tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5055529390349068181.post4093525935811500061..comments2009-01-12T20:49:09.683-08:00The Green Humanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793069429051126994noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5055529390349068181.post-22126446944380346112009-01-12T20:49:00.000-08:002009-01-12T20:49:00.000-08:00It's a new year and Seattle has written another short sighted, freedom-sapping, politically correct, intelligently incorrect law. A leaking restaurant container at work and watching the movie Wall-e with my kids has brought this to the forefront. <BR/><BR/>Seattle's new law banning Polystyrene food containers for restaurants is passed in favor of paper based containers. Both Polystyrene (PS) and Paper (cellulose) are Hydrocarbon products. The Polystyrene version has more effectively trapped the Hydrogen and Carbon in a molecular structure that will not "decay". The composting (decay) of either would produce CO2 and various methane and benzene gases. The latter two gases are precursors to Smog, and the former is a huge national concern. So at this point, I wonder if polystyrene is not preferrable to paper. <BR/><BR/>Further analysis of the energy usage leads to results similar to biodiesel. The energy required to process trees into the product, and to properly trap the composte by-products exceed the energy rwequired to create polystyrene products and trap their harmful waste in landfills. <BR/><BR/>If anyone incorrectly believes we are running out of landfill space, please dig for that information on your own. The barge from NYC that didn't have a dump location was a staged event fueled by bad information. Anyone who believes we are running out of sapce should take the window seat on their next flight. I suspect in 100 years, landfills will be very valuable for all the energy locked into plastic and polystyrene products. It is interesting that the Canadians started the ban on PS, as theey are also he largest producer of forest products in North America. This is like the Snapple producers promoting deposits on Soda Pop vendors products, but the movement is probably like many other similar movements- not malicious, just poorly thought out. <BR/><BR/>The wikipedia entry on PS is very enlightening if anyone wants fact vs. feelings. PS is both recyclable and can be landfilled w/o any damage via leakage. <BR/><BR/>The symbol in wall-e for plant-life was spookily like the EPA's symbol.Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09650852044886434689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5055529390349068181.post-59533242025710941452008-07-31T10:22:00.000-07:002008-07-31T10:22:00.000-07:00thanks Katie, love your feedback and let us know what we can provide for you.Green Humannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5055529390349068181.post-28802476919973629292008-07-28T16:01:00.000-07:002008-07-28T16:01:00.000-07:00Referenced your post here http://www.djc.com/blogs/BuildingGreen/. Talk about comprehensive q and a!KatieZemhttp://www.djc.com/blogs/BuildingGreen/noreply@blogger.com