Breaking News Events

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by atomiczombie

What do you mean by raped AtLast? Do you mean literally? Because I have never seen her say anything about being raped by Chaz.

This comment was based upon the comments he made in the documentary about T and increased libido and the look on her face as well as how he said it. To be honest, I had a this feels creepy moment during that part of the dialogue. And relationship/marital rape research pertaining to these kinds of remarks. Also- Criminalizing marital rape: a comparison of judicial and legislative approaches.: An article from: Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law by Theresa Fus. (I'm doing current research in this area for teaching presently- this is just one article of several in forensic psychology and this kind of rape/sexual abuse/assault). Frankly, our society has continually refused to call this what it is and deal with the many facets of this kind of rape. And we need to call it what it is- rape. In the context of my prior post, I was using the term figuratively to make this point, but probably should have explained this.


My main point actually is that Chaz is not (to me) a positive role-model for transgendered persons and that there are so many others that are. I find Ira Beattie's to have some sound criticism of bono in terms of being a credible spokesperson- and he just 19 years old! Although, I admit, I have never (pre and post transition) thought Chaz Bono to be all that bright. I did appreciate having a Transperson go on DWTS and wanted to support that- but as I have read more and more about him and other transmen's issues with his being portrayed as some kind of expert on gender issues, I have lost respect for him. And there is the misogyny. Maybe as he continues his journey, he will grow in other ways and see how and why some of his actions and thought processes are quite sexist.

[theoddz]

Well, speaking from the point of my trans experience, I want to urge everyone here to be very cautious and thoughtful about doling out judgment on Chaz and any other person with whom you may have strong feelings, yet cannot completely personally relate to that person's circumstance. I've had to check myself on this very thing, because I've also seen articles about how Jen has fought a problem with alcohol and Chaz has fought much the same with an addiction to opiate pain relievers. One article I read stated that it was Jen who was actively drinking and Chaz who gave her the ultimatum of sobering up or losing the relationship. All of these tabloid stories are suspect, as far as I'm concerned, but it's easy to take our own prejudices and biases and hang the "Piece of Shit" label on on or the other of them, when that probably isn't even the case. The relationship probably ended because of a plethora and combination of real reasons and issues.

Statistics have proven that most relationships that involve a partner who transitions does not survive. For whatever reason that may be, any of us is in hardly a position to judge what those reasons are.....and in this case, especially about Chaz. Whatever he may or may not be, personally (I don't follow everything he does or his personal situation/relationship with Jen), their split is probably the result of many issues or problems. He is and has always been....a celebrity, and that very fact alone has probably had a very difficult impact on the way he has had to live his life and conduct his personal relationships. I'm not a bit surprised that his relationship with Jen didn't survive, although I was, personally, wishing the best for the both of them.

One little seed for thought that I'd like to throw in here, however, is the one that concerns transmen and our relationships. Transition is a very difficult time, internally, for us. During my own transition, I had to make the conscious decision about what kind of man I needed to be. I've been so lucky that my own personal male role models have been good ones. I don't think I've (consciously, anyway) carried over any real sexist, misogynistic (read, "knuckle-dragging neanderthal) viewpoints, as I've had many very strong, positive female figures (thanks, Mother, Grandma and ML, my big sister)!! The more people I've met in this life, and the more I get to know myself....as a person first, then as the man I am....the luckier I see myself. I also have realized that others may or may not have been so lucky. Point is, all this takes time. I started T, and my own transition, nearly 5 years ago, and I'm still not done being totally comfortable in all ways with myself. Chaz has had to do the same thing, plus, he's been in the public eye, had tabloid rumors/gossip and stories constantly swirling around him, and has had this intensely personal journey to navigate.....in addition to trying to keep what most of us try to keep behind closed doors from public consumption. This can be some seriously painful shit, people, and it requires being worked through. My guess is that Chaz is still trying to figure out what kind of man he is and who he needs to be. He may or may not be, in all truth, a raging sexist, misogynistic pig. He may or may not be a lot of things, in reality. All of it takes time and most of us transfolk take years to figure it all out.

