replaced standard light bulbs with compact fluorescents and tossed out toxic cleaning products in favor of more natural alternatives.
"In terms of food and cleaning products, it's a health issue, too," Altchek says.
"When it comes to the environment, everyone can do something to lighten their impact in some way. It's part of my mission to show people what decisions they can make in a day -- not 'do this' or 'don't do that,' but decisions they can make much more holistically."
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Tips for living an eco-friendly life.
Going Green
Eric Ryan and Adam Lowry, founders of Method home care products and co-authors of "Squeaky Green: The Method Guide to Detoxing Your Home," recommend reading the ingredients list on your automatic dish washing detergent. If you're using a detergent with phosphates, it's time to switch: The mineral works like fertilizer on algae, which can suck all the oxygen out of ponds and lakes once your dishwater is released into the environment.
In "How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint: 365 Simple Ways to Save Energy, Resources, and Money," published by Chronicle Books on April 2, author Joanna Yarrow notes that "the average Western shopaholic adds more than 3 tons of CO2 to their carbon footprint each year simply by buying stuff." Yarrow suggests curbing consumption by avoiding disposables, such as paper towels and plastic cups, and getting rid of unwanted items via eBay, Freecycle or Craigslist.
Definitely replace your standard incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent lights -- but only as the old bulbs burn out. Don't forget that CFLs contain mercury, and need to be handled with care. "We recommend they take used or broken ones to a household hazardous waste facility," says Philip Davis, an environment program manager with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. For more tips, visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Web site, EPA.gov.
"Finding a really nice container makes such a difference" when it comes to recycling, says Domino features editor Ruth Altchek. Plus, if you store your recycling container in view just inside the your door, you can deal with unwanted mail, water bottles and Coke cans before they invade your house.
Cut down on your sort time by getting off junk mail lists. Altchek uses a free service called Green Dimes (GreenDimes.com).
If you're already on the recycling bandwagon, don't forget to complete the circle. Andrew Couch of the West Tennessee Clean Cities Coalition suggests buying printer paper and notebooks that are created out of recycled products, while green-living consultant Danny Seo points to the men's fleece tops, 100-percent crafted from recycled water bottles, and juniors T-shirts, which are 50 percent organic cotton and 50 percent recycled nylon. Both items, along with recycled jeans, renewable bamboo towels and organic cotton sheet sets, are available at JC Penney now.
Going green "is all about following your intuition and doing your homework," says Seo. "At the end of the day, you have to make the right decisions that work with your lifestyle."
For more help going green, register for the Evergreen Historic District Association's free Spring Greening workshop, hosted by sustainable living advocate Margot McNeeley. The workshop is slated for May 3, from 10:30 a.m.-noon at Evergreen Yoga Center, 1541 Overton Park. For more information, call 292-1700 or e-mail margot@evergreenyoga memphis.com.
Tennesseans are worst energy gluttons, so adjusting to a green lifestyle is challenging
By Andria Lisle
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
When it comes to living green, doing the right thing isn't just good for the environment.
Reducing, reusing and recycling saves money as well.
And, thanks to the growing interest in the eco-trends, more Americans than ever are waking up to the fact that, as Al Gore decried in "An Inconvenient Truth," the Earth could use our help.
Even on Earth Day (officially today, although many people celebrated the holiday over the weekend) it's difficult to navigate the tenets of green living.
For instance, the paper vs. plastic bags debate is enough to send any would-be environmentalist scuttling for cover. (For the record, neither is good, when it comes to bringing home your groceries. Bring your own reusable shopping bags, or ask for a sturdy cardboard box that you can use for another purpose later.)
Factor in the carbon footprint left by your morning commute, the water you waste while brushing your teeth and the energy sapped by your television sets -- even when they're turned off -- and saving the Earth will feel like a Sisyphean task. (A carbon footprint is the amount of greenhouse gases produced in units of carbon dioxide by a particular action, a measure of the impact human activities have on the environment. Go to CarbonFootprint.com)
"It's easy to get stressed out over the small things, so you just have to stay focused on the big picture," said environmental lifestyle expert Danny Seo, a champion of the environment since he founded the Earth 2000 organization at age 12.
