Archive for February, 2010

USA needs to catch-up with Mexico in Biodegradable

February 26th, 2010

In August 2009, non-biodegradable plastic shopping bags were banned in Mexico City. Any yet we in the US are so behind the times, most people have to idea what what is going on with using biodegradable plastic products. San Francisco is ahead of the curve, but not too many other places. On company trying to make a difference is Wal-Mart. They set targets of reducing plastic bags in Mexican stores by 50 percent by 2013. Wal-Mart translates this into 237 million less bags per year. This would be 33 percent less bags by 2013. Some other notable advancements outside the US include Montenegro imposing a tax on 1st January 2010 of 100 Euros per tonne on products made from ordinary plastic, but only 1 Euro per tonne on products made from biodegradable plastic tested according to ASTM D6954-04 or ASTM D6400-04 or EN 13432. Other countries having similar changes in their environmental laws include Argentina, Brazil, Mauritius, Slovenia, Romania, Hungary, Barbados and the United Arab Emirates.

So what is the real cost of using a biodegradable shopping bag? It may be more expensive that a normal plastic bag. But is the cost for an environmentally friendly bag not work a few extra cents? That’s all we are really talking, pennies.

There are some obvious facts that should help make the decision
* Biodegradable plastic bags are better for the environment
* Plastic will be in a landfill 300 years from now
* Plastics are clogging up our sewers and drains

What are the top reasons for using biodegradable bags?
1. Biodegradable bags return to the environment
As the bag breakdown, they turn into a mulch that can be asorbed back into a landfill. This is obviously better than sitting around for a couple hundred years. By breaking down, the bags will not enter the oceans and affect fish.

2. Biodegradable bags Break Down Faster
It will take only 1-3 years approximately for the bags to breakdown. If a plastic bags is not recycled, it will be here when your great great great great great great great grandchildren are build condos on top of landfills.

3. Biodegradable bags Are More Environmentally Friendly
The will be methane and mulch release back into the environment that can be used if properly handled in landfills.

4. Biodegradable bags are also Recyclable
This means that they can be reused if not turned over to a landfill.

5. Biodegradable bags will help third world countries clean up
many third world countries do not have the landfill and compost capabilities of developed countries. If the plastic bags are degradable, they not cause as much damage to the environment outside of landfills.

Ban Plastic Bags In Hawaii (socialactions.net)
Plastic bags in US _ to pay or not to pay? (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
SF Green Festival 09 – Flushable, Dissolvable Doggie Doo Bags (treehugger.com)

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Posted in Biodegradable Bags, Government

Tags: Biodegradable Bags Biodegradation environment Mexico City Plastic shopping bag Recycle Recycling Wal-Mart

Bluefin Tuna Fished Into Extinction; Japan Doesn’t Care

February 24th, 2010

According to recent reports, the Atlantic and Mediterranean bluefin tuna stocks could totally collapse in 3 years! Yes, you read that correctly, 3 years.

Japan consumes 80% of the world’s bluefin tuna and has no intention of curbing its appetite until the species is totally extinct. It’s basic economics vs. doing the right thing. Recently a 511 lb bluefin was sold for $175,000. One fish literally sold for the price of a home in the Midwest! So no wonder the Japanese fish industry doesn’t want to slow down it’s bubble market until there’s nothing left to fish.

CITES (Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is meeting in Doha, Qatar next month to discuss a formal ban on bluefin fishing. Luckily France, which has the largest bluefin fleet, is probably going to support the ban.

Hopefully the Japanese can get their appetites under control before we loose yet another species.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/02/japan-will-ignore-ban-on-bluefin-tuna-says-the-fish-isnt-that-endangered.php#ch03

Conservation body favors bluefin tuna export ban (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
Is the Bluefin Tuna an Endangered Species? (scientificamerican.com)

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Posted in Animal Protection, Organic

Can You “Carbon Fast”?

February 16th, 2010

Who says religion is behind the times? Turns out prominent Anglican British bishops are taking Lent into the 21 century. Gone are the days of giving up alcohol and meat, time to give up your iPhone! These bishops want Christians to consider their carbon footprint for Lent. By restricting the amount of electricity used, one can reduce the amount of CO2 poured into our precious atmosphere.

Bishop of London Rev. Richard Chartres underscored the importance of trimming our CO2 output by stating that the poorest people in developing countries are most effected by climate change created by wealthy, developed countries.

What do you think you’ll do for Lent? We’re thinking easy steps are not keeping your computer or phone chargers plugged round the clock is an easy one. Even if nothing is charging, they are still drawing energy from the plug. On that note, turning off the lights off, cable box, and computer monitors are all simple, painless ways to be religious in a practical, 2010 sense of the word. So go ahead and have another cocktail with your steak! This Lent let’s focus on the greater good.

Origional article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/16/carbon-fast-bishops-urge-_n_463918.html

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Posted in Living

Am I Green or a Hoarder?

February 16th, 2010

I’ve asked myself that question many times recently and found that it’s really difficult to give myself a straight answer. I have certainly made a few small changes in my life that some would say make me “eco-aware” or “eco-conscious”. I’m recycling at home and in the office, I’ve ceased taking baths and only take showers, I reuse plastic bags I receive at the grocery store and printed paper as scrap paper. I’m definitely more aware of the footprint I leave behind and even try to drive my car at a more consistent speed to minimize my use of fuel. I feel as if I am leaving a smaller footprint than I was 5 years and 10 years ago but how much am I really helping my environment? I know I am no Ed Begley Jr. but I’m also not driving a Hummer, idling in traffic or wasting water and paper.

