Monday, April 17, 2006

A Question to Ponder...

Today I saw a poster that said (in effect) "Drink lots of coffee, but do it in your own mug, not styrofoam, because styrofoam cups can sit in landfills for 500 years."

And I began to wonder... "How long ago was styrofoam invented?? Surely it hasn't been around for that long!" Being the resourceful female that I am, I Googled the subject, and the results are as follows:

Styrofoam was invented in the 1940's!

Are you thinking what I'm thinking? If something has only been around for roughly 60 years, how does this poster-maker know it will sit in a landfill for 500!?!?!?

What do you think??

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Packing peanuts, styrofoam cups, disposable diapers...will all be around for our descendants to enjoy many, many years from now...ewwww!!! (the diapers, I mean!) What will our great, great, (well, you get the point) grand children think of us? The guilt is now permeating my very soul...no more pull-ups in this house!! (can't help the packing peanuts if they happen to come in a special delivery....)
Sue F.

CKS said...

Linds, I am so proud of you! You are definitely not a typical blonde! Way to think critically about a comment before accepting it or rejecting it! I'm in awe of you...

Carrie said...

Lasting for 500 years!! That is true liberal propaganda if I ever heard it! It makes me want to go out and by lots of styrofoam in various forms. Although, I do hate styrofoam cups. The only reason I ever use those is to make little bite marks all around the top of the cup. That makes me very happy. Styrofoam cups seem to always show up at potlucks. Most potlucks are at church. See! There is the liberal conspiracy coming out. Anti-styrofoam = anti church!!! Probablly designed by John Kerry himself!!

ljm said...

Carrie, You Rule! But, it did say to drink lots of coffee so they can't be all bad! That's about as far as my critical thinking goes these days..

Booker said...

being a spoilsport here. It is based on tests done in labs about how long it takes styrofoam to breakdown into its component molecules under conditions similiar to a landfill.

but I still say, Bring it ON!!!

Avalanche Cowpoke said...

Just gimme my coffee---styrofoam cup or whatever kind---as long as the cup hasn't already been in the landfill thet long before I gets it---come to think on it some coffee I've tasted coulda been served in a cup that came from 500 years in a land fill... ...fer some folks thet might qualify as a new and unique flavor???---wonder if thet idea could be sold to ol' Starbucks??? 8~)

J said...

Here's a little something to blow your mind - most landfills WANT more styrofoam in their landfills!

It works like the little styrofoam balls in potting soil - it keeps the ground from compacting too much and allows water to flow/soak through the ground. Without enough aerating substances in the ground it instead erodes or compresses into rock. Both are bad.

I heard a landfill manager in an interview say this. He also said that many landfills actually purchase aerating materials and add them in with the rest of the trash. Bring back the styrofoam Big Mac box!