Start 'em Young

I think it was Mark Twain that once said, "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco." This was true the other day at Crissy Field, a cool park under the Golden Gate Bridge. Chilled and hungry, we checked out the warming hut. I was tempted by the cool block prints, but instead got sidetracked photographing the garbage cans (and my cute niece).

This park uses the Ecotainer, which is a cup lined with PLA (or polylactic acid) instead of plastic. These cups are accepted by most (if not all) composting facilities. The recycling was contaminated (with cups), but the compost bin (yay for public area composting) looked clean.

Rolly Luggage: 3 days or 3 months

I always say that I pack the same amount of stuff regardless of whether I'm going on a trip for 3 days or 3 months. I'm testing out my first set of wheels -- rolling luggage, that is -- this weekend on a short trip down to Oakland to visit my sister and her (expanding) family. I'm dubious that I will be able to go so light for 3 months this fall/winter in Europe... but I'll try.

This photograph was taken at PDX. Notice the lovely blue recycling bin in the background of the photograph; this is just one of 60 recycling bins that PDX recently installed in their parking garage and roadway adjacent to the terminal (I've got the inside scoop). I'll post a close-up of the parking garage recycling bins next week.

EcoMetro: Passing the Torch

For the last few months, I've had fun blogging for a group called EcoMetro. Created by the makers of the Chinook Book, EcoMetro tries to "find the best green and local products, merchants, and ideas." They have pages in the East Bay, Eugene, OR, Portland, OR, Seattle, and the Twin Cities.

One of my colleagues has expressed interest in picking up the trash torch, as it were, and continuing the "Talkin' Trash" column about recycling developments in Portland. Thanks, MF!