"Tigers in Red Weather"

Just a quick note..."The eco-system is like an aeroplane. We're all in it. We can go on taking away the rivets that hold it together and keep the plane up, for a while. No one rivet will decide when and where we crash. But ultimately, one rivet too many will bring us down." (page 27 Ruth Padel)

Go to Canada to eat your noisy Sun Chips

When I walked towards the checkout at the local sandwich shop with my trusty junk food, a bag of chips, nothing appeared to be out of the ordinary. As I opened my tasty bag of Sun Chips, I did happen to notice the green label bragging about their new biodegradable bag. I was a little surprised to see such a big company making the risky move of "going green". I do agree with the fact that every time we purchase something, we are saying that we approve. I wanted to continue to cast my vote for Sun Chips since they made this positive change. As quickly as this innovative blessing had arrived, it seemed to vanish.

I searched online to see if anyone knew where these wonderful "green" bags went. I was sickened to see hundreds of people stirring about the removal of these bags, but not in the way that I had hoped. One commenter by the name "disgruntled co-worker" posted "Sunchips are our favorite chip .... but I won't buy another bag for my family. The bags are irritating just sitting on the shelf. Pity the poor driver who has to stack them ...maybe his health insurance can cover the noise pollution. Please don't do this to your other products!!" (posted on Sun Chips in the Chicago Tribune). Hundred of more comments I read praising Sun Chips for taking these biodegradable bags off the shelf.

Little did I know, Sun Chips was actually a product of Frito-Lay, who was ironically owned by Pepsi Co Inc. Pepsi Co is one of the most influential Fortune 500 international companies, in partnerships with the other most powerful companies such as Starbucks and Lipton. This HUGE company had the power to really make a positive change that could have snow balled into a major trend here in the United States. Frito-Lay officially announced they would discontinue these biodegradable bags in the United States due to the consumer complaints. A private party reported that the sales have dropped 11% since January when these bags were introduced. No actual statistics were released by Pepsi Co themselves. Frito-Lay has also declined to release the dollar amount on the creation and production of these biodegradable bags. Now why would a company withhold information unless they had something to hide? I am not sure whether to be ashamed of the consumers for their selfishness or to blame the all powerful Pepsi Co for their vague reasons, but I think I will stick with both. Now, instead of the bag that decomposed in about 9-14 weeks, we are left with more plastic chip bags that never really break down, they just crumble into small dust like pieces over hundreds of years. With Frito-Lay manufacturing over 30 million bags of Sun Chips a week, I am sure it will be no time until we are immersed in preventable garbage. You made your bed, and now we all will be forced to lay in it. 

Bottom line, maybe I should move to Canada? In Canada, they have decided to keep the biodegradable bags for their whole line of Sun Chips flavors. Frito-Lay's sustainability chief aired a public service announcement informing us that Canada will indeed keep the biodegradable bags, and that he has always been proud about the way that Canadians take care of Canada which makes him proud to be a part of something that can continue to help make and keep Canada beautiful. He sums it up by basically saying, get over it and if you still have a problem with the noise, they will send you a FREE pair of ear plugs. That is right folks, again, Canada is ahead of us, I thought we were supposed to be really competitive here in the United States? Watch the PSA HERE.

Dear La Jolla Planning Commission...

Dear La Jolla Planning Commission,

I can remember as a young child traveling hours to La Jolla sea shores to visit "Children's Pool", or as I liked to call it, "Seal Beach". Since the protection rope has been in place, the seals have continued to come year after year to this cove providing me, and about 100,000 other visitors a month an incredible close up experience with nature. Now, as a San Diego resident, I ask and plead that you reestablish the protection rope at Children's Pool to limit the barbaric actions that people have been partaking in.

This small, 200 foot long beach is the only mainland breeding ground for hundreds of miles in all directions. San Diego has over 70 miles of public beaches, making Children's pool only account for about 25% of ONE of those SEVENTY miles. Since the Harbor Seals are semi aquatic, they need stable grounds to rest on. Since the rope has been removed from the seals protection, La Jolla has become a place I loathe to visit. 

Barking dogs sent to attack the seals, men teaching their children how to chase the seals into and past the cove, abandoned babies, and some even prematurely deceased seals were the scenes that greeted me on my most recent visit in November 2010 to this beach. Anti seal activists line the beach and sidewalks jeering and jesting at any chance they get while the seal activists painfully witness these poor creatures being mistreated. They are calling it a battle between the "children versus the seals" but honestly, give me a break. I do not know a child that would want to see these seals sent away. Children's Pool is one of the only place that seals can be seen and admired in their natural environment. With all the rocks and swift tides created by the viewing wall, this is not even a safe beach to take children swimming in, so why not let it be? 

I am simply asking that the protection rope be instilled year round. We need to learn to respect nature, and teach our children the same. If it is about money, as most things are, think of all the revenue La Jolla will loose if these seals no longer pup at Children's Pool? Seeing the seals has been the ONLY reason why I have even gone to La Jolla over the past twenty years. I promise you that I will not spend a dime within the city limits, nor will I bring my family, until this issue has properly been resolved. 

Respectfully,

Danielle Taylor

(This letter has been sent in to the City of La Jolla, and I will continue to send it in until I get a reply...11/16/2010)


For more information on this please visit Save La Jolla Seals. 

If ignorance is bliss, than he must be elated!