Something else to wrap your minds around is one other thing.....Sometimes, as a transman, you have to decide whether you're going to act out in anger against women, in general, or realize that it might really be that your anger is actually everything to do with having to have lived and been treated as a woman.

I found that a very large part of the work associated with the transition journey is deciding how much of what you were to pack in the baggage you carry in the journey to become who you are.

That's all I have.

~Theo~

[Cin]

8 Stories Buried By the Corporate Media That You Need to Know About
Not all news stories are treated equally.

As 2011 comes to a close, we will see lists of the year’s most memorable events and most important people, as is the pattern every year. But not all stories are created equal. When the corporate media bury significant developments in the back pages of the paper or the second to last paragraph of an article, it’s easy for stories to go unnoticed.

As usual, this year was packed with critical, newsworthy and insufficiently covered stories that should have, but didn't, make the front page. Below are eight explosive must-read stories of 2011 that you may have missed.

1) Our Planet Saw the Largest Increase in Carbon Emissions Since the Industrial Revolution

2) Widespread Trafficking Of Iraqi Women And Girls Thanks To The Iraq War

3) More Iraq Veterans Committed Suicide Last Year Than Active-Duty Troops Died In Combat

4) Drone Strikes Kill Innocent Civilians, Not Just 'Militants'

5) Record Number Of US Kids Face Hunger and Homelessness
1 in 45 US kids are homeless - 1.6 million
16.2 million American children – one in five-- face the threat of hunger

6) Prisoners Are People Too

7) US Deports 46,000 Parents, Kids Left Behind In Foster Care

8) FBI Teaches Agents That Muslims Are Violent Radicals

Article here: http://www.alternet.org/news/153455/..._About/?page=1

[Gemme]

Some good news.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/1...6pLid%3D122197

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- A Navy tradition caught up with the repeal of the U.S. military's "don't ask, don't tell" rule on Wednesday when two women sailors became the first to share the coveted "first kiss" on the pier after one of them returned from 80 days at sea.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Marissa Gaeta of Placerville, Calif., descended from the USS Oak Hill amphibious landing ship and shared a quick kiss in the rain with her partner, Petty Officer 3rd Class Citlalic Snell of Los Angeles. Gaeta, 23, wore her Navy dress uniform while Snell, 22, wore a black leather jacket, scarf and blue jeans. The crowd screamed and waved flags around them.

"It's something new, that's for sure," Gaeta told reporters after the kiss.

"It's nice to be able to be myself. It's been a long time coming."

For the historical significance of the kiss, there was little to differentiate it from countless others when a Navy ship pulls into its home port following a deployment. Neither the Navy nor the couple tried to draw attention to what was happening and many onlookers waiting for their loved ones to come off the ship were busy talking among themselves.

David Bauer, the commanding officer of the USS Oak Hill, said that Gaeta and Snell's kiss would largely be a non-event and the crew's reaction upon learning who was selected to have the first kiss was positive.

"It's going to happen and the crew's going to enjoy it. We're going to move on and it won't overshadow the great things that this crew has accomplished over the past three months," Bauer said.

The ship returned to Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story following an 80-day deployment to Central America. The crew of more than 300 participated in exercises involving the militaries of Honduras, Guatemala Colombia and Panama as part of Amphibious-Southern Partnership Station 2012.

Both women are Navy fire controlmen, who maintain and operate weapons systems on ships. They met at training school where they were roommates and have been dating for two years, which they said was difficult under "don't ask, don't tell."

"We did have to hide it a lot in the beginning," Snell said. "A lot of people were not always supportive of it in the beginning, but we can finally be honest about who we are in our relationship, so I'm happy."

Navy officials said it was the first time on record that a same-sex couple was chosen to kiss first upon a ship's return. Sailors and their loved ones bought $1 raffle tickets for the opportunity. Gaeta said she bought $50 of tickets, a figure that she said pales in comparison to amounts that some other sailors and their loved ones had bought. The money was used to host a Christmas party for the children of sailors.

