rickfm wrote:Lacey mentioned this movie in the
BPA in canned foods thread. I think it deserves it's own topic.
I just watched the movie and I must say, I'm never asking for another plastic bag at the grocery store again. In fact, I'm going out tomorrow and buying some reusable grocery bags.
Yes, and I'm old enough to remember how plastic bags were going to be the salvation of the world because it would save all those trees that were being cut down to make paper bags. Surprise, surprise, now they're filling up the landfills and making the world unsafe, or whatever.
I remember disposable diapers being hawked the same way: all that detergent used to wash cloth diapers was getting into our rivers and polluting everything, so disposable diapers were just the thing to save our water supply. Lo and behold, now disposable diapers are filling up the landfills and making the world unsafe, etc.
Recycling newspapers has also gotten some bad press in recent years. The idea, again, was to save trees. But clearer heads have pointed out that recycling is expensive for cities, and not a panacea for the environment.
I found this information regarding recycling newspaper: "America's supply of timber has been increasing for decades, and the nation's forests have three times more wood today than in 1920. 'We're not running out of wood, so why do we worry so much about recycling paper?' asks Jerry Taylor, the director of natural resource studies at the Cato Institute. 'Paper is an agricultural product, made from trees grown specifically for paper production. Acting to conserve trees by recycling paper is like acting to conserve cornstalks by cutting back on corn consumption.'"
Now these mercury-containing light bulbs which are supposed to save the planet will one day be revealed to be actually be damaging to the environment - which I believe they are. Anything that you practically have to wear a hazmat suit to dispose of is not something I think should be foisted upon the American people, as these are.
So, I try to ignore the fads. I know they'll be proved wrong down the road.
Nettie