BPA In Cans That Contain Food

How about the use of BPA (bisphenol A) in the linings of metal cans designed to contain food! BPA seems to truly be everywhere. An example in USA Today, reported 5/19/10 states that “92% of food from metal cans is contaminated with…BPA.” More on the topic can be found in a study released May 18, 2010 by the National Workgroup for Safe Markets – a coalition of 19 environmental groups. USA Today reports that the study calls on congress to “ban BPA in food and drink containers.” The article goes on to state that some companies, like “Eden Foods already sell vegetables in BPA-free cans.” Finally, the article notes that “Canada and Denmark restrict the use of BPA in certain children’s products, as do five US states, three counties in New York and the city of Chicago.”

Before I do more blogging, a bit about me. I am a forty-six year old father and husband. I live in Vermont and work in sales in the action sports and outdoor industry. I also own an antique shop that sells antique furniture and recycled/antique building materials. I love to ski, snowboard, mountain bike and do anything that involves my kids. I garden, play music and read a lot. It is not an exaggeration to say that I have been haunted by our habit, as a nation, of neglect with regard to our natural environment. Simple steps like recycling at home and at work, drinking tap water rather than bottled water, changing to energy efficient light bulbs and buying cars that get over 25 miles to the gallon can dramatically save natural resources and preserve the air we breathe. Those of us that can/choose to go the extra step by driving hybrid or electric cars, installing solar heating/pv systems and the like should. None of us can live completely “green” lives, but the current styles by which many of us live are no good. As you learn more about me and my views via my blog, feel free to call me out if you see evidence of hypocrisy, unsubstantiated fact, conjecture, etc. I am looking for a dialogue by which we can all learn how to do better by the environment. I am looking for thoughts regarding political solutions, big business solutions, scientific solutions, etc. Bring it on. Let’s talk

Local Dump

I hit the local dump on Saturday and, as usual, I saw loads of recyclables being tossed into the trash crusher. (Here in VT most of us still have to take our trash to a local dump/transfer station). I mentioned to one of the recycling "dumpers" that there was a recycling dumpster not twenty feet away and the person responded "so what." Crazy man. Twenty feet to choose between recycling and not. He chose not.