Sunday 15 April 2007

Plastic Bags (again)

Article in this week's "Economist" (sort of UK equivalent of "Time") suggesting they've been banned in San Francisco.

Next stop, Santa Cruz das Flores.

Please note, I am not - repeat NOT - some sort of hair shirted hippy-dippy tree-hugger. For Pete's sake we managed to resist all attempts to recycle our waste when we lived in Edinburgh. But the fact that you COULD recycle in Edinburgh got under my skin enough to notice that you can't do it here even if you wanted to - well, let us say the Camara Municipal of Lajes das Flores doesn't seem to be promoting it in any shape or form at all. Nor am I aware whether the Governo Regional of the Azores has any policy on recycling.

Is it because the environment (ambiente) of Flores is still just so pristine that nobody's woken up to the fact that there could possibly be a problem if we don't watch out? That's my theory.

1 comment:

Epicyclic said...

Neil,
I read on the net that the municipality of Funchal in the Madeira Islands is actively recycling now. The solid waste management issues facing island nation/states cannot be ignored indefinitely. Those promoting tourism should be aware that tourists generate probably more waste than the locals. Perhaps one of the two municipalities on Flores will take a proactive approach before things really do get out of hand. Will it be Santa Cruz or Lajes? That is my "pep talk"

Hope the garden is coming along and all is well with both of you.
Bob V.