plastic bags
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The Afghan Price
Earlier this year, Afghan President Hamid Karzai spoke about discovering that truckloads of single-use plastic shopping bags imported into his war-torn nation were squandering precious resources of fuel while risking the lives of truck drivers as they passed through insurgent held territories. Recognizing the true cost of wasting scarce resources in a place with so […]
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We spend $76.6 billion a year on health care for kids made sick by toxic chemicals and air pollution
America spends a staggering $76.6 billion every year to cover the health expenses of our children who get sick because of exposure to toxic chemicals and air pollution, according to a recent study by researchers at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. That figure includes the cost of medical care and the […]
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Ask Umbra on turning plastic garbage into gasoline at home
Send your question to Umbra! Q. Dear Umbra, Not long ago, I saw a video of a Japanese scientist who had created a small machine that converted discarded plastics back into fuel. He was demonstrating it to schoolchildren. Is something happening with this technology? If it is true it could certainly help to save us […]
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Happy birthday, Darwin! Have a giant recycled squid
Sometimes, despite your best intentions, you end up with plastic bags. This is why nature invented the giant squid, humans invented knitting needles, and Deadly Knitshade invented Plarchie. He’s knitted out of 162 plastic bags, and is shown here cuddling with Charles Darwin, who celebrated his 202nd birthday on Saturday. If you want to celebrate […]
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Plastic bag rap urges people to jump on the ban-wagon [VIDEO]
Plastic, it's the "fossil product all your crap's made of," and its ubiquity is the motivation for this Jay-Z parody aimed at giving plastic bags a bad rap. Watch the video and let us know if you like the way they work it.
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Plastic bag bans sweep cities across nation
Cities in states across the union (including Texas) are enacting plastic bag bans. Only the "Save the Plastic Bag Coalition" stands in the way.
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California bags the plastic bag ban but makes solar leap
The Golden State failed to ban plastic bags and may reverse its landmark climate bill AB 32, but it's also adding solar panel capacity like crazy.
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New rules push oil inspectors to clean up their act
Damning BP reports, Murkowski concedes, MMS cleans up, California lawmakers nix a ban on plastic bags, and more.
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Eco-amnesia costs the U.S. $20 billion a year
California stands to pass a ban on single-use plastic bags. Opponents claim it will doom consumers because it's so hard to remember to bring reusable bags shopping. Seriously?