Los Angeles County Supervisors will no longer drink bottled water at their meetings as of this week. Environmental concerns were only one factor in the change to paper cups and carafes; the LA Times update lists the other important reasons.
Glendale city council candidate Aramazd Stepanian, who did not win a seat yesterday, consistently objected to bottles of water set out before candidates at various pre-election forums. At the final forum April 2, when asked how he would fund arts programs in Glendale, he said he would set a $1 tax on each plastic water bottle purchased in Glendale.
Stepanian’s instincts are certainly right. Those bottles create disposal problems in Glendale, political fallout in Los Angeles County, and recycling conundrums elsewhere. Reusable tote bags, and now t-shirts, are made from discarded bottles. What happens when the bags and clothes wear out? Can they be re-recycled? What would those lightweight bags be made of if we didn’t use so many plastic bottles?
I love Aramazd Stepanian! He doesn’t have the experience or qualifications as other candidates… but I love his enthusiasm and I agree with him about Glendale not focusing on the arts as much as we should.
It would have been nice to see him on the City Council – we need someone who’s not uptight and can think outside the box.