City Council bags ban on…bags
July 22, 2008
After reading the Baltimore Sun article this morning about the City Council’s failure to pass a ban on plastic bags in grocery stores and retail chains, I had one question: Are those who want to replace plastic bags with paper barking up the wrong tree? (Yes, that was an attempt at a pun.)
But seriously — those in support of the measure, voted down by the council 11-3, say they are concerned about the amount of garbage created by plastic bags and this is certainly a legitimate concern. But on the other hand, those against the bill said they did not think that tapping natural resources to make more paper bags would help the environment any more.
As it was so aptly put by City Councilwoman Rochelle “Rikki” Spector, “It takes trees to make paper bags.”
Is it, after all, not the material itself but our use of the material that needs to be put in check? I prefer plastic bags for their sturdiness — especially when holding products that tend to perspire in bags like milk or ice cream — and for their convenient handles. I also save them to reuse as garbage bags.
But I also throw away my share of plastic bags and could do more for the environment like save them for the bag recycling bins I see outside many grocery stores, or bring my own cloth shopping bag to the store to cut down on plastic bag use.
But, quite honestly, that requires a little more effort on everyone’s part and I don’t know that any amount of activism and raising awareness will be able to get every shopper to consistently change their habits.
What do you think? Should we keep pushing the paper because at least it’s a step in the right direction or should we “bag” that approach (sorry, I couldn’t help myself) and start addressing people’s shopping behavior?
LIZ FARMER, Business Writer
(picture taken by Assistant Legal Editor Christina Doran in downtown Baltimore)
Sphere: Related ContentAn open car window could be un-American
July 2, 2008
I’ve discovered a new way to judge your patriotism.
It used to be I’d just glance at your lapel — no flag pin, no love for your country. Now I can spot you on the road, too.
A recent Q&A on Slate discusses whether it is more fuel efficient to drive with your windows down, or with your windows up and the AC cranked. You might think it’s better to save gas by giving the AC a rest, but opening windows lets wind into the car, which can increase drag and force you to use more sweet, sweet gasoline.
“At low speeds, at least, the fuel-economy losses associated with rolling down your windows are minuscule. But as your foot gets heavier on the accelerator, the situation rapidly begins to worsen. That’s because drag increases with the square of speed. So when you hit the highway, all that wind whipping through your open windows begins to take a major toll. Even with the windows sealed tight, the majority of your car’s power goes toward fighting wind resistance when you’re cruising at 55 miles per hour.”
What’s the easy solution? There isn’t one. Different autos give you different ratios.
And from whence does my assessment of patriotism come? From my twisted noggin, that’s whence! The more gas you waste through non-aerodynamic driving, the more you need and the higher prices go. That means more reliance on foreign oil.
I’m in favor of a Manhattan Project-sized research endeavor into alternative fuel sources. But, barring that, I’d appreciate it if you search for the middle ground between your AC and your windows when you’re barreling down the road.
JOE BACCHUS, Web Specialist
Sphere: Related ContentA touch of 17th century in Baltimore
June 23, 2008
Earlier today, I went to the Inner Harbor to report on the arrival of the Spirit of 1608, a replica of the boat Captain John Smith used to explore the Baltimore area 400 years ago.
Before I got there, I envisioned the boat to be larger than an Inner Harbor water taxi. When I saw the crew members rowing up, I knew I had overestimated…
The sailors were volunteers from the Reedville Fishermen’s Museum in Reedville, VA and they are the ones who built the Spirit.
One of the sailors, Bill Rogers, told me the average age of the crew is 70 (he’s 74).
“We live on the water, that tells the story,” Rogers said.
Interestingly, the lumber that was used to build the boat came from trees toppled by Hurricane Isabel.
Check out Saturday’s edition of the Daily Record for the full story and check the Web site for more multimedia coverage.
RICHARD SIMON, Multimedia Reporter
On the hook for 15 grand
June 5, 2008
I just read that an alligator was caught yesterday at Arundel Golf Park in Glen Burnie with a fishing rod. And that got me thinking…Diamond Jim is loose.
For the last three years, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources has held a Fishing Challenge to promote recreational fishing in Maryland. The fishers’ goal: to catch the famed “Diamond Jim,” a fish worth 15 grand – 10 in cold, hard cash and a diamond worth $5,000.
Pamela Wood of Hometown Annapolis writes that 21 tagged rockfish (one of them Jim) were released into the Severn River near Annapolis on Monday.
The contest runs through Labor Day.
RICHARD SIMON, Multimedia Reporter
Sphere: Related ContentHow much is a walk through a state park worth to you?
May 13, 2008
To me? Very little. I’m not a big fan of nature. There are bugs and dirt. Sometimes sand. It’s just hot and itchy — two things I can do without.
Fortunately for national and state park services, there are plenty of people out there who think I’m a nitwit and just love the thought of spending a sunny day hiking through a forest. University of Maryland researchers from the school’s Harry R. Hughes Center for Agro-Ecology have released a study to try to quantify — among other things — the value of a day spent among the trees and woodland creatures.
