Voluntary action by business owners is an excellent step

Climate Action Plan, Environment, Environmental Advisory Council, Serious Issues 1 Minute

(The latest in a series of posts relating to the environment, Bethlehem’s Climate Action Plan, and Bethlehem’s Environmental Advisory Council)

Gadfly,

Many local businesses are already taking steps by using bio-degradable take-away containers and brown paper bags, which can be recycled with flat board (non-corrugated cardboard that tears brown and grey). Voluntary action by business owners is an excellent step, and CM Reynolds is spot on about going different routes to circumvent the state legislation.

I always thank a business for taking these steps so that they know that I appreciate their efforts and its impact on the environment.

Dana

Published by The Bethlehem Gadfly

Edward J. Gallagher, Bethlehem immigrant, retired, nearly 50 years as Professor of American Literature at Lehigh University, known as "Dr. G" and "Conan the Grammarian" to students, whose virtual world avatar "EdwardScholarhands" stares at you here, has reinvented himself as the Bethlehem Gadfly.

Published

One thought on “Voluntary action by business owners is an excellent step”

  1. As Dana points out, quite a few local businesses are taking steps to be more sustainable, and it definitely worth letting them know you appreciate it. In the case of serveware & packaging, it does increase their costs somewhat. When government does not act, less-responsible businesses may get a competitive edge.

    “Biodegradable’ take-away containers, utensils, plates, & cups are far better than the styrene and polypropylene they replace, largely because they reduce the horrible environmental health hazards associated with their manufacture. However, since local cities do not provide a way for the to actually be composted, most of them wind up in the landfill anyway—and under those conditions, they can take hundreds of years to break down. The city should provide composting for food waste and compostable food-service products.

    While we’re on this subject, it’s worth pointing out that the city still does not provide on-street recycling in the downtown areas and does not even require all food-service establishments to provide effective recycling in ways that encourages their customers to recycle.

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