Mylar and Me

I am lucky to live by a National Forest where I can take my daily walk.  It is the same daily walk every mornings and I do not vary it, so I am always surprised by how many balloons I find on my walk.  The  colorful latex balloons are usually in pieces with bright curly ribbons and then, there are  the mylar balloons.

I am most disturbed by the mylar balloons.  I thought I would look up how long it takes for the mylar to degrade but found that it just does not.

What I hadn't thought about is what these balloons do if they come in contact with electrical wires.
In 2007 So. Cal. Edison reports that they experienced 470 blackouts caused by mylar balloon releases.
It is estimated that in California the loss in business and utilities ads up to more than $120 million per year due to mylar balloons.

More important than the inconvenience and financial cost is the cost in lives of marine animals and birds.
There have been several whales found to have died as the result of mylar balloons in their systems.  Turtles are fond of the colored plastic in latex balloons and will choose it over food. Ribbons and strings attached to the balloons often tangle and strangle wildlife.

When the three year old that celebrated with this balloon, that I brought home from my walk, is 85 years old, it still will not have begun to decompose.
 For more information:  UK Rivers Network
Clean Virginia Waterways

References: New Canaan Nature Center|LA Times

A Sip of a Sigg

It was discovered that Sigg water bottles made previous to August 2008 were lined with an epoxy that had trace amounts of BPA. An ingredient that most people chose a metal bottle to avoid.


 The Sigg water bottle debacle made me think about green washing and how we make choices.

We never felt confident enough about the Sigg coating to put the bottles on our site, and have yet to find a best choice reusable water bottle to offer. But, if they hadn't hidden the truth about Bisphenol being the coating inside Sigg water bottles it still would have been a good choice when you hold it up against a daily collection of one-use water bottles. Any reusable beats a one use, especially for a product that is consumable many times a day.

Every day we make choices and sometimes the perfect choice hasn't been created or is unaffordable. We have to take heart that better choices are on the horizon and that we will make a more positive choice when they become available.

If you have a Sigg water bottle made before August 2008 that has the coating with BPA the company will voluntarily exchange your old bottle until Oct. 31. Find details at mysigg.com/bulletin

I am still lugging around my glass container which has it's own drawbacks and dangers.

Source Treehugger.com|Chicago Tribune