[twoplanekid]

Remember, this important meeting starts at 9 a.m. today at Laurel Manor Recreation Center. I will be there and hope to see many of you at this presentation to be followed by a question-and-answer session. If you have questions and concerns, attend the meeting to hear from experts.
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[OrangeBlossomBaby]

I love that many states have deposits on glass and plastic beverage bottles and aluminum beverage cans. Knowing we have to pay for the privilege, but can be refunded if we keep them out of the landfill, makes a huge impact.

We have to bring the bottles back, but if you drink mostly water and rinse any soda/beer containers before tossing them in your garage bag there's no risk of attracting bugs while you build up enough to haul them to the supermarket.

It also guarantees that you'll have at least one grocery bag being re-used, since you have to put those bottles and cans somewhere, to get them from your garage to your store. And then you have that money to spend in the store, and put whatever you buy in the bag you just emptied out.

It's a mentality perhaps many people aren't capable of embracing, but up in states that have deposits it's just part of life, and no inconvenience at all.

I find it astounding that if you buy a case of water at Staples in the Villages, you'll notice that you pay only the case price, with no deposit. Yet every one of those bottles has a deposit indication on the label. That means I can buy the case in Florida, drink the water, and bring the empties in the car when I travel back north, and get $1.20 back for the deposits.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by Jazuela

I love that many states have deposits on glass and plastic beverage bottles and aluminum beverage cans. Knowing we have to pay for the privilege, but can be refunded if we keep them out of the landfill, makes a huge impact.

We have to bring the bottles back, but if you drink mostly water and rinse any soda/beer containers before tossing them in your garage bag there's no risk of attracting bugs while you build up enough to haul them to the supermarket.

It also guarantees that you'll have at least one grocery bag being re-used, since you have to put those bottles and cans somewhere, to get them from your garage to your store. And then you have that money to spend in the store, and put whatever you buy in the bag you just emptied out.

It's a mentality perhaps many people aren't capable of embracing, but up in states that have deposits it's just part of life, and no inconvenience at all.

I find it astounding that if you buy a case of water at Staples in the Villages, you'll notice that you pay only the case price, with no deposit. Yet every one of those bottles has a deposit indication on the label. That means I can buy the case in Florida, drink the water, and bring the empties in the car when I travel back north, and get $1.20 back for the deposits.

It's not the mentality of the people in the states without bottle return, it's the grocery store lobby. The grocery stores don't want to have to deal with the returns, and they now have strong lobbies to keep it out of those states.

[Velvet]

I would like to see a change in the composition of plastic. There must be a way we can produce biodegradable and less harmful plastic in the first place. I believe the technology already exists it is just still too expensive to use in practice.

[Midnight Cowgirl]

The newest problem is straws.

I've seen new ones made out of aluminum, I believe, but why isn't anyone coming back with and manufacturing paper straws???

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Midnight Cowgirl

The newest problem is straws.

I've seen new ones made out of aluminum, I believe, but why isn't anyone coming back with and manufacturing paper straws???

You can buy paper straws. They're great - for around 15 minutes. And then they unravel and you're stuck with soggy paper and a cup you still have to sip directly from anyway.

You can also buy bamboo straws, which last much longer, and are re-useable and washable.

You can also buy acrylic adult sippy cups with no staws needed at all, but you have to (OMG THE HORROR) carry it around with you because it's too expensive to throw away when it's empty.

The only time I use a straw now, is when I'm drinking a frozen drink that is too thick to sip, and not thick enough to spoon.

As to Velvet re: biodegradeable plastic: not possible. Plastic, by definition, is a petroleum-derived product and just doesn't biodegrade.

What you CAN do, however, is support the banana, hemp, and bamboo industries. Did you know that the stalk of a banana plant is fibrous and can be made into clothing, and bags? Bamboo and hemp are also fibers that can be made into clothing and bags.

They are re-useable, and they're not cheap. This is likely why they're not popular for bags. Because we live in a disposable society. It'd be nice if we were less disposable but the advent of the TV dinner pretty much destroyed any chance we have of returning to NOT having paper plates, NOT having disposable diapers, NOT having plastic utensils and plastic bags that end up in the landfills by the billions every day.

[Velvet]

Originally Posted by Jazuela

You can buy paper straws. They're great - for around 15 minutes.

As to Velvet re: biodegradeable plastic: not possible. Plastic, by definition, is a petroleum-derived product and just doesn't biodegrade.

Yes, you are right I should have written “biodegradable plastic substitute”. I believe that changing the chemical composition is probably easier than trying to change, on a large scale, established human behavior.

I like the idea of bamboo very much, I use it for my cutting board, etc.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Velvet

Yes, you are right I should have written “biodegradable plastic substitute”. I believe that changing the chemical composition is probably easier than trying to change, on a large scale, established human behavior.

I like the idea of bamboo very much, I use it for my cutting board, etc.

I love my bamboo cutting board. It's so much lighter weight than hardwood. It's a big one, I use it mostly to roll out dough for pastries and cookies, or slice apples for pie (I bake. A lot.)

There's a local grocer up north, they provide plastic grocery bags but they are made from recycled plastic. Most supermarkets use non-recycled plastic. So this grocer's bags are made FROM recycled bags, which are in turn recyclable. And the inks they use to identify the store on the bags are made from natural pigments, which are safer to print with and less toxic to manufacture.

There is -also- a movement to create new bags out of old bags up here. It's a group of crafters who take used plastic grocery bags that aren't ripped up, clean them, and weave them into other things. Pocketbooks and lunch totes and wallets. They have color schemes and even specific designs that make them decorative. They're very tightly woven, so it looks more like raffia than plastic grocery bags. Very clever.

[Midnight Cowgirl]

I should have been more clear about the straws. Yes, you can buy paper straws.
However, the big plastic straw culprits are restaurants, fast food places, and stores which prepare and have take-out food.
None of these places have gone to or offer an alternative to plastic

[twoplanekid]

A video of the presentation that includes the questions and answers will soon be on the District web site. In the meantime, I have attached the slides from the meeting.

[trichard]

When are our trash rates increasing?

[Chi-Town]

Originally Posted by twoplanekid

A video of the presentation that includes the questions and answers will soon be on the District web site. In the meantime, I have attached the slides from the meeting.

Thanks for the attachment. Definitely setting up for some changes and a rate increase.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Midnight Cowgirl

I should have been more clear about the straws. Yes, you can buy paper straws.
However, the big plastic straw culprits are restaurants, fast food places, and stores which prepare and have take-out food.
None of these places have gone to or offer an alternative to plastic

The alternative is to a) bring your own straw or b) don't use a straw. Drink right from the glass. Do you drink champagne with a straw? Beer? A shot of whiskey? No? Then why is it necessary to use a straw with any other liquid refreshment?

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by twoplanekid

A video of the presentation that includes the questions and answers will soon be on the District web site. In the meantime, I have attached the slides from the meeting.

Thanks for doing that.

[Midnight Cowgirl]

Originally Posted by Jazuela

The alternative is to a) bring your own straw or b) don't use a straw. Drink right from the glass. Do you drink champagne with a straw? Beer? A shot of whiskey? No? Then why is it necessary to use a straw with any other liquid refreshment?

Bring my own straw? I think not!

A lot of using a straw is just habit. I NEVER recall being served iced tea in a restaurant and NOT getting a straw. The same actually goes for just about anything that's served cold.

Also, one would have to admit it's pretty difficult to drink from a take-out paper glass with a lid, without a straw .