Compostable bits

Here are some news briefs:

• My friend Carolyn's go-to source for where to recycle everything is Earth911.com. From what I've seen it's really comprehensive, so it would be a good bookmark to add to your list of resources.

• Pepsi Co. has introduced a plastic bottle made entirely from plants. Read all about it here.

• In January, Kauai and Maui counties instituted plastic bag bans on the islands. My dad, who lives on Kauai, says plastic shopping bags are a hot commodity now. Read stories here, here and here. And hey, at one store you get free nuts for bringing in your reusable bags!

Stores like Foodland already offer incentives to customers to remember re-usable shopping bags. They give you a five cent credit and after 10 visits with a reusable bag you get a free bag of nuts.
"Today was my last stamp so I get my free nuts next time," said Frankie Quinabo, a shopper who enthusiastically supports a plastic bag ban. "It's an incentive. I went back out to the car to get the bag just because I knew it was my last stamp today."

• As of three weeks ago, ARC will no longer send out their blue trucks to pick up donations of clothing and household goods at your house. It was a move to cut costs. Continue to support these reuse centers by bringing your donations to their drop-off centers in Richfield, New Hope, Brooklyn Center and St. Paul.