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Technically, it's polystyrene, but everyone calls these storm-drain clogging, marine-life killing foamy plastic styrofoam. And today I was psyched to hear that the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors have taken the first step to banning this nonrecyclable stuff. The board unanimously agreed to officially study a possible ban on styrofoam food containers from LA County restaurants and stores.
The county spends about $15 million a year on storm drains to block polystyrene, said Donald L. Wolfe, director of the county public works department. "It's basically with us forever," Wolfe told the board.
Santa Monica already banned food containers made of styrofoam and other non-recyclable plastics this January; the law goes into effect January 2008. San Francisco too's going styrofoam-free, joining Oakland and a few other forward-thinking cities.
Has your city banned styrofoam?
Photo of a Santa Monica Bay beach from Heal the Bay
BlogHer Contributing Editor Siel also blogs at greenLAgirl.com.
Wondering how to evangelize this to women-owned businesses
Lisa Stone May 22, 2007 - 9:46pmGreat post, Greenlagirl.
I've got to screw up my courage and go talk to the woman who runs my favorite doughnut shop here in town. She and her husband own the business, and I often see her little four-year-old daughter behind the counter "helping." She's definitely got better baked goods than the two gas stations and the Safeway trying to compete with her.
And she only sells coffee in two kinds of styrefoam cups. Looong lines of construction and garden workers beat me to her store every morning. This woman alone could change the coastal landfill of Northern California, she's so popular!
But it will be a pain for her -- so if anyone has any hints as to her costs or how to evangelize it to her, I would love some help. Could she save money? THAT would be popular...
Lisa Stone
BlogHer Co-founder
Surfette