Sailors Sink SUP Bottles!

Ahoy, and splice the main brace, RAPsters!!

This brief, welcome and unsolicited message arrived at the Surfrider HQ offices this week from the Intercollegiate Sailing Association (ICSA)operative (co-captain of the Christopher Newport Univ Varsity Sailing Team & a Mid-Atlantic ICSA Southern Rep) Maxwell J. Plarr:

"As a sailor, surfer, and a person who loves the water I thought you guys should know that the ICSA, the governing body of ALL college sailing in the United States, passed legislation banning the use of plastic water bottles at our regattas to cut back on waste. In the past this has been a HUGE issue trying to protect our environment and I thought it would be really cool to let you guys know that we are doing are part to make our oceans cleaner. Sail Fast, Surf Often!"

According to their news release for this announcement, this smart change will amount to an estimated annual reduction of over 25,000 (twenty-five THOUSAND!) single-use plastic water bottles. Working with sailing environmentalists Sailors For The Sea, and metal bottle-maker, KleanKanteen, this is going to be an easy, fun and forward-thinking transition. BRAVO, Maties!!

...and who says that "True sailing is dead"? P-shawwwwww!

21st Century Waterfall

another reminder to remember your reusable bottle...



Since its recent popularization, bottled water (in all its flavors) has become one of the most consumed, yet least recycled beverages. For example, it is estimated that in 2005 alone approximately 30 billion plastic water bottles were purchased, with only about 12% recycled (in part due to out-dated deposit laws). The remaining 25 billion bottles were either landfilled, littered or incinerated. Obviously that's a lot of bottles, but statistics involving "billions of bottles per year" can be difficult to put into perspective.

This computer animation provides a simple visual comparison of the rate at which plastic water bottles were recycled (approx. 100 bottles/second) to the nonrecycled rate (approx. 845 bottles/second; see image) in 2005. To make it more compelling we simulated and rendered both torrents of plastic water bottles using custom multibody dynamics, collisions, finite-element structural vibrations and sound synthesis.

www.cs.cornell.edu/~djames/bottledWater/

CDC Criticizes FDA on BPA in United States

Scientists from CDC, EPA Criticize FDA on Chemical Used in Plastic Bottles

Written by E. Sizemore

October 30, 2008

This week a seven-member scientific panel, including toxicology and environmental health experts from the EPA and CDC, issued a strongly worded report criticizing the FDA on their response to concerns over products containing bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical used in the making of plastic water bottles, baby bottles, food containers and other products from which BPA could leach into food and drinks.

According to the panel the FDA ignored strong evidence to the contrary and used flawed methods when determining that BPA is not harmful. Comprised of scientists from government and universities the report claims that the FDA did not consider dozens of studies linking BPA to diseases and conditions like diabetes, prostate cancer, early puberty and sexual dysfunctions in animals.

Many of the studies pointed out were reviewed by the National Toxicology Program (NTP), which did find that BPA could possibly harm brain development and cause behavioral problems in infants and small children.

In response to the report the FDA, which is in charge of regulating the chemicals used in plastic food containers, agrees that “…due to the uncertainties raised in some studies relating to the potential effects of low doses of bisphenol-A that additional research would be valuable.”

According to the CDC, more than 90% of Americans are exposed to trace amounts of bisphenol, which leaches out of water bottles, the lining of cans and other plastic food containers. The level of exposure may increase if such containers are used when microwaving food or heating up milk.

Canada and many other developed countries have already banned the use of BPA in baby bottles and other plastic food and drink containers. The United States has yet to do so, despite overwhelming evidence of BPA’s potentially harmful effects.

The United States’ free-market economy doesn’t always wait for government to regulate the safety of products. Many retailers and manufacturers are already offering non-BPA alternatives like steel drinking water bottles and glass baby bottles. Maybe soon the FDA will catch up with corporate America’s own response to concerns raised by citizens who just want healthy products for themselves and their children.

Below - Female reproductive effects linked to BPA exposure - Environmental Working Group