Snell said she believes their experience won't be the last one for gays and lesbians in the military.

"I think that it's something that is going to open a lot of doors, for not just our relationship, but all the other gay and lesbian relationships that are in the military now," she said.

Snell is based on the USS Bainbridge, the guided missile destroyer that helped rescue cargo captain Richard Phillips from Somali pirates in 2009.

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by theoddz

Well, speaking from the point of my trans experience, I want to urge everyone here to be very cautious and thoughtful about doling out judgment on Chaz and any other person with whom you may have strong feelings, yet cannot completely personally relate to that person's circumstance. I've had to check myself on this very thing, because I've also seen articles about how Jen has fought a problem with alcohol and Chaz has fought much the same with an addiction to opiate pain relievers. One article I read stated that it was Jen who was actively drinking and Chaz who gave her the ultimatum of sobering up or losing the relationship. All of these tabloid stories are suspect, as far as I'm concerned, but it's easy to take our own prejudices and biases and hang the "Piece of Shit" label on on or the other of them, when that probably isn't even the case. The relationship probably ended because of a plethora and combination of real reasons and issues.

Statistics have proven that most relationships that involve a partner who transitions does not survive. For whatever reason that may be, any of us is in hardly a position to judge what those reasons are.....and in this case, especially about Chaz. Whatever he may or may not be, personally (I don't follow everything he does or his personal situation/relationship with Jen), their split is probably the result of many issues or problems. He is and has always been....a celebrity, and that very fact alone has probably had a very difficult impact on the way he has had to live his life and conduct his personal relationships. I'm not a bit surprised that his relationship with Jen didn't survive, although I was, personally, wishing the best for the both of them.

One little seed for thought that I'd like to throw in here, however, is the one that concerns transmen and our relationships. Transition is a very difficult time, internally, for us. During my own transition, I had to make the conscious decision about what kind of man I needed to be. I've been so lucky that my own personal male role models have been good ones. I don't think I've (consciously, anyway) carried over any real sexist, misogynistic (read, "knuckle-dragging neanderthal) viewpoints, as I've had many very strong, positive female figures (thanks, Mother, Grandma and ML, my big sister)!! The more people I've met in this life, and the more I get to know myself....as a person first, then as the man I am....the luckier I see myself. I also have realized that others may or may not have been so lucky. Point is, all this takes time. I started T, and my own transition, nearly 5 years ago, and I'm still not done being totally comfortable in all ways with myself. Chaz has had to do the same thing, plus, he's been in the public eye, had tabloid rumors/gossip and stories constantly swirling around him, and has had this intensely personal journey to navigate.....in addition to trying to keep what most of us try to keep behind closed doors from public consumption. This can be some seriously painful shit, people, and it requires being worked through. My guess is that Chaz is still trying to figure out what kind of man he is and who he needs to be. He may or may not be, in all truth, a raging sexist, misogynistic pig. He may or may not be a lot of things, in reality. All of it takes time and most of us transfolk take years to figure it all out.

Something else to wrap your minds around is one other thing.....Sometimes, as a transman, you have to decide whether you're going to act out in anger against women, in general, or realize that it might really be that your anger is actually everything to do with having to have lived and been treated as a woman.

I found that a very large part of the work associated with the transition journey is deciding how much of what you were to pack in the baggage you carry in the journey to become who you are.

That's all I have.

~Theo~

As is always true, I find your thoughts and keen communication skills around this to be helpful. My late partner was with a butch turned transman (15 year relationship) that did fall apart due to transition mainly. It was difficult, but they remained co-parents and friends.

[LeftWriteFemme]

2011 has been a tough year for the National Organization for Marriage (NOM).


http://equalitymatters.org/blog/201112210002

[AtLast]

Pic of the kiss!

