USA – LA to study plastic bags and their alternatives

In a move aimed at lessening pollution in the city, Los Angeles officials decided Tuesday to investigate alternatives to plastic bags, including possibly banning plastic bags in the city altogether. The Daily Bruin reports that the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works will conduct a study to look into …

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Vietnam – Prime Minister introduces waste management controls

VietNam‘‘s Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung signed an environmental protection decree that regulates the management of solid wastes in Hanoi on April 9. The VNA reports that the new regulations state that, all dumping grounds and solid waste treatment stations must now comply with regional planning authorities and be granted …

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Taiwan – vehicles required to add biodiesel from 2008

Starting next year, drivers in Taiwan will be required to add biodiesel in addition to gasoline to their vehicles to reduce air pollution, following revision of the Energy Administration Law by a committee of the Legislative Yuan. The China Post reports that economics Minister Steve R. L. Chen said Taoyuan …

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UK – packaging – unwrapped

This is a long piece from New Scientist, but interesting if you want to learn how to landfill less the 5 kg household waste per family per year! I LOST 2 pounds the week I gave up packaging. Among aisles and aisles of neatly wrapped goods almost everything at my …

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UK – how trees might not be green in carbon offsetting debate

It may have become the penance of choice for the environmentally conscious individual, but planting trees to offset carbon emissions could contribute to global warming if they are planted outside the tropics, scientists believe. The Guardian reports that they argue that most forests do not have any overall effect on …

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