"I had to figure out how to create a green lifestyle on my own, but today, it's certainly possible to have a great home that's stylish, fun and eco-friendly," says Seo, 31, who is an author, a contributor to CBS' "The Early Show" and partner in JC Penney's Simply Green, an eco-friendly line of clothing and home furnishings.
"Going green isn't a trend -- it's a cultural shift," Seo says. "The nice thing about it being so big right now, is that the more people talk about it and the more they do, the easier it's going to get."
For Memphians, the easiest step to take might be recycling their plastic water bottles via the city's curbside recycling program established in 1991.
Granted, switching to a refillable metal or polycarbonate water bottle is best for the environment -- and for your grocery budget.
But if you've got to buy bottled water, please recycle, says Andy Ashford, administrator of recycling, composting, household hazardous waste and illegal signs for the city of Memphis.
"Every time a citizen puts their recyclables in a garbage cart, it's costing the city. Every time they put a recyclable into their bin, it's saving the city," says Ashford, who explains that garbage disposal costs $22 per ton, while plastics, glass and paper recyclables are sold for $25 per ton.
"That's not just responsible solid waste management -- it's over $40 in savings," Ashford says adding the $22 saved from not disposing of recyclables and the $25 earned from selling them.
"You might not have money to give to charity or time to volunteer, but if you separate your waste, you can really help the city and feel good about yourself in the process." Memphis residents can request additional recycling bins by calling 576-6900.
"We have great water here in Shelby County and we need to keep it that way by protecting our aquifer," says Lisa Williams, the environmental programs coordinator for Shelby County. She oversees the Memphis and Shelby County Household Hazardous Waste Facility at 6305 Haley Road near Shelby Farms.
Williams urges local residents to divert potentially dangerous garbage -- aerosol cans, used motor oil, pool chemicals, pesticides, oil-based paint and unwanted computers and cell phones -- from curbside pickup. (Take them to the household hazardous waste facility, which is open on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, including a complete list of acceptable items, go to CityofMemphis.org.)
While collecting your own hazardous waste and hand delivering it sounds like a chore nobody wants, Williams says more than 2,000 households have participated, diverting some 20 tons of electronics and 6,000 pounds of used oil since the facility opened in November.
"From a citizen's standpoint, this is the most aggressive thing we can do," she says.
Andrew Couch, executive director of the West Tennessee Clean Cities Coalition, warns against disposing of anything that's still useful -- even working incandescent light bulbs, which are gradually being phased out for compact fluorescent lights. As they burn out, replace them with compact fluorescent lights.
"My grandmother was cut from the waste-not, want-not Depression-era cloth," says the 28-year-old, who worked in the organic food industry, founded Deep Fried Rides, a company that converted cars from running on diesel fuel to cooking oil, and went on to establish the Clean Cities group in August 2005.
"Recycling is fantastic, but not buying something in the first place is even better," Couch said. "The green movement isn't exclusive, or even something that requires you to do a whole lot -- it actually requires you to do less. Start re-thinking the stuff you have to buy, whether it's a car, an appliance or a light bulb, and (prioritize) energy efficiency and quality first."
Unfortunately, Tennesseans are the worst offenders in a nation of energy gluttons.
The numbers are grim, according to the 2006 energy usage statistics provided by E Source Companies LLC:
The United States' average annual use, per household, was 11,035 kilowatt hours.
The state of Tennessee's household average during 2006 was 15,614 kilowatt hours.
"Tennessee uses more energy (per household) than any other state," said Stacey Greenberg, who has worked as a community relations coordinator for MLGW since 1999.
Her educational efforts emphasize simple energy-saving techniques, such as installing programmable thermostats that can be turned down while you're at work, and checking ductwork for leaks or holes.
