Editor's Take: July 29, 2008
scottwyden, flickr
It's in the Bag
Today, Seattle decides to cut down on grocery bag use with a 20 cent fee, halting the debate on "paper or plastic." Meanwhile, Oregon takes a look at its recycling system. And across the West, communities are talking about the Western Climate Initiative's proposal for a regional cap and trade system to cut carbon emissions.
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It's In the Bag for Seattle Disposables
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
07/29/2008
Logo-emblazoned cloth grocery bags could soon become the most popular company freebie in the Puget Sound region. Seattle became on Monday one of the first major American cities to discourage the use of paper and plastic shopping bags by requiring grocery, drug and convenience stores to charge 20 cents per bag.
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Battle of Bottle Redemption
Eugene Register Guard
07/28/2008
An industry-backed proposal to take most supermarkets out of the bottle-return business is shaping up as one of the biggest changes confronting Oregonians as their generation-old Bottle Bill program undergoes its first big overhaul since its 1971 enactment.
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Western States Summit Talks Cap-and-Trade
The Tyee
07/29/2008
Representatives from Canada and the U.S. are in San Diego today to discuss a cap-and-trade system that forms a key part of B.C.'s climate change strategy.
As they meet, several crucial questions and concerns surround the process.
The concerns have to do with when the program will be implemented, the amount of offsets polluters will be allowed to buy and what -- if anything -- industry will have to pay to pollute under the system.
Go to article.
BC Grizzly Population at 'Great Risk'
Vancouver Sun
07/29/2008
As hunters set their sights on the fall season, conservationists are calling on the provincial government to keep the grizzlies out of the hunt.
A coalition of scientists, conservationists and animal advocates sent a letter to Premier Gordon Campbell on Monday urging the government to ban grizzly hunting because the bears are at "great risk" and need to be protected.
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Food Costs Trim Fat from Grocery Budgets
Oregonian
07/29/2008
Summer's when most shoppers cruise the meat counter looking for ribs, ground beef and chicken to grill.
But this year, roasts are enjoying their time in the sun.
A few local butchers and grocery chains say pork and beef roast sales are up over last year as consumers search out cheaper cuts that can provide enough meat for several meals.
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Hybrid Trucks Coming To Fleets
Seattle Times
07/29/2008
Meet the workhorse cousin of the Toyota Prius, a medium-duty truck running on a hybrid diesel-electric engine that could save distribution and utility companies plenty of expensive fuel and be easier on the planet, too.
Kirkland-based Kenworth Truck, a subsidiary of Paccar, plans to begin full production of its T270 and T370 hybrid trucks in early September.
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Lawmakers Agree to Ban Toxins in Children's Items
Washington Post
07/29/2008
Congressional negotiators agreed yesterday to a ban on a family of toxins found in children's products, handing a major victory to parents and health experts who have been clamoring for the government to remove harmful chemicals from toys.
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Reinventing America's Suburbs
USA Today
07/29/2008
As gas prices hover around $4 a gallon, the nation's far-flung suburbs, which have boomed because they could provide larger homes at cheaper prices to those willing to drive farther, are losing their appeal.
Soaring energy costs and the foreclosure epidemic have jolted many Americans into realizing that their lifestyles are at risk.
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Fuel Prices Force Schools To Weigh Cuts
USA Today
07/29/2008
Fuel and energy costs are rising so quickly for the USA's public school districts that nearly one in seven is considering cutting back to four-day weeks this fall. One in four is considering limits on athletics and other extracurricular activities, and nearly one in three is eliminating teaching jobs.
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Views: Living the Alternative Energy Dream
Los Angeles Times
07/29/2008
The question isn't so much whether we can manage energy self-sufficiency as whether we're willing to shift gears on outmoded energy policies. The science is reliable and will only improve (and become cheaper) with greater use and more research. A program that requires measurable year-to-year progress toward real energy independence is more the stuff of determination and smart policy than of dreams.
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