Originally Posted by Gemme

Some good news.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/1...6pLid%3D122197

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- A Navy tradition caught up with the repeal of the U.S. military's "don't ask, don't tell" rule on Wednesday when two women sailors became the first to share the coveted "first kiss" on the pier after one of them returned from 80 days at sea.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Marissa Gaeta of Placerville, Calif., descended from the USS Oak Hill amphibious landing ship and shared a quick kiss in the rain with her partner, Petty Officer 3rd Class Citlalic Snell of Los Angeles. Gaeta, 23, wore her Navy dress uniform while Snell, 22, wore a black leather jacket, scarf and blue jeans. The crowd screamed and waved flags around them.

"It's something new, that's for sure," Gaeta told reporters after the kiss.

"It's nice to be able to be myself. It's been a long time coming."

For the historical significance of the kiss, there was little to differentiate it from countless others when a Navy ship pulls into its home port following a deployment. Neither the Navy nor the couple tried to draw attention to what was happening and many onlookers waiting for their loved ones to come off the ship were busy talking among themselves.

David Bauer, the commanding officer of the USS Oak Hill, said that Gaeta and Snell's kiss would largely be a non-event and the crew's reaction upon learning who was selected to have the first kiss was positive.

"It's going to happen and the crew's going to enjoy it. We're going to move on and it won't overshadow the great things that this crew has accomplished over the past three months," Bauer said.

The ship returned to Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story following an 80-day deployment to Central America. The crew of more than 300 participated in exercises involving the militaries of Honduras, Guatemala Colombia and Panama as part of Amphibious-Southern Partnership Station 2012.

Both women are Navy fire controlmen, who maintain and operate weapons systems on ships. They met at training school where they were roommates and have been dating for two years, which they said was difficult under "don't ask, don't tell."

"We did have to hide it a lot in the beginning," Snell said. "A lot of people were not always supportive of it in the beginning, but we can finally be honest about who we are in our relationship, so I'm happy."

Navy officials said it was the first time on record that a same-sex couple was chosen to kiss first upon a ship's return. Sailors and their loved ones bought $1 raffle tickets for the opportunity. Gaeta said she bought $50 of tickets, a figure that she said pales in comparison to amounts that some other sailors and their loved ones had bought. The money was used to host a Christmas party for the children of sailors.

Snell said she believes their experience won't be the last one for gays and lesbians in the military.

"I think that it's something that is going to open a lot of doors, for not just our relationship, but all the other gay and lesbian relationships that are in the military now," she said.

Snell is based on the USS Bainbridge, the guided missile destroyer that helped rescue cargo captain Richard Phillips from Somali pirates in 2009.

[SoNotHer]

Texas loses half a billion trees to epic drought
Jeremy Hance
mongabay.com
December 21, 2011

A punishing drought in Texas has not only damaged crops, killed cattle, and led to widespread fires, but has also killed off a significant portion of the state's trees: between 100 and 500 million trees have perished to drought stress according to preliminary analysis. The estimate does not include tree mortality caused by fires. The drought has been linked to La Niña conditions, which causes drying in the Southern U.S., and has likely been exacerbated by global climate change.

In all around 10 percent of Texas' forests may have been lost to the drought—so far. Trees are expected to continue suffering and dying in Texas even if rain comes; however, forecasters predict dry conditions will remain in Texas for another six months at least. "This is a generational event," Barry Ward, executive director of Trees for Houston told Reuters. "Mature trees take 20 or 30 years to re-grow. This will make an aesthetic difference for decades to come." A recent study looking at tree ring data found that Texas had not seen a drought of this magnitude since 1789 when the territory was contested between the Spanish and Native Americans.

"[The drought] is basically off the charts. Based on past history, you wouldn’t expect to see this happening in maybe 500 or 1,000 years. One more year and we’re already talking about a drought more severe than anything we’ve ever had," Texas state climatologist, John Nielsen-Gammon, told CBS at the time.

A report in 2009 on expected climate change impacts in the Southwest region of the U.S. predicted increased drought and wildfires with negative impacts on agriculture and forests. Scientists say droughts like Texas' are increasingly becoming a combination of both natural variance and human impact, i.e. climate change. "When a drought comes, often temperatures are already higher than they would have been 50 years ago and so the effects of the drought are magnified by higher evaporation rates," Texas climatologist Katherine Hayhoe explained to Climate Progress.