MLGW is also offering free energy efficiency kits and a voluntary carbon offset program called Green Power Switch, which offers consumers and companies the opportunity to purchase monthly "power blocks" that facilitate the construction and usage of green power facilities (solar, wind or methane gas) by the Tennessee Valley Authority.
Currently, TVA operates a solar generation facility in North Memphis, and at a second facility uses methane gas that is burned with coal, to augment the energy supply for customers in West Tennessee.
"Buying two power blocks for $8 per month," says MLGW spokesman Chris Stanley, "is the equivalent of recycling 15,322 aluminum cans, planting an acre of trees or not driving your car for four months."
Paying more than your monthly utility bill requires might be more than most Mid-Southerners are willing to commit to, but says New York-based Ruth Altchek, a features editor at lifestyle magazine Domino, going green is "a radical reconsideration of how we live, a total shift in mindset that people are slowly adapting."
"Even before it became such a hot topic, everyone here wanted to make an effort to integrate environmental awareness into the magazine," she says of the Conde Nast publication, which has a circulation rate of 700,000.
Since her work jump-started her own interest in the green movement, Altchek has repainted her Brooklyn apartment using no-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint, switched to an organic and almost all-local diet, replaced standard light bulbs with compact fluorescents and tossed out toxic cleaning products in favor of more natural alternatives.
"In terms of food and cleaning products, it's a health issue, too," Altchek says.
"When it comes to the environment, everyone can do something to lighten their impact in some way. It's part of my mission to show people what decisions they can make in a day -- not 'do this' or 'don't do that,' but decisions they can make much more holistically."
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Tips for living an eco-friendly life.
Going Green
Eric Ryan and Adam Lowry, founders of Method home care products and co-authors of "Squeaky Green: The Method Guide to Detoxing Your Home," recommend reading the ingredients list on your automatic dish washing detergent. If you're using a detergent with phosphates, it's time to switch: The mineral works like fertilizer on algae, which can suck all the oxygen out of ponds and lakes once your dishwater is released into the environment.
In "How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint: 365 Simple Ways to Save Energy, Resources, and Money," published by Chronicle Books on April 2, author Joanna Yarrow notes that "the average Western shopaholic adds more than 3 tons of CO2 to their carbon footprint each year simply by buying stuff." Yarrow suggests curbing consumption by avoiding disposables, such as paper towels and plastic cups, and getting rid of unwanted items via eBay, Freecycle or Craigslist.
Definitely replace your standard incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent lights -- but only as the old bulbs burn out. Don't forget that CFLs contain mercury, and need to be handled with care. "We recommend they take used or broken ones to a household hazardous waste facility," says Philip Davis, an environment program manager with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. For more tips, visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Web site, EPA.gov.
"Finding a really nice container makes such a difference" when it comes to recycling, says Domino features editor Ruth Altchek. Plus, if you store your recycling container in view just inside the your door, you can deal with unwanted mail, water bottles and Coke cans before they invade your house.
Cut down on your sort time by getting off junk mail lists. Altchek uses a free service called Green Dimes (GreenDimes.com).
If you're already on the recycling bandwagon, don't forget to complete the circle. Andrew Couch of the West Tennessee Clean Cities Coalition suggests buying printer paper and notebooks that are created out of recycled products, while green-living consultant Danny Seo points to the men's fleece tops, 100-percent crafted from recycled water bottles, and juniors T-shirts, which are 50 percent organic cotton and 50 percent recycled nylon. Both items, along with recycled jeans, renewable bamboo towels and organic cotton sheet sets, are available at JC Penney now.
Going green "is all about following your intuition and doing your homework," says Seo. "At the end of the day, you have to make the right decisions that work with your lifestyle."
For more help going green, register for the Evergreen Historic District Association's free Spring Greening workshop, hosted by sustainable living advocate Margot McNeeley. The workshop is slated for May 3, from 10:30 a.m.-noon at Evergreen Yoga Center, 1541 Overton Park. For more information, call 292-1700 or e-mail margot@evergreenyoga memphis.com.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Paper or Plastic?
