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Urban Tumbleweeds
2663. The number of plastic bags consumed each second, and the number of bags used in Sheri Koetting's Trash Fence. We head out to the farthest border of Burning Man to get a look at her installation and commentary on the stuff we throw out. 2663. The number of plastic bags consumed each second, and the number of bags used in Sheri Koetting's Trash Fence. We head out t... more
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Seattle's Bag-User Fee Spurs Backlash
The Seattle City Council has voted to start requiring grocery stores to charge a 20 cent "user fee" for every plastic bag. But many people call the council's actions heavy-handed and the food industry is trying to repeal the measure. The Seattle City Council has voted to start requiring grocery stores to charge a 20 cent "user fee" for every plastic bag. B... more
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Plastics are Forever
ReusableBags.com
Newsroom: VIDEO CLIP: Plastics are Forever
The Cleanest Line - Patagonia, 08.05.08
Maui native Micah Wolf teams up with the Algalita Marine Research Foundation and photographer Ben Moon to create this powerful music video that empowers us to do something about the amount of plastics in our oceans.
http://reusablebags.typepad.com/newsroom/2008/08/video-... ReusableBags.com Newsroom: VIDEO CLIP: Plastics are Forever The Cleanest Line - Patagonia, 08.05.08 ... more -
LA passes a bill banning plastic shopping bags!
The Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to prohibit plastic shopping bags in stores, beginning July 1, 2010. Customers will have the option of either bringing their own bags, or paying 25 cents for a paper or biodegradable bag. The Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to prohibit plastic shopping bags in stores, beginning July 1, 2010. Customers will have th... more
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No plastic bags in LA stores beginning July 2010
Los Angeles shoppers soon won't hear the question, "Paper or plastic?" at the checkout line.
The City Council voted Tuesday to ban plastic shopping bags from stores beginning July 1, 2010. Shoppers can either bring their own bags or pay 25 cents for a paper bag.
City officials say the ban is meant to reduce waste in Los Angeles, which uses about 2.3 billion plastic bags a year.
The council's vote also puts pressure on the state, which is considering a bill that would ban plastic bags in 2012 and charge at least 15 cents per paper bag.
Last year, San Francisco passed the nation's first bag ban, which took effect in November. Los Angeles shoppers soon won't hear the question, "Paper or plastic?" at the checkout line. ... more -
Manhattan Beach Bans Plastic Bags!
In a unanimous 5-0 vote, Manhattan Beach becomes the second city in L.A. County to ban plastic carryout bags.
On July 1, 2008, the City of Manhattan Beach took a tough stance against plastic pollution and voted to ban businesses from using plastic carryout bags. The action distinguishes the city as the first in the South Bay and the second in L.A. County to ban plastic bags. Malibu approved a similar ban in May.
The City Council meeting was well attended by members of the local community and environmental groups including Heal the Bay, Surfrider, and Agalita Research Foundation. This local perspective along with survey results indicating over 80% of the City's Chamber of Commerce members favor a plastic bag ban were compelling factors in the ban's approval.
Another factor weighing heavily in the ban's favor was a Los Angeles city study in 2004 that found plastic bags made up 25 percent of the litter cleaned from 30 stormdrain catch basins.
As a result, all five Manhattan Beach council members voted in favor of the plastic bag ban. Highlights of the ban, which is similar to Malibu's, includes:
A ban on biodegradable/compostable plastic bags.
Ban effective within 6 months of adoption for large stores, pharmacies, restaurants, and city facilities and in one year for all remaining vendors and retailers.
Staff also recommended that the Council consider a fee on paper bags as the ultimate goal is not to have people deciding between paper or plastic, but to use reusable bags. In a unanimous 5-0 vote, Manhattan Beach becomes the second city in L.A. County to ban plastic carryout bags. ... more -
The problem of packaging waste: created by consumers or manufacturers?
This new video, produced by Green Sisters Leigh Billings and Tina Hou in Shanghai, was a result of the video training meeting held in Beijing in April http://current.com/items/88981888_chinese_students_maki....
In China, packaging for consumer products is often excessive and gorgeous. Packaging creates a huge amount of waste, how can we get rid of this problem? First we must consider why do Chinese manufacturers always put layer after layer of packaging on their products. They must think the consumers are requesting all this packaging. But do they? If they do, why? In this short film, the Green Sisters investigate these questions using statistics, policy, interviews with customers and salespeople, as well as a look at how the culture of gift-giving in China plays into the question. This new video, produced by Green Sisters Leigh Billings and Tina Hou in Shanghai, was a result of the video training meeting held in ... more -
In China, plastic bag ban works!