Map shows the level of drought and dryness across the US in July 2011. Map courtesy US Department of Agriculture. Click to enlarge.

from - http://print.news.mongabay.com/2011/...=SNS.analytics

[LeftWriteFemme]

Yale and Columbia Reimburse Gay Employees for Extra Taxes



http://bucks.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/...xes/?src=rechp

[LeftWriteFemme]

(Beyond the beyond.....)



Linda Harvey: ‘There’s No Proof’ that LGBT people exist



http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2011/08/l...-people-exist/

[Corkey]

Originally Posted by LeftWriteFemme

(Beyond the beyond.....)



Linda Harvey: ‘There’s No Proof’ that LGBT people exist



http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2011/08/l...-people-exist/

Can't we just pull her tongue so she lisps or some such nonsense like she is spewing?

[Kobi]

Williamsburg roaster debuts 'gay coffee'
By Fran Ryan
Daily Hampshire Gazette / December 24, 2011

WILLIAMSBURG, Mass.—The coffee might not be gay, and the consumers are likely coffee lovers of every persuasion, but the message of this campy new brand is clear: Gay culture and gay history are splashing onto the coffee scene.

Five fledgling blends make up the new brand. There are dark roasts such as "Red Hanky Roast" and "Second Date," dark and medium blends like "Weekend Pass" and "Good Morning Mary" and a medium roast called "Stone Butch Breakfast Blend."

From the young blonde sailor on "Weekend Pass" to the woman carrying moving boxes on "Second Date," each blend sports humorously crafted artwork on the front to reflect its catchy moniker.

This kitschy concept comes from Elbow Room Coffee owner Melissa Krueger. Together with a handful of friends, Krueger says Gay Coffee started as a casual conversation over a cup of you-know-what. The discussion centered around how gay and lesbian culture has seemingly entered the mainstream in many areas.

"The `aha' moment came when we were talking about same-sex marriage and a friend commented on how gay culture is now seen everywhere. She said, `Why I bet this coffee is even gay.' It was a joke of course, but it got me thinking," she said.

Krueger thought it would be interesting to market a line of coffee with a gay theme, poking fun at stereotypes and cliches within the gay and lesbian community. She worried, however, that some people "wouldn't get it" and that is where friend Daniel Rivers came in.

Rivers, a visiting lecturer in the Study of Women and Gender at Smith College, encouraged Krueger to keep the camp on the front while putting cultural and historical facts on the back.

"And that was it. That took it from being just funny, to putting information into places where it normally wouldn't be," Krueger said.

Rivers did a little research and penned the educational bits on each blend. A longtime advocate of social justice and civil rights, Krueger said she had always wanted to market a product that had the potential to "make a difference."

"It's fun, it's educational and 1 percent of our profits are donated to the National Lesbian Gay Bisexual Task Force," she said. The task force helps to organize broad-based campaigns to defeat anti-LGBT legislation.

But it's not only about history, humor and social justice. Once consumers are drawn in by the marketing, Krueger hopes they will stay for the most important part, the taste.

"I roast everything here," she said of her Williamsburg shop, located a few feet off Route 9. "I have a 25-pound barrel roaster but I only roast eight to 12 pounds at a time. I could do more, but think that ratio of heat and air makes the coffee taste better," she said.

After debuting Gay Coffee at the Castro Street Fair in San Francisco on Oct. 2, she returned home and scrambled to put together an online store before the holidays. Gay Coffee took off.

"Initially I saw it as a small niche product, but the turnover has been quicker than I expected," Krueger said. So quick in fact, that Gay Coffee has already gone international. Krueger is not only sending orders throughout the U.S., but is shipping to Canada, Iceland and countries in Europe.

"I have to say I was pretty surprised when an order came in from Reykjavik!"

