California City Imposes 25-Cent Tax on Disposable Cups at Restaurants

[Innula Zenovka]

I've never quite understood the objection to paper -- of whatever sort -- made from wood pulp.

It's not as if they make paper by using tropical hardwoods from the middle of the Amazon rainforest. It's made from commercially-grown softwoods (or at least in Europe it is), which are grown as a cash crop. Wanting to save forests by not using wood-pulp paper has always struck me as a bit like not eating bread in order to conserve wheat fields.

Am I missing the point here?

 

[Katheryne Helendale]

I've never quite understood the objection to paper -- of whatever sort -- made from wood pulp.

It's not as if they make paper by using tropical hardwoods from the middle of the Amazon rainforest. It's made from commercially-grown softwoods (or at least in Europe it is), which are grown as a cash crop. Wanting to save forests by not using wood-pulp paper has always struck me as a bit like not eating bread in order to conserve wheat fields.

Am I missing the point here?

I think paper products have gotten a bad rap as being responsible for widespread deforestation.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

Plastic or paper: Which bag is greener?

Looks like, all things considered, paper bags may not be such a great idea after all. The main drawbacks are the energy cost of making the paper, and the chemicals needed, which then need to be disposed of, of course.

 

[Sid]

Car? In the Netherlands? Unorthodox!

Never believe what is said about the Netherlands on your side of the pond.
Most world travelers don't see more of it than The Nightwatch, the chanels in Amsterdam and the windmills at Kinderdijken, Volendam or the Zaanse Schans, where they see people with wooden shoes and buy the wrong cheeses. During early spring maybe extended with a visit to our then blooming tulip fields. All done within one day.

In reality we are the same lazy bastards as elswhere, driving a lot in our cars, because good public transportation is only a myth outside the big cities in the west of the country.
Do you know how many rainy, windy, cold days we have every year? Using a bike is nice in the summer for short distances.

 

[Kara Spengler]

We have been getting tree-free toilet paper and paper towels made of sugar cance and bamboo.
I'm sure he rides his bike on every journey less than 160km.

Bamboo! Thanks! I should have remembered as I just reordered it recently. Amazon stopped carrying the 96 roll box of what I buy (emerald 2-ply, it does not use plastic wrap either) but they have a smaller size of it.

 

[Kara Spengler]

Plastic or paper: Which bag is greener?

Looks like, all things considered, paper bags may not be such a great idea after all. The main drawbacks are the energy cost of making the paper, and the chemicals needed, which then need to be disposed of, of course.

Right, neither are all that great, however since the issue was over how they are disposed of I would think local officials would want people to choose paper bags over plastic bags if they do not have a cloth bag on them.