Where design and sustainability cross paths

  • Share on Facebook
  • del.icio.us
  • (3) Comments

Pet Doo-doo Dilemmea

bags.jpg

Are you one of the millions of pet owners who experience second degree duty grief every day? Every time you take your dog for a walk, do you take along a doo-doo bag?  Every time you change the kitty litter, do you scoop it into a plastic bag to have a stink free trash? For all of you pet owners out there, your pets can now do their business and you can get off guilt free. (Disclaimer: this does not solve the actual litter toxicity problem but does although solve excrament disposal issues.)

New to the market this summer, Perf Go Green is introducing a full line of 100% biodegradable kitty litter bags and waste bags of all sizes.  When less than 2% of plastic bags get recycled, it is easy to see the responsible next step. Standard plastic bags take anywhere from 100-500 years to break down, while biodegradable bags take anywhere from 12-24 months to break down leaving far less mass in landfills annually.

Manufactured by Spectrum Plastics, these bags are composed of recycled plastic, OXO-biodegradable additives, and are designed with a perforated film to aid in the decomposition process. Keep your eye peeled and your conscience out of the guilt weeds.

  • Share on Facebook
  • del.icio.us
  • (0) Comments

China Bans Free Plastic Bags!

539w.jpgCome June 2008 all stores in the entire country of China will be no longer be able to give out plastic shopping bags for free. The regulation is a part of Beijing’s effort to reverse the trend of their countries severe air and water pollution. As the country has experienced great economic growth due to the output of more and more low-cost consumer products, they have been met with the dark side of critical environmental conditions. Now its time to cut pollution, and conserve resources. The regulation requires all stores to mark the cost of each plastic bag and prohibits them for incluing the new price in the price of the product. The regulation also calls on all consumers to return to yesterdays cloth and basket methods for shopping.

While “white pollution” (as some call it in reference to the swarms of white plastic “thank you” shopping bags) has started to clutter our streets and pile up in our landfills, other cities are seeing the severity of the situation. San Francisco was the first U.S. state to impose a ban on all petrolium based bags, among other cities are Hong Kong, and Melbourne.

So peers, the race is on, and the wheels are turning us around. Forget about the hopes for switching to compostable plastic bags (although better, they are still made for one-time use experiences), get inspired by change then go out and do it yourself. Write an email to your Mayor or talk to someone in the Department of Environment, and encourage a new policy.