"Experts estimate that China refines nearly 5 million tons (37 million barrels) of crude oil each year, or one-third of its imported oil, to make plastics used for packaging...Reports note that use of plastic bags in supermarkets in southern Guangzhou City has dropped by nearly half since June 1, and some supermarkets in Beijing use as few as one-tenth the number of bags as before the ban."
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This is a huge step for China. You can see more and more people bringing their own canvas bags to the store everyday. Now for the next step, banning one-use chopsticks! And banning one-use fast food containers! Let's get rid of all the white pollution 白色污染!! "Experts estimate that China refines nearly 5 million tons (37 million barrels) of crude oil each year, or one-third of its impor... more -
Kew goes plastic bagless
More anti-plastic bag green posture politics as Kew Council in West London decides to outlaw plastic shopping bags.
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Canada bans plastic bags.
Canada is making an effort to elimate waste. By selling reusable bags everywhere. Informing Customers that in 2009, plastic bags will no longer be available. They promote people to bring their reusable bags when they shop. This includes: grocery stores, malls, pharmacies..etc. The U.S should take some insight on this. Canada is making an effort to elimate waste. By selling reusable bags everywhere. Informing Customers that in 2009, plastic bags will ... more
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Canadian teen speeds degradation process for plastic bags
Daniel Burd’s national-prizewinning science fair project uses microorganisms.
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China bans ultra-thin plastic bags
The Chinese government has imposed a ban on ultra-thin plastic bags in a bid to reduce pollution and litter in time for the olympic games. It's also forcing retailers to charge customers for regular plastic bags, in an effort to reduce consumption. The Chinese government has imposed a ban on ultra-thin plastic bags in a bid to reduce pollution and litter in time for the olympic ga... more
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Just in time for summer: recycled art!
Follow the url for some great projects to do with all those pesky plastic bags. *Dress above was knitted using plastic bags
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China to start crackdown on plastic bags
BEIJING - Making good on a promise made in January, China is becoming the latest country to ban free plastic bags, part of a government-led campaign to cut down on waste and help the environment.
The nationwide measure that goes into effect Sunday eliminates the flimsiest bags and forces stores to charge for others.
Beijing has promised to hold a green Olympic Games this summer, giving extra impetus to a number of environmental policies and projects. Officials have vowed to cut down on the "white pollution" of discarded bags that choke China's cities, farms and waterways.
The China Plastics Processing Industry Association estimates the measure will reduce the amount of plastic bags used by a third from 1.6 million tons a year. The Chinese now use 3 billion bags every day, according to the group, and they are virtually indestructible, taking years to break down and commonly ending up in China's clogged landfills. BEIJING - Making good on a promise made in January, China is becoming the latest country to ban free plastic bags, part of a governmen... more -
Wash day at the plastic bag recycle factory
Produced, directed and edited by Lynne D Jones.
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Plastic is Drastic on BBC Radio
Produced by Lynne D Jones.
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Teen science whiz finds way to decompose plastic bags
Plastic takes thousands of years to decompose -- but 16-year-old science fair contestant Daniel Burd made it happen in just three months. Burd says this should be easy on an industrial scale: all that's needed is a fermenter, a growth medium and plastic, and the bacteria themselves provide most of the energy by producing heat as they eat. The only waste is water and a bit of carbon dioxide. Used on a large scale this could have a huge impact on waste management and cleaning up the world. Plastic takes thousands of years to decompose -- but 16-year-old science fair contestant Daniel Burd made it happen in just three mont... more
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Cutting plastic bag usage
British retailers hand out an estimated 13 billion free plastic bags every year, which take about 1,000 years to decay.
The government has set a voluntary target of cutting plastic bag usage by a quarter every year. British retailers hand out an estimated 13 billion free plastic bags every year, which take about 1,000 years to decay. ... more -
Gorilla in the Greenhouse: Episode 1, The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Follow four kids and a visionary green gorilla to their greenhouse in San Francisco, and watch as they overcome a demented plot by Dr. Morlon Huffelbot--and the worm living in his head--to create an island of plastic bags in the middle of the Pacific Ocean! Runtime: 7:34 Follow four kids and a visionary green gorilla to their greenhouse in San Francisco, and watch as they overcome a demented plot by Dr.... more
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