* When was the last time you thought about how sustainable your undies were? Well, apparently if this is something you were concerned about, you could head on over to the fashion forward starting with your ass backwards company called Uranus Apparel. With a tag line reading, "Help save planet Earth, starting with Uranus" the company makes boy-short underwear for women from the protein byproducts of soy foods that would otherwise be thrown away. Apparently, buttery soft and machine washable undies, these undies are available in sizes from extra small to large, come in sets of three in eco friendly colors and are bundled in a biodegradable burlap drawstring sack! Reviewers call the undies "warm and snug, yet they remain breathable enough for more sweltering temps."
* Recently, the State of New York, led by Governor David A. Paterson, signed Executive Order No. 18, which basically phased out the purchase and use of bottled water at state agency facilities. Interested in getting your local government or work place to follow suit? Go to this nice site for more information on how to get plastic out of mainstream America. As well, here is a good informational video by Captain Charles Moore, who started researching the plight and effect that discarded plastic has on our oceans.
photo from a Life Magazine article in 1955 about "Throwaway Living", glorifying the idea of disposability.
*The other week, CocaCola announced a new development in their packaging of their beverages. Across North America, Coke will start using a new plastic bottle for it's Dasani brand this year and then expand to some of its carbonated brands and Vitaminwater. The bottle is said to be made from a blend of petroleum-based materials and up to 30% plant-based materials that are by-products of sugar production. Coke also said the bottle has a lower reliance on a non-renewable resource, reducing carbon emissions by up to 25%, compared with other petroleum-based PET plastic bottles. As an added plus, the new bottle is fully recyclable and can be processed through existing manufacturing and recycling facilities. Personally, I applaud the Coca Cola Company for realizing that they are a huge contributer to the problem of plastic trash in our environment and are taking key steps to not be part of the problem anymore, but part of the solution.
*Similarly, did you know that three billion of the world's 200 billion-plus paper cups, that start as trees and end up at the dump each year, have the Starbucks logo emblazoned upon them? The Starbucks Company's Ben Packard, the vice president of Global Responsibility and Jim Hanna, Starbucks director of Environmental Impact, are taking on the responsibility to have all of the company's iconic coffee cups will be recyclable by 2012. Even though many coffee cups in today's market are readily repulpable and recyclable, many are made with a wax finish that is unable to truly and effectively break down or be handled by smaller recycling centers. Read up on the cup summit here.
* Much like how the uber recycling company Terracycle is trying to collect all the energy bar wrappers in the US to have a second life, they are also trying to collect all your used Frito Lay chip bags to be turned into tote bags, purses and pencil cases for sale later this year at retailers like Walmart. Eventually, TerraCycle plans to take a leap into the building materials market with a few new processing techniques it's developed, one of which fuses together shreds of bags, wrappers and pouches, turning them into a thick slab that can be used as tile, insulation or other study material.
* Planning on visiting NYC anytime soon and you're looking for a safe, enjoyable and affordable way to get around town? Well, thanks to New York City's Downtown Alliance they are currently hosting Bike Around Downtown. From May 13, 2009 to September 30, 2009, workers, residents and visitors can take advantage of free bicycle rentals. However, there are only 30 available bikes, so be sure to sign up in advance!
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