[coconutmama]

Originally Posted by ThirdOfFive

All Villages trash is transported to the Covanta Lake II, Inc. Energy from Waste (EfW) facility in Okahumpka, Florida where it is burned and turned into energy. This plant produces enough electricity to power more than one million homes annually, while reducing the amount of methane, a greenhouse gas that would otherwise be produced by the trash going to landfills and that is more than 28 times as potent as carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere, to zero. The site diverts 21 million tons of waste annually from landfills, while at the same time recycling 1.1 million tons of material, of which 550,000 tons are metals, annually. It does this in an essentially clean manner: Over 99.9 percent of what is discharged into the air is what is typically find in air - water vapor, nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide. The remaining constituents are well below federal and state standards. (from the Covanta website).

Looks as if our plastics are being put to very good use.

I wonder if they allow tours of their facilities.

[Rapscallion St Croix]

Originally Posted by Darield

I am amazed that Florida still allows the use of plastic bags in grocery stores. So many other states have banned it. We now have microplastics (very small plastic particles) in our agriculture soil, ocean and just about anywhere you can think of. There are so many studies that verify the dangers of plastics and I cringe every time I go to the grocery store and see 10-20-30 plastic bags per cart. Just one Publics said they can go through thousands of plastic bags in a day. Here is one link that talks about how serious this problem has gotten. It's our new DDT.How microplastics are infiltrating the food you eat . There are now studies beiing done of earthworms ingesting micro-plastics. ScienceDirect

Next time you pat yourself on the back while unpacking your paper sack, take note of all the plastic it transported to your home.

[lpkruege1]

Originally Posted by Darield

I am amazed that Florida still allows the use of plastic bags in grocery stores. So many other states have banned it. We now have microplastics (very small plastic particles) in our agriculture soil, ocean and just about anywhere you can think of. There are so many studies that verify the dangers of plastics and I cringe every time I go to the grocery store and see 10-20-30 plastic bags per cart. Just one Publics said they can go through thousands of plastic bags in a day. Here is one link that talks about how serious this problem has gotten. It's our new DDT.How microplastics are infiltrating the food you eat . There are now studies beiing done of earthworms ingesting micro-plastics. ScienceDirect

I agree 100%. We need to go back to a renewable source like paper. They can be used for book cover, trash, fully burnable for energy, and if they do get lost to the wind, they are fully biodegradable. I can't believe some fool hasn't thought of this before now. New clean bags, not those dirty disgusting cloth bags that people bring in. I mean, who know where they've been or what disgusting things are on them.

[ChrisTee]

Originally Posted by albertsonw

Um...Florida. Progressive thinking is banned.

We are doomed. It's generational. The "Me" generation is Self-involved, denial, and "to heck with everyone else". Science? Who needs it!

[DrHitch]

Originally Posted by ThirdOfFive

All Villages trash is transported to the Covanta Lake II, Inc. Energy from Waste (EfW) facility in Okahumpka, Florida where it is burned and turned into energy.

A good summary of our burning questions! But still we should up-cycle household stuff to Habitat, thrift stores, etc...and cut apart plastic rings to save wildlife

[msirianni]

Why is the plastic bag so offensive to you when about 95% of everything you put in that bag is packaged in PLASTIC.

[ThirdOfFive]

Originally Posted by coconutmama

I wonder if they allow tours of their facilities.

I don't know. There is a "virtual tour" that is available (not the real thing, I know, and no opportunity for questions). There were several reviews on the site done by people who had obviously been there, with one rather disgruntled chap bemoaning the fact that they had screwed up his appointment time, so--probably. They do have a contact number listed on their website so it would be easy to find out.

[Canada friends]

I’m from Canada and we are eliminating plastic bags.. When I come to the Villages I’m so disappointed that stores especially Walmart continue to use plastic bags…Why is it that people can spend $400.00 at Costco who don’t offer bags and don’t have an issue…then go to Walmart and use 10 bags for a $50.00 order…Hello people don’t you see what these bags are doing to the environment…

[Caymus]

Originally Posted by Canada friends

I’m from Canada and we are eliminating plastic bags.. When I come to the Villages I’m so disappointed that stores especially Walmart continue to use plastic bags…Why is it that people can spend $400.00 at Costco who don’t offer bags and don’t have an issue…then go to Walmart and use 10 bags for a $50.00 order…Hello people don’t you see what these bags are doing to the environment…

Most of the bulk items I buy at Costco don't fit in a bag.

[Eclas]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

This will be interesting

yes, it will

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by Canada friends

I’m from Canada and we are eliminating plastic bags.. When I come to the Villages I’m so disappointed that stores especially Walmart continue to use plastic bags…Why is it that people can spend $400.00 at Costco who don’t offer bags and don’t have an issue…then go to Walmart and use 10 bags for a $50.00 order…Hello people don’t you see what these bags are doing to the environment…

That 10-pack of canned tuna that I bought from Sam's along with the 35-pack of soda, the 36-pack of aluminum trays, the large stack of paper plates, and the rotisserie chicken were all wrapped in heavier plastic than Walmart uses for bags.

[Ponygirl]

Hmmm. Not so sure abt powering 1 million homes. That’s seems impossible Not the number that I recall but I will look it up

[trxi6565]

Now go buy a box of tall kitchen PLASTIC garbage bags!!!

Originally Posted by Darield

I am amazed that Florida still allows the use of plastic bags in grocery stores. So many other states have banned it. We now have microplastics (very small plastic particles) in our agriculture soil, ocean and just about anywhere you can think of. There are so many studies that verify the dangers of plastics and I cringe every time I go to the grocery store and see 10-20-30 plastic bags per cart. Just one Publics said they can go through thousands of plastic bags in a day. Here is one link that talks about how serious this problem has gotten. It's our new DDT.How microplastics are infiltrating the food you eat . There are now studies beiing done of earthworms ingesting micro-plastics. ScienceDirect

[wbilbrey99@gmail.com]

They ban plastic bags but almost 90% of what you buy comes in plastic.

[GATORBILL66]

Originally Posted by Darield

I am amazed that Florida still allows the use of plastic bags in grocery stores. So many other states have banned it. We now have microplastics (very small plastic particles) in our agriculture soil, ocean and just about anywhere you can think of. There are so many studies that verify the dangers of plastics and I cringe every time I go to the grocery store and see 10-20-30 plastic bags per cart. Just one Publics said they can go through thousands of plastic bags in a day. Here is one link that talks about how serious this problem has gotten. It's our new DDT.How microplastics are infiltrating the food you eat . There are now studies beiing done of earthworms ingesting micro-plastics. ScienceDirect

Florida also has love bugs and no-see-ems which other states have banned!