“The study also sought to measure the recreational value of state forests, partly by asking people how much they spent on trips to the woods… The researchers concluded that people derived individual satisfaction worth $96 per trip for day users, and $400 for the average overnighter.”
I would pay 10 times that for a human-sized hamster ball I could climb into and take for a spin through a park. So how much is a day in a park worth to you?
JOE BACCHUS, Web Specialist
Sphere: Related ContentTaking comments on crabs
May 7, 2008
If you’re harboring a bone to pick about Maryland’s emergency limits on the blue crab harvest, you’ll have two chances to speak your mind.
The state’s Department of Natural Resources is holding two hearings on the issue, and the first takes place tonight in Cambridge.
The second (probably more relevant to those of you reading this blog) will be on Wednesday, June 4 in Annapolis.
So, if you’re a crabber opposed to the upcoming ban on recreational female crab catches, now’s your chance. Or maybe you’re a businessperson who disagrees with the reduction in the commercial harvest.
There’s always the chance that you agree with Sen. Mikulski, Sen. Cardin and Gov. O’Malley when they said that female crabs need “a breather” to boost their numbers. (Three years oughta do it, right?).
JACKIE SAUTER, Web Editor
Sphere: Related ContentBaltimore, with a green roof overhead
April 29, 2008
Baltimore’s a leading city in the creation of green roofs, says an organization set to convene tomorrow in town.
Green Roofs For Healthy Cities says Baltimore came in third for square footage of green roof projects built in 2007. (We had 122,000 sq. ft.). Chicago and Wilmington, Del. surpassed Charm City, while D.C. and Philadelphia came in seventh and eighth.
Green roofs use plants to absorb rainfall and provide insulation while reducing energy consumption.
Anyone know where all the green roofs are in town? Here’s a few, including a BP gas station on Key Highway.
JACKIE SAUTER, Web Editor
Sphere: Related ContentVideo: Gansler tours Chester River
April 17, 2008
Photographer Eric Stocklin joined Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler on a boat tour of the Chester River yesterday, a body of water shared by Kent and Queen Anne’s County on the Eastern Shore.
The group was led by Tom Leigh of the Chester River Association, who presented findings on the health of the river.
A recent report by the state Dept. of Natural Resources on Maryland’s major tributaries identified five threats to water quality in the basin; the Chester River was rated “severely stressed” in four of them and “moderately stressed” in the fifth.
Gansler, you may know, has started a campaign (PDF) to look for ways to cut pollution in state waterways.
Celebrate Earth Day at an auto dealer?
April 4, 2008
What do you get when you cross Al Gore with oil changes and tire rotations? That’s right, Earth Day at an auto mall!
Apparently, Fitzgerald Auto Malls have gone “green” crazy. There’ll be lots going on there during the eco-friendly week of April 14-19, including an energy-efficient auto show, energy-saving products mini expo, Healthy Food Day, and the old reliable standby of all public exhibits of environmental enthusiasm: tree planting.
Also, all Fitzgerald locations will be accepting recyclable materials from the public — including oil, antifreeze and vehicle batteries, some of the nastiest stuff for the planet to digest.
To be honest, I’m kind of burned out from this “green” environmental lovefest that has been dominating the media for quite a while now. I mean, come on, press people, let’s at least pick a new color — or a rotation of colors — to attribute to someone caring about the planet.
Our new color-cycle designation for the media to celebrate eco-consciousness could look like this: blue, yellow, green, of course, and then Gore (I think he’s done enough for us humans that we can create a color in his honor).
Does anyone else agree with my creative color pattern, or is my “green fatigue” the result of me being one of those self-absorbed media types?
FRANCIS SMITH, Special Publications Assistant Editor
Sphere: Related ContentMarylanders: Fear the Python
February 28, 2008
“Pythons could slither north as climate warms.”
It sounds like the basis for a horror movie, but it’s not. It’s a headline from Silver Spring-based Discovery Communications.
According to Larry O’Hanlon at Discovery News, the 20-foot, 250-pound reptiles could survive in multiple states by the year 2100 (at that point our climate may resemble their native India or Pakistan).
“The big snakes could comfortably creep through Tennessee, Kentucky, Maryland, Delaware and southern New Jersey,” he writes.
Well, they can have southern Jersey, as far as I’m concerned.
Of course, they’ve already immigrated to the U.S. A few years ago, researchers discovered a self-sustaining population of Burmese pythons in the Florida everglades - probably the result of a pet released into the wild (Snakehead, anyone?). Since then pythons have been spotted in other regional parks and preserves.
If their mere presence isn’t frightening enough, this fact could do it: they eat alligators. ALLIGATORS. (There’s a photo in that link that is worth clicking on. Trust me).
The story concludes, “USGS researchers are also looking into the potential for similar invasions by nine species of giant constrictors, including boa constrictors and yellow anacondas, which are common in the pet snake trade.”
JACKIE SAUTER, Web Editor
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