My co-workers and I were discussing the paper vs. plastic issue yesterday while considering what giveaway items to purchase for fairs and community events. (Passersby are usually very interested in getting a bag to carry the brochures and knick-knacks they pick up.)
While I'd love for us to be able to give out reusable bags, it isn't cost-effective (yet).
One of my co-workers found an entertaining (and informative) discussion of this issue in the Ask Umbra column published by Grist.
Dear Umbra,
At the grocery store, when they ask "Paper or plastic?" (and you have left your eco-friendly organic cotton tote bag at home), which is the lesser of two evils as far as total pounds of pollutants per bag (including solid waste, hazardous waste, and air and water pollution), and as far as ecological damage from raw material extraction and processing?
-Anna
Dearest Anna,
I am beginning to believe that true national environmental consciousness will be heralded by the cessation of this constant concern over tiny little bags. Stop your worrying. Take the energy you spent writing to me and use it to organize your durable bag collection so that you remember to take it to the store. If you forget your bags? Flip a coin. The quantifiable difference between paper and plastic bags is minimal. One trouble with gauging the comparative environmental impact of different products is the lack of a universally accepted evaluative framework. (Another is the participation of industry analysts in environmental impact studies.) Scientists are moving closer to a system called Life Cycle Analysis, but it has gaps and flaws, so folks often develop models for their specific research needs. The result? I might answer your question one way, only to have someone disprove me (or claim to disprove me) tomorrow.
As of this writing, though, it is generally understood that the plastic bag production process generates less water pollution, less air pollution, and less solid waste. Making something out of plastic just seems to be easier than making something out of wood, which goes a long way toward explaining why we have so much plastic packaging today: It's cheap. In addition, and you can bet the plastic industry is cackling over this, the bags take up less space in landfills. As to which manufacturing process uses less energy, they may be equal. It depends in part on whether you calculate two plastic bags for each paper bag, because store clerks frequently double-bag when using plastic. See? Comparative Environmentalism 101 is tougher than you think.
Of course, paper bags trump plastic in the renewable resource realm, being made from trees rather than oil or gas, and being more commonly accepted by community recycling programs. Also, paper bags are biodegradable and far less likely to disturb natural ecosystems in the manner of plastic bags, which have a nasty tendency to be mistaken for jellyfish and wind up doing bad things to the innards of turtles -- to cite just one example.
So the short answer to your which-is-the-lesser-of-two-evils question is that there is no clear lesser, and neither is exactly evil. Picture this scenario: You're driving down the street and your eye is caught by a plastic bag snared in a tree. "Gross!" you think, "Some jerk has been littering again! Those plastic bags are a wasteful, American consumerist eyesore! Turtles are going to die!" Guess what? That flapping plastic bag is a distraction from the much more important, yet all-too-often overlooked fact that you are driving. Driving a particulate-spewing, gas-devouring, pavement-loving machine. And that is the role of the paper/plastic debate for far too many casual environmentalists: an eye-catching distraction from far more threatening concerns.
Read on,
Umbra
While I'd love for us to be able to give out reusable bags, it isn't cost-effective (yet).
One of my co-workers found an entertaining (and informative) discussion of this issue in the Ask Umbra column published by Grist.
Dear Umbra,
At the grocery store, when they ask "Paper or plastic?" (and you have left your eco-friendly organic cotton tote bag at home), which is the lesser of two evils as far as total pounds of pollutants per bag (including solid waste, hazardous waste, and air and water pollution), and as far as ecological damage from raw material extraction and processing?
-Anna
Dearest Anna,
I am beginning to believe that true national environmental consciousness will be heralded by the cessation of this constant concern over tiny little bags. Stop your worrying. Take the energy you spent writing to me and use it to organize your durable bag collection so that you remember to take it to the store. If you forget your bags? Flip a coin. The quantifiable difference between paper and plastic bags is minimal. One trouble with gauging the comparative environmental impact of different products is the lack of a universally accepted evaluative framework. (Another is the participation of industry analysts in environmental impact studies.) Scientists are moving closer to a system called Life Cycle Analysis, but it has gaps and flaws, so folks often develop models for their specific research needs. The result? I might answer your question one way, only to have someone disprove me (or claim to disprove me) tomorrow.
