An Eco Experiment

Recently I had some carryout food that came packaged in in a compostable plastic bag (which was a new to me concept).

The Unni bag had a softer texture than a traditional bag. According to the company website it was made "from the starches of plants" and contained no polyethylene. In my research I learned that the product "Met stringent requirements of municipal composting programs and was also "certified by European OK Compost Home for disposal in home backyard compost settings".

I decided to see if the bag would indeed dispose of itself in my back yard. I cut it into small pieces and put it into my compost bin.

Each day I tossed coffee grounds, coffee filters, vegetable peelings, fruit waste, and egg shells on top of the pieces and didn't think too much about it. The weather was typical St. Louis hot and humid, which makes things break down quickly. I don't know if that skewed the results, but nine days later when I turned the pile there was no signs of the bag. So I'd call my experiment a success.

In the meantime I was at a restaurant where they stuck a compostable straw in my shake. I brought it home, and feel another experiment coming on...

Five years ago today: Never A Dull Day At The Mall