Why is my biodegradable floss packaged in petrochemicals?

It's probably not a question that plagues you late at night but the short answer is the US government. A few weeks ago I wrote about my floss of choice. It's made of silk, which makes it nontoxic, renewable and biodegradable. That rose the question of why its so seemingly eco-minded manufacturers would package it in a plastic cartridge, so I shot off an email to Radius and here's their response:

The FDA considers floss a medical device and because of that they require anything that is sold in drug stores to be packaged in a plastic container. Since our products are sold in both drug stores and natural product stores we must abide by that law. We have considered creating alternative packaging for the natural product industry but since we also sell in drug stores we cannot have an entire cardboard container until the laws are changed.

I guess plastic packaging is one way to keep things sterile. And if it's plant-derived plastic that'll get shuffled into an indefinite recycling loop, then there's nothing technically keeping it from being zero-impact. But most plastics are still petroleum-derived, with Coke's PlantBottle as one highly visible (and recent) exception.

Is plastic really protecting me from my floss? It certainly can't be the first time the FDA's been off the mark. The typical tale is that regulations impede entrepreneurship yet are instrumental in protecting public health. I wonder to what extent regulation is impeding ecological sustainability.

Cities for People and the Planet

In light of my recent post on green building projects in Italy, I've decided to highlight here a couple more videos on sustainable urban planning from TED.

First up is a talk by Ellen Dunham-Jones on how we can modify existing infrastructure to accommodate changing tastes and needs.

What I appreciate most about this presentation is its focus on working with what we already have, as opposed to uprooting suburban environments to build from scratch. That way we can address the challenge of sustainability without incurring superfluous costs. The goal is to minimize the inputs needed to reduce further demand on resources.

It also happens that I've translated this talk into Russian. It has only yet to be reviewed and approved by another translator per TED's quality standards. Any takers so we can get it up there?

Next comes a more recent talk on the perceived trade-offs between sustainability and quality of life. Bjarke Ingels helps break this false dichotomy by presenting on a series of projects that both benefit the environment and give people more opportunities to indulge.

A Sustainable Hot Dog Restaurant in Brooklyn

Yesterday I spotlighted a grocery store and now it's on to restaurants. Awhile ago (actually a long time ago) I got the chance to check out this place - Bark Hot Dogs - with my friend Mark, who writes on urban policy for Forbes and whom you should check out. This title is actually the query I googled to rediscover it. TimeOut New York says it has the best dogs in town, but I'm more into the business idea.

For what is, in essence, a fast food joint, they do well minimizing on packaging and have eliminated persistent waste. When I was there, everything was biodegradable and our food was served up on these charmingly lackluster cardboard troughs.

Perhaps most interesting, they list all their suppliers on their site, under the aptly named 'Resources Menu.' Their culinary repertoire is biased toward nearby farmers, largely from New England, with an occasional western state in there.

Other highlights include that they acquire all their energy from hyrdoelectric and wind power via a local utility and convert their cooking grease into biofuel. For me this establishment is a vision of the future, illustrating how it's already possible through existing services to keep all outputs - including conventional wastes - in the production loop.

Paper, plastic or packaging-free?

In.gredients made ripples last summer when it announced that the completely packaging-free grocery store would open in Austin, Texas, making it the first of its kind in the nation.

The founders draw their idea from their experience starting and managing businesses. They've taken their focus on reducing costs and waste and applied it to sustainability, targeting an add-on with often dubious value-added. If you do end up buying whole grains on a whim, they'll provide you with a biodegradable container.

So far the project's secured its financing, location, permits, and most of its supply chain. All that's left is the renovation of the space (with recycled materials, of course) and they'll be open for business. Their choice of location, amid a food desert - an area lacking grocers, could prove a boon.

I'm a little surprised this idea hadn't already been conceived and implemented, as it makes sense from both business and environmental perspectives. Unfortunately though, unless you're in Austin, you're not going to find a zero-waste store near you.

But you can get the next best thing. I've already shared one sustainable shopping guide, but this one focuses on foods supplied locally and is a great resource for getting involved in a CSA (community supported agriculture). As a member, your produce will come to you packaging-free and from local sources, reducing energy consumption, pollution and other costs over the product lifecycle.

Plus you'll support local business. Why would I want to put money into the hands of those nearby instead of somewhere else? So they can then buy my products, boost government revenues, live better and generally keep the wheels turning; it's more likely to have a positive impact on me.

I'm not particularly protectionist with regard to trade but if I'm given the chance to support my immediate neighbors, even if it comes at a premium, I'm willing to. Sometimes it's not always about getting the cheapest vegetables.