A-Maize-ing Starchware | Freelance Submission On Saturday, January, 26th, I was able to purchase two sleeves of World Centric spoons and forks. I distributed them at my workplace. They were huge hits. I have requested that a local grocery coop order World Centric products, as well. I plan to write a review to get feedback on your products, from the people I gave the silverware to; about 50 recipients in all. Further, I am going to submerge a spoon into a bowl of water to see how long it takes to dissolve. I will be interested in seeing what the resultant liquid contains. I am pretty excited about this product. Additionally, I have taken the silverware to a supply manager at my place of employment, and asked that we request our food/refreshment vendors and event organizers to use only World Centric ware to replace the individually plastic-wrapped plastic ware. I am hopeful we can make some impressive strides in 2008. It's such an easy way to reduce waste. Keep watching for my review to be posted on greenfete.org! Green Bags – really? | Staff Columnist The following question was submitted to the Nash Finch/Econo Foods company via their web portal http://www.econofoods.com/brandsty.cfm on Monday, December 10^th. Why is it that the reusable Green Grocery Bags sold at Nash Finch-affiliated grocery stores, are made in China? It seems like you're missing the mark here. You could better represent the “green movement” by finding a local, American-made reusable bag for consumers to purchase. What a great marketing campaign that could be; advertising in local stores that Nash Finch is seeking local talent to come up with revolutionary ways to make your stores greener. It could be your chance to initiate some very significant changes at a local level. We will keep you posted as to the response we get. Do you know of a local person or company that would be able to make a reusable bag? Let us know! Contact Us Update: No reply from Nash Finch as of 2/04/08. Greenfete decided to find local tote bag makers and market them to local grocers. We have located one home-based company in Zumbrota, Minnesota that makes textiles derived from bamboo fiber. Greenfete has contacted them with the hope of establishing a dialog. Additionally, we have been in contact with a maker of canvas bags in the Rochester area. We’ll keep you posted as things shape up!
Recycling – who does it? | Staff Columnist I read an article in a local paper that reiterated the notion that the pop bottle tops are NOT to be recycled, but rather put into landfill. This reignited my frustration regarding just what IS recyclable and what is NOT. And just WHY can’t the beverage companies devise new caps that are, in fact, recycling fare? I am going in search answers, once again. Unlike the unanswered inquiry posed in the “Strawberry Milk Forever” piece, I hope to have a real live human reply back to this question: “Do you currently have products available or in development that are 100% recyclable?” Which brings me to another of my long-time thoughts - I have daydreamed for many years about buying a chipper – yeah, like the kind one would see shredding a newly-cut tree into mulch. This chipper would be mission control for grinding all sorts of would-be landfill items into a granular product that could be used in myriad applications. I lack, not only, the funding to do this, but an adequate storage facility to collect my communities’ landfill items. I need a good backer and/or perhaps a green-minded banker! Tell me if I’m crazy. Tell me that you’ve seen it done. Tell me you have a better idea. Contact Us Update: As of 12/12/07, Greenfete has learned about the process of “Waste to Energy”. Great concept. Expensive implications – especially for small county budgets. Municipalities that cannot afford to “sell” their would-be landfill are forced to follow fiscal dictates and go the large-hole-in-the-ground route.