& - Friday. May 24. 1991 - North Shore News Choosing one throw-away over another is no solution “HASTE MARES waste’ is often the case wher retailers oor manufacturers go green, Peggy Trendell Whitt ECOINFO We saw it when companies started offering bags made out of biodegradable plastic: shortly thereafter, it was found that such plastic posed as many or more problems than the substance it was replacing. There is now a backlash of sen- timent against the decision by McDonald’s Restaurants to do away with its polystyrene packag- ing in response to customer de- mand. There have been a number of studies done on the environmental implications of plastic versus paper, and paper doesn’t always stack up well. it is not just fast-food execu- tives who have to keep on top of these studies; it is equally or more important that consumers are aware of the implications behind their shopping decisions. I hear people in store line-ups asking for paper rather than plastic carry-home bags in an at- tempt to be eco-friendly, having heard that plastic takes a zillion years to degrade and uses up non-renewable petroleum resources. This is admirable, but provides another exampte of why it's im- portant to reduce whenever possi- ble (i.e. bring your own reusable bag to the store), rather than get enmeshed in never-ending con- troversy about which disposable substance is less harmful to the planet. An article in last moath’s Solid Waste and Power publication, en- titled Weighing the Options: Paper or Plastic? condensed some of the recent studies that show it’s unwise for people or corporations to assume that paper is a better choice simply because it has been touted as more degradable. For starters, studies have shown that not much of anything actual- ly degrades in a landfill environ- ment — you've probably all heard of researchers who have been able to read newspapers decades old that have been pulled from the layers of landfill waste. In any case, most of our North Shore garbage is incinerated in Burnaby. According to the article, both polystyrene and paper packaging can be incinerated with little adverse effect on the air. When burned, both convert to carbon dioxide and water vapor. Any small amounts of chlorine will form hydrochloric acid, which can be removed by acid gas scrubbers in the incineration facil- ity. When producing polystyrene and paper, environmental degradation results from the for- estry practices involved in harvesting materials for the latter as well as petroleum exploration and recovery necessary to manufacture the former. While niany people tend to avoid choosing plastic or polystyrene packaging because it is made from a_ non-renewable resource, the article says that ac- Smaking a polsstyrene chioshell container requires 30 to 80% less energy than making a papecbourd bow designed for Che same use.” And unless that energy is dere - ed from hydroelectric sources, the chances are that it comes from a non-renewable source. The production of polystyrene results in at least 40% fewer emis- sions to air and water than does paper production. However, the blowing agents used in polystyrene manufacturing have come under fire, and while CFCs have generally been replac- ed, pentane, the most common substitute, is claimed to contribute to urban smog. paper pachaging is reeyvektble on the North Shore but with oa plasnies recycling plint opening seon ig the Lower Mainkind and mused paper reescling hopefully being imtroduced in) our local municipalities later this year, these will be other factors to consider. In the meantime, | don’t want to leave you with the impression that I'm encouraging you to start choosing plastic over paper. Rather, I'm hoping you'll real- ize the importance of searching for non-disposable alternatives, since simply choosing one throw- away over another is obviously not going to cure any = en- vironmental ills. Here's what te doe with all that mMoevey you're eine mosase when you stop buying disposab. ore ducts, be they diapers or: as help Galiano Islander | cherished piece of lane srem MacMillan Bloedel and save it from being logged. The islanders recently managed fo raise enough money to pur- chase Mt. Galiano from the forest company. Now they are fighting to preserve Bodega Ridge, a popu- lar walking spot that gives a sweeping westerly view of the other Gulf Islands and houses a unique ecosystem that boasts rare plants such as the Hairy Man- zanita. Uve hiked the area, and it is truly an enchanted spot. And this cause isn't solely to benefit shanders — the Vsawwassen ferry terminal was choked last weekend with urbanites like us off to the islands to get our batteries recharged. if you are able, please send your cheque, made out to the North Galiano Community Association, to Box 12, RR 4, Galiano Island, B.C. VON 1PO. You can call 539-3327 for more information, Send your environmental com- ments and queries to Ecolinfo, North Shore News, 1139 Lonsdale Ave... North Vancouver, V7M 2H. Currently, neither plastic nor Our complete selection of re-sale cars are on display this weekend only, in North Vancouver Consider the advantages of pur- chasing or leasing a Mercedes-Benz resale automobile. First of all, the car is a Mercedes- Benz—renowned for quality, dura- bility, engineering excellence, over- the-road performance and, of course, resale value. Second, you join the Mercedes-Benz family and begin to enjoy an ownership experi- ence unmatched in the automotive world. One more advantage: you will save money. You may even find that a Mercedes-Benz resale will cost you less than something else. Sales of new Mercedes-Benz cars 1985 Mercedes-Benz 300DT Turbo-Diesel 4 door 136,000 km., alpine white/palomino, sunroof, all books & records. 1987 Mercedes-Benz 420 SEL 4 door sedan. Pearl Grey with Burgundy leather interior. Equipped with sunroof, airbag, heated seats, 58,000 km. Local. All books and records. 1984 Mercedes-Benz 300 TDT Furbo Diesel station wagon. Diamond Blue with blue interior equipped with sunroof, roof: rack. 145.000 kis. AH books & records. cording to a June 1990 report | EACH ONE SPECIALLY PRICED. have been very strong in Vancouver during the past several weeks, Ac- cordingly, we have an unusually wide selection of Mercedes-Benz cars taken in trade. Each of these superb vehicles has been recondi- tioned to factory standards by Check out our selection of executive demonstrators. All specially priced. BUY OR LEASE DIRECTLY FROM MERCEDES-BENZ Mercedes-Benz offers comprehen- sive financial services for the pur- chase or lease of Mercedes-Benz cars. Leasing terms can be cust- mized to meet your special require- ments. For example, some resales can be leased for an extended peri- od—say four or five years—with a corresponding reduction to monthly cost. Our sales personnel will be pleased to supply whatever infor- mation you require. Just ask. Mercedes-Benz mechanics and car- ries the balance of its new car war- ranty or our pre-owned car war- ranty, whichever is greater. these cars can be purchased or leased through Mercedes-Benz exclusive financial services. The cars, some of which are shown below represent exceptional value and will go quickly. They are on display this weekend only, at the Mercedes- Benz retail branch, 1375 Marine Drive in North Vancouver. The dis- play ends Sunday at 5 p.m. You may never have a similar opportu- nity to own a Mercedes-Benz. 1990 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.6 4 door sedan automatic. Nautical blue with grey interior equipped with sunroof 9,000 kim. Local one-owner, all books & records. 1989 Mercedes-Benz 200E 4 door sedan. Bison Brown with creain interior equipped with suvroof 29,000 Km. Local one-owner. All books & records. 1988 Mercedes-Benz 560SL Roadster, silver with burgundy intecior equipped with both tops 40,000 km. All books & records.