Locally, the brand can be purchased at Broadside Books in Northampton and Cup and Top in Florence, as well as directly from Elbow Room Coffee in Williamsburg. According to Krueger, she may add a few more blends to her repertoire.

"I would like to include some more multicultural labels and some that include the trans community. There are two or three more planned and we are always open to ideas from people," she said.

"This industry takes itself so seriously, that it is fun do a little play on branding. Obviously, coffee can't be gay, and you don't have to be gay to drink it. But I think there is a lot of room to put Gay Coffee on the shelves with other fair trade, organic artisan coffees," Krueger said.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/mas...--+Latest+news


-----------------------------------------

And visit Gay Coffee at http://www.gaycoffee.com/

[*Anya*]

Thanks for this Kobi! Even though I am a die-hard Peets coffee-drinker, I will buy a bag. I think it is critical to support LGBT businesses if they offer a quality product.

I will let you know how it is after I try it!

Originally Posted by Kobi

Williamsburg roaster debuts 'gay coffee'
By Fran Ryan
Daily Hampshire Gazette / December 24, 2011

WILLIAMSBURG, Mass.—The coffee might not be gay, and the consumers are likely coffee lovers of every persuasion, but the message of this campy new brand is clear: Gay culture and gay history are splashing onto the coffee scene.

Five fledgling blends make up the new brand. There are dark roasts such as "Red Hanky Roast" and "Second Date," dark and medium blends like "Weekend Pass" and "Good Morning Mary" and a medium roast called "Stone Butch Breakfast Blend."

From the young blonde sailor on "Weekend Pass" to the woman carrying moving boxes on "Second Date," each blend sports humorously crafted artwork on the front to reflect its catchy moniker.

This kitschy concept comes from Elbow Room Coffee owner Melissa Krueger. Together with a handful of friends, Krueger says Gay Coffee started as a casual conversation over a cup of you-know-what. The discussion centered around how gay and lesbian culture has seemingly entered the mainstream in many areas.

"The `aha' moment came when we were talking about same-sex marriage and a friend commented on how gay culture is now seen everywhere. She said, `Why I bet this coffee is even gay.' It was a joke of course, but it got me thinking," she said.

Krueger thought it would be interesting to market a line of coffee with a gay theme, poking fun at stereotypes and cliches within the gay and lesbian community. She worried, however, that some people "wouldn't get it" and that is where friend Daniel Rivers came in.

Rivers, a visiting lecturer in the Study of Women and Gender at Smith College, encouraged Krueger to keep the camp on the front while putting cultural and historical facts on the back.

"And that was it. That took it from being just funny, to putting information into places where it normally wouldn't be," Krueger said.

Rivers did a little research and penned the educational bits on each blend. A longtime advocate of social justice and civil rights, Krueger said she had always wanted to market a product that had the potential to "make a difference."

"It's fun, it's educational and 1 percent of our profits are donated to the National Lesbian Gay Bisexual Task Force," she said. The task force helps to organize broad-based campaigns to defeat anti-LGBT legislation.

But it's not only about history, humor and social justice. Once consumers are drawn in by the marketing, Krueger hopes they will stay for the most important part, the taste.

"I roast everything here," she said of her Williamsburg shop, located a few feet off Route 9. "I have a 25-pound barrel roaster but I only roast eight to 12 pounds at a time. I could do more, but think that ratio of heat and air makes the coffee taste better," she said.

After debuting Gay Coffee at the Castro Street Fair in San Francisco on Oct. 2, she returned home and scrambled to put together an online store before the holidays. Gay Coffee took off.

"Initially I saw it as a small niche product, but the turnover has been quicker than I expected," Krueger said. So quick in fact, that Gay Coffee has already gone international. Krueger is not only sending orders throughout the U.S., but is shipping to Canada, Iceland and countries in Europe.

"I have to say I was pretty surprised when an order came in from Reykjavik!"

Locally, the brand can be purchased at Broadside Books in Northampton and Cup and Top in Florence, as well as directly from Elbow Room Coffee in Williamsburg. According to Krueger, she may add a few more blends to her repertoire.