I feel like my possessions have increased as a direct result of my being green. I hold onto anything that could be possibly re-used. Printed manuals and materials I always think can be repurposed, boxes are piling-up in my storage unit and home and my desk at work has small piles of papers I’m waiting to jot notes on memo phone calls. Bigger items have been much easier to find homes. Working electronics can always be recycled at local-run recycling drives or given away or sold. If you buy a new mattress or a new computer, most retailers will remove the old one regardless of whether or not it still works. However, there are dozens of items that definitely fall into the category “I should reuse but I have too much of this crap”.

I used to reuse my supermarket shopping bags as pet waste bags but quickly realized I am helping no one that way. So what do I do with the bags I have already put aside? How about that stacks of paper that I can definitely use for scrap? Who writes anymore? I send everything electronically because it means I have a record of it somewhere. I can only take so many phone messages and write them down on paper. What else can I do with it?

Now that I have been so very honest, please do not start sending me links and articles for the wealth of info out there. The truth is, I am already aware but there truly is a wealth of info to go through. My favorite thus far is guide National Geographic produces called the Green Guide. (http://www.thegreenguide.com/) There’s also an app on Facebook called “I am Green” (http://www.facebook.com/iamgreen) that puts you in touch with other FB users that are also attempting to green-up their lives.

All in all, I do my best everyday to be greened than I was the day before. I don’t know if I am officially green yet but I am trying to get there.

Plastic Bags Ban: Would You Pay 5 Cents For A Bag? (huffingtonpost.com)
Plastic Bag Recycling – Another Step Forward in Sustainability (salazarpackaging.com)

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Posted in Biodegradable Bags, Living

Tags: Green Guide green products Recycling

Locally Grown Produce Comes to an iPhone Near You

February 14th, 2010

We stumbled on this cool article about an iPhone app that lets consumers know where their produce was grown built by AUG/Living. Educated consumers are becoming more discerning and know locally grown food uses less fossil fuels in transportation, supports local farmers, and brings speciality fruits and vegetables to the market.

It’s got a great “Producers” directory that lets you see exactly where each your produce comes from and detailed info about their farming methods, like what pesticides were used (hopefully none)!

Congrats AUG/Living for being one of 18 Green Gadgets finalists!

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Posted in Living

Tags: Living

PICKING-UP DOG POOP: YOUR BEST FORM OF COMMUNICATING?

February 12th, 2010

A few years ago, my girlfriend and I had a friend move in with us. We had all lived together before so we knew exactly what to expect and were looking forward to it. However, our new/old roommate was bringing two dogs along and that dynamic would be totally new for us. Neither of us had ever lived with dogs before and had no idea what to expect. One dog is a French bulldog that is impossible to not fall in love with and a mini-Doberman pinscher that, to me at least, took a little more effort to love. Anyway, I learned a lot very quickly about dogs and owning them here in NYC. It’s like being in a community within a community, a whole new world is revealed to you that most non-dog owners probably do not realize is even there. I also quickly learned (thank you NYPD) about leash, license and poop laws and how they pertained to me and my new roommates and added pet waste bags to my shopping list.

After a few months, we had developed a routine and all of us (dogs included) had adjusted to our new living scenario I realized that our most important and informative daily interaction with the dogs was taking them to poop. We needed to know how often each dog went, the color, the consistency. Was there anything strange in it? Was it difficult for the dog to go? I learned later that parents are the same way with their newborns and there are actually guides that tell parents what should be coming out and what it should look like (http://family.go.com/parentpedia/baby/care-basics/baby-bowel-movements/). Had I had this parental experience I might have prepared myself a little better for the strange and gross fact that dog poop and picking it up with pet waste bags would play a major role in my relationship with the dogs. Your dog’s poop can let you know if they are sick or if they have parasites. The way they poop and how often can tell you about their feelings and moods and what is in the poop can tell you if they have been eating things aren’t supposed to be eating. We even required daily poop reports from the dog walker we utilized during the day and left pet waste bags for him to use on these daily walks.

I have seen lots of reasons why picking-up your dog’s poop with pet waste bags is important. There are the obvious reasons like it is gross, unsanitary, smelly, and not something anyone wants to see. There are the not so obvious reasons like it pollutes water sources through rain runoff and can carry and transmit disease. Snohomish County, Washington actually has a website (http://www1.co.snohomish.wa.us/Departments/Public_Works/Divisions/SWM/Services/Water_Pollution/Pet_Waste_Posters.htm) where they are selling light-hearted posters about the importance of picking-up your dogs poop. Some of the posters are just gross because I can’t get past the poop that is pictured, some of them are funny, some cute and some informational. The page is titled 101 Reasons to Pick-Up pet waste but I only counted 25 posters so….

Anyway, like I was saying, there are lots of reasons for why everyone should clean-up after their pets with an eco-friendly pet waste bag. The most important to me was it was my best informational tool on the health happiness of my new roommates.