by Eileen Weber
Longfellow once quipped in a poem that into every life a little rain must fall. So it is, I feel, with plastic. Like everyone else who flexes their Reduce-Reuse-Recycle muscles, I do what I can to rid my life of the offending polymer.
But there’s one plastic item that’s tough to let go of: Trash bags. I use a lot of them. I have three kids and three dogs, two of which are puppies and make a big mess. (If anyone knows where I can find a biodegradable doggie diaper, let me know.)
My answer to the trash bag dilemma has been to purchase the post-consumer eco-friendly kind. I know that at least I’m using repurposed material. But there are two big problems I have with them: cost and performance.
I’ve been using Seventh Generation trash bags for a couple of months, now. I like the concept of using post-consumer material. But too often when I lift the bag out of the trashcan, the top edges break. I feel like the material is flimsier than other brands on the market. I end up using more trash bags with less trash in it to avoid breakage.


Is Whole Foods Green?
by James Simpkins
James Simpkins will be a contributor on this site every Wednesday. A former chef and Le Cordon Bleu culinary instructor, he is a PhD student at UCONN putting his culinary know-how to work studying American food culture. He will be writing about anything and everything related to food in the Farmington River Valley. Having grown up in Ohio, he has been living for the past two years in the Canton area.
There are seven Whole Foods in Connecticut, impacting a large number of folks here in The Nutmeg State. So I thought it would be worth a look-see. But first, I must confess: I worked for Whole Foods for fifteen months, leaving last summer, and didn’t like it very much. They told me in that special, pallid, human resources style they didn’t like me either. I think shopping there is a completely separate experience than being an employee. But, I can’t say my insider’s perspective doesn’t come into play. You’ll see why.
Continue reading "Is Whole Foods Green?" »
Posted at 10:34 AM in Commentary, Organic | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0)
Technorati Tags: core value, local, organic food, recycle, Whole Foods Market, win-win partnerships