"I would like to include some more multicultural labels and some that include the trans community. There are two or three more planned and we are always open to ideas from people," she said.

"This industry takes itself so seriously, that it is fun do a little play on branding. Obviously, coffee can't be gay, and you don't have to be gay to drink it. But I think there is a lot of room to put Gay Coffee on the shelves with other fair trade, organic artisan coffees," Krueger said.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/mas...--+Latest+news


-----------------------------------------

And visit Gay Coffee at http://www.gaycoffee.com/

[LeftWriteFemme]

Minnesota gay community ‘apologizes’ to GOP adulteress for ruining her marriage


http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2011/12/m...-her-marriage/

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by LeftWriteFemme

Minnesota gay community ‘apologizes’ to GOP adulteress for ruining her marriage


http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2011/12/m...-her-marriage/

I LOVE this. Ha ha

[Gemme]

Thinking of those of our community who have no one....

NYC's Homeless Youth

[LeftWriteFemme]

Sounding Quiet Dissent About a Holiday Perennial [LGBT and the Salvation Army]



http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/24/us...iews.html?_r=1

[SoNotHer]

No More Plastic Bags in Seattle, Mexico City Closes Huge Landfill As Recycling Rises

12/23/2011
SustainableBusiness.com News

The City of Seattle City unanimously passed a bill that bans plastic bags and charges 5 cents for paper bags to encourage people to bring their own bags when they shop. Council Bill 117345, which goes into effect July 1, is intended to help clean up Puget Sound and protect marine wildlife from 292 million single-use plastic bags thrown away each year. Only 13% of those bags get recycled. Washington State consumes a total of 2 billion plastic bags a year.

In addition to environmental organizations supporting the plastic bag ban, businesses and unions advocated for the bill, including the Northwest Grocery Association, which represents the state's largest supermarkets (Safeway, Fred Meyer, QFC and Albertsons), the Washington Restaurant Association, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 21, and local independent grocers.



"Of course people are not intentionally littering their bags into Puget Sound, but with so many in circulation, bags are ending up there, causing real damage to habitats and wildlife, says City Councilmember Mike O'Brien, who sponsored the bill. Bringing our own reusable bags when we go shopping is a simple step we can all take that will protect our environment and reduce unnecessary waste." Last year, for example, a gray whale washed up on shore with more than 20 plastic bags in its stomach.

Other Washington State cities, Bellingham, Edmonds and Mukilteo passed similar legislation earlier this year. More than a dozen municipalities in California, the Hawaiian islands of Maui and Kauai, and over 30 coastal towns in Alaska have banned plastic bags. Seattle's law also requires retailers charge 5 cents per paper bag they hand out to encourage people to bring their own bags, rather than just switching to paper. Retailers will keep the money as part of the incentive. Producing paper bags is actually more resource-intensive than that of plastic.

In 2008, Seattle attempted to charge 20 cents for paper and plastic bags, but strong pushback from the plastics industry killed that. The industry successfully persuaded voters to reject the measure, which they spend $1.6 million on to get on the ballot.



Mexico City Closes Landfill, As Recycling Rises

Mexico City announced it would close its landfill by the end of this year, which is one of the world's largest. The site will be turned into a recycling separation plant and composting center, and the old landfill will generate energy through landfill gas capture, but the 12,600 tons of garbage the city used to dump there will stop.The city has successfully reduced its garbage 50% by recycling and composting.

Going forward, concrete giant Cemex will buy 3,000 tons of garbage a day to convert to energy, and the remaining garbage will be dumped in smaller landfills. And a new plant will recycle construction waste into building materials. Closing the dump will cut greenhouse gas emissions by a minimum 2 million tons of carbon dioxide a year.

Mexico City has been aggressively ramping its recycling program. Whereas only 6% of waste was recycled three years ago, that percentage is now at almost 60%.

