we need change how we think about plastics...

plastic bag pollution

plastic bags are killing us

the great plastic bag plague

Sack Your Bags
Whole Foods to stop giving out plastic grocery bags by Earth Day

Whole Foods will stop handing out plastic grocery bags by Earth Day, April 22, this year. The mega-retailer of natural foods announced yesterday that it will instead encourage customers to bring their own reusable bags; the lazy and forgetful will have their goodies bundled into 100 percent recycled paper bags. "More and more cities and countries are beginning to place serious restrictions on single-use plastic shopping bags since they don't break down in our landfills, can harm nature by clogging waterways and endangering wildlife, and litter our roadsides," said Whole Foods' A.C. Gallo. "Together with our shoppers, our gift to the planet this Earth Day will be reducing our environmental impact." The grocer estimates that the plastic-bag ban at all its 270 stores in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. will eliminate the use of about 100 million plastic sacks between Earth Day and the end of 2008. All together, Americans throw away about 100 billion plastic bags each year (yes, that's billion with a B).

sources: Whole Foods Market, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, USA Today
DAILY GRIST 23jan 08

"umbra" on drinking water from glass or plastic...

(excerpt from http://www.grist.org/advice/ask/2005/01/10/umbra-bottles2/)

...Go with glass.
I did simplify the situation. No, I take that back. The situation is simple. Drinks from non-plastic vessels taste better. Plastic is a non-renewable resource, its manufacture is energy- and resource-intensive, and in many cases highly toxic. It does not biodegrade. Polyvinyl-chloride manufacturing releases dioxins, as does the incineration of said PVC. Plastic used in food applications can get worn and torn and eventually harbor terrorist bacteria. Plastics recycling is also known as "downcycling," because each reiteration of your original bottle is of lower quality than the next, until at last the landfill beckons.

Glass is a better choice. I know this may give the lifecycle analysis people a conniption. I do not care. Let's face it: In most situations, you do not even need a plastic water container. If you're at a desk, or in the kitchen, or even at spinning class, glass or ceramic vessels are fine. There is no good reason to use plastic water bottles in everyday life unless you are a professional cyclist or mountain climber.

So instead of fretting about plastic resins and trying to keep all the numbers straight, pass right over the entire issue by using a different material. Set aside one plastic container for the infrequent times when nothing but a lightweight unbreakable material will do. And make that material a #2, #4, or #5 plastic. (Contrary to what I said previously, I wouldn't seek out #1 for those plastic-necessitating moments -- #2, #4, and #5 are better.) The numbers are on the bottom, people.

Contritely,
Umbra

http://www.grist.org/topic/Ask_Umbra