As of this writing, though, it is generally understood that the plastic bag production process generates less water pollution, less air pollution, and less solid waste. Making something out of plastic just seems to be easier than making something out of wood, which goes a long way toward explaining why we have so much plastic packaging today: It's cheap. In addition, and you can bet the plastic industry is cackling over this, the bags take up less space in landfills. As to which manufacturing process uses less energy, they may be equal. It depends in part on whether you calculate two plastic bags for each paper bag, because store clerks frequently double-bag when using plastic. See? Comparative Environmentalism 101 is tougher than you think.
Of course, paper bags trump plastic in the renewable resource realm, being made from trees rather than oil or gas, and being more commonly accepted by community recycling programs. Also, paper bags are biodegradable and far less likely to disturb natural ecosystems in the manner of plastic bags, which have a nasty tendency to be mistaken for jellyfish and wind up doing bad things to the innards of turtles -- to cite just one example.
So the short answer to your which-is-the-lesser-of-two-evils question is that there is no clear lesser, and neither is exactly evil. Picture this scenario: You're driving down the street and your eye is caught by a plastic bag snared in a tree. "Gross!" you think, "Some jerk has been littering again! Those plastic bags are a wasteful, American consumerist eyesore! Turtles are going to die!" Guess what? That flapping plastic bag is a distraction from the much more important, yet all-too-often overlooked fact that you are driving. Driving a particulate-spewing, gas-devouring, pavement-loving machine. And that is the role of the paper/plastic debate for far too many casual environmentalists: an eye-catching distraction from far more threatening concerns.
Read on,
Umbra
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Plastic Bags Blow
Since it is week two of the It's Easy to be Green Program, which focuses on thinking outside of the garbage can, I thought I would tackle a major waste issue: plastic grocery bags.
First, a few facts...
1. Well over a billion single-use plastic bags are given out for free each day.
2. The production of plastic bags requires petroleum and often natural gas, both non-renewable resources that increase our dependency on foreign suppliers.
3. In a landfill, plastic bags take up to 1,000 years to degrade. As litter, they breakdown into tiny bits, contaminating our soil and water.
(See a comprehensive list of facts about plastic bags at Reusablebags.com.)
So, what can we do to reduce our plastic bag consumption?
Open our eyes to how many bags we consume. For instance, if you have a giant plastic bag holding plastic bags in your closet, take five minutes and count how many you have. The results may surprise you.
Open our eyes to plastic bags littering our community. Take a walk or look out the window as you drive home and notice the number of plastic bags stuck to tree limbs, lining sidewalks, and flying in the breeze.
Refuse a bag. Cashiers are programmed to keep the line moving and don't always stop to think or bother to ask if you need a bag, or even ask if you would prefer paper. If you don't need a bag, don't take one. Choose paper when given a choice.
Reuse the plastic bags we have already accumulated. A common reuse is as a small garbage can liner.
Recycle the plastic bags that we cannot avoid using. Many area grocery stores have bins where you can drop off your bags. Currently only 1-3% of plastic bags are recycled.
Get Crafty. Turn your plastic bags into a reusable bag. The Memphis Botanic Garden is hosting a Recycled Tote Bag Workshop on March 1st from 9:30am-12:30pm. If you miss the class, you can still make your own bag. Needlepointers.com has a list of projects you can teach yourself.
Start using reusable bags when we go shopping.
Plastic bags have been banned in California and as a result, many retailers are now offering inexpensive reusable bags in their stores. Target just started selling bags made from recycled polypropylene fabric that are available in two sizes and self zip into a small pouch for convenient storage. The larger size sells for $1.49 and the smaller size for $.99. (I have also seen inexpensive reusable bags for sale at the Midtown Schnuck's. If you want something more substantial, or hip, Reusablebags.com has a very extensive collection of reusable bags for sale.)
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