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by SoNotHer

No More Plastic Bags in Seattle, Mexico City Closes Huge Landfill As Recycling Rises

12/23/2011
SustainableBusiness.com News

The City of Seattle City unanimously passed a bill that bans plastic bags and charges 5 cents for paper bags to encourage people to bring their own bags when they shop. Council Bill 117345, which goes into effect July 1, is intended to help clean up Puget Sound and protect marine wildlife from 292 million single-use plastic bags thrown away each year. Only 13% of those bags get recycled. Washington State consumes a total of 2 billion plastic bags a year.

In addition to environmental organizations supporting the plastic bag ban, businesses and unions advocated for the bill, including the Northwest Grocery Association, which represents the state's largest supermarkets (Safeway, Fred Meyer, QFC and Albertsons), the Washington Restaurant Association, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 21, and local independent grocers.



"Of course people are not intentionally littering their bags into Puget Sound, but with so many in circulation, bags are ending up there, causing real damage to habitats and wildlife, says City Councilmember Mike O'Brien, who sponsored the bill. Bringing our own reusable bags when we go shopping is a simple step we can all take that will protect our environment and reduce unnecessary waste." Last year, for example, a gray whale washed up on shore with more than 20 plastic bags in its stomach.

Other Washington State cities, Bellingham, Edmonds and Mukilteo passed similar legislation earlier this year. More than a dozen municipalities in California, the Hawaiian islands of Maui and Kauai, and over 30 coastal towns in Alaska have banned plastic bags. Seattle's law also requires retailers charge 5 cents per paper bag they hand out to encourage people to bring their own bags, rather than just switching to paper. Retailers will keep the money as part of the incentive. Producing paper bags is actually more resource-intensive than that of plastic.

In 2008, Seattle attempted to charge 20 cents for paper and plastic bags, but strong pushback from the plastics industry killed that. The industry successfully persuaded voters to reject the measure, which they spend $1.6 million on to get on the ballot.



Mexico City Closes Landfill, As Recycling Rises

Mexico City announced it would close its landfill by the end of this year, which is one of the world's largest. The site will be turned into a recycling separation plant and composting center, and the old landfill will generate energy through landfill gas capture, but the 12,600 tons of garbage the city used to dump there will stop.The city has successfully reduced its garbage 50% by recycling and composting.

Going forward, concrete giant Cemex will buy 3,000 tons of garbage a day to convert to energy, and the remaining garbage will be dumped in smaller landfills. And a new plant will recycle construction waste into building materials. Closing the dump will cut greenhouse gas emissions by a minimum 2 million tons of carbon dioxide a year.

Mexico City has been aggressively ramping its recycling program. Whereas only 6% of waste was recycled three years ago, that percentage is now at almost 60%.

We need to stop the use of paper bags too- the pollution from their manufacturing is actually worse than the production processes of plastic bags (yes, i didn't believe this at first.. Mega chemicals sent out to our air from paper manufacturing processing. The best thing is using canvas bags that we bring to the store when we shop. Plastic bags, however, are terrible for wildlife as the habdles on them get caught on animals. But, their actual production processes pollute less than the paper bags. Something that bothers me with cardboard recycling- again, chemicals spewn into the air. We need to cut down on as much paper production as possible- and develop less toxic ways to produce it.

We need to re-use and buy grocery bags that are reusable. Plus, stop all the damn littering!

[SoNotHer]

Right on. I carry a couple different canvas and mesh bags in the trunk of my car.

Originally Posted by AtLast

We need to stop the use of paper bags too- the pollution from their manufacturing is actually worse than the production processes of plastic bags (yes, i didn't believe this at first.. Mega chemicals sent out to our air from paper manufacturing processing. The best thing is using canvas bags that we bring to the store when we shop. Plastic bags, however, are terrible for wildlife as the habdles on them get caught on animals. But, their actual production processes pollute less than the paper bags. Something that bothers me with cardboard recycling- again, chemicals spewn into the air. We need to cut down on as much paper production as possible- and develop less toxic ways to produce it.

We need to re-use and buy grocery bags that are reusable. Plus, stop all the damn littering!