I have been thinking about the planet a lot lately and wondering what it will be like for my kids when they are my age. I am not optimistic. I did some research on paper vs. styrofoam, and this article seemed to take in a lot of the variables:
One Dutch study shows just how similar the environmental impacts of paper and polystyrene foam cups are when all factors are considered. The study looked at 10 categories of environmental impact, assessing each type of cup in each category. The researchers found that paper cups performed better in five categories, and polystyrene cups were better in the other five.
Compared to making paper cups, manufacturing polystyrene cups:
*requires about 42 percent less water
*needs about 17 percent less energy
*uses 22 percent less petroleum to source materials and ship cups
*doesn’t call for chemicals that can harm water if not disposed of properly, such as chlorine dioxide
*doesn’t necessitate the cutting of trees
In contrast, when compared to foam cups, paper cups:
*produce about 28 percent fewer greenhouse gasses
*decompose in a landfill in 20 years, as opposed to 1 million-plus
*decompose in water in just a few days, instead of 50 years
*are far easier to recycle and recycle at a higher rate
*aren’t toxic
Therefore, my conclusion is to always employ reusable cups. Both kids have water bottles that clip on their book bags at school; they seem to have the right idea.
I accidentally read panel 3 first and was not disappointed at the description of Lupin shenanigans that led to it. There are just some days where you need to be a sugar gremlin.
Ladybug Update: She is continuing to improve. She is walking nearly normal, if weakly. She’s almost regained bowel and bladder control and is eliminated regularly. She still only has minimal use of her tail but at least she does move the base of it a little bit when she’s posturing in the litterbox. She also seems to like the stretch that my therapist showed me. She’ll turn her head to watch me when I’m working with her but she doesn’t struggle or complain one bit.
I must again say thank you for the well-wishes and support of this community.
Burt you knew who you were giving a bunch of cups to. Stop acting so high and mighty and accept the budget sink. Though I’ll give Sophie extra credit for defusing the situation. Get this lady a job at the station!
My cat loves to eat foam rubber (not styrofoam) and some other soft plastics. He also licks photos. I think I’m hiding/ridding the house of these items but he seems to find new items to nibble. Last month he ate painters tape and ended up at the vets (luckily it eventually passed through him).
I learned in an infant first aid class that styrofoam is dangerous, especially for babies. One particle when breathed in can cause pneumonia symptoms known as; Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis?SymptomsA long-term cough.Coughing up large amounts of mucus.Feeling short of breath. as it is not able to break down. The lungs fill up with fluid in an effort to expel the foreign object and baby would succumb quickly as their lungs are too little.
Good motion on Sophie’s part. Paper cups may also be more decroative, better for art.
Had a kid in Home Ec. in 8th grade who was a bit like Lupin when it came to coffee. Don’t know why but our Home Ec. teacher let us drink coffee if we wanted to. Well, he really didn’t drink coffee, it was more he drank coffee flavored sugar. He’d sit there and basically empty a sugar bowl into his coffee until he had sludge. He was hyper enough to begin with and then he had a reason to have more sugar. Don’t know waht happened to him as he moved away after the end of the year.
When I was a kid, my mom would make homemade ice cream. On time, my younger brother, aged 4 at the time, set his cup of ice cream on the porch and went in the house to get some chocolate to put on it. When he got back, all 4 of our month old kittens were crouched around it lapping it up just as fast as they could. What made it the funniest was that they were all shivering while eating it, their little kitten tails pointed straight up.
You can tell how long the discussion went on by Bea’s sketches. Poofy Elvis didn’t take very long to do, but then she took the next page to do a fairly involved flower, leaving space at the top to continue the minutes. I think Elvis was still raving while she did that, and then she just added Lupin’s comment above it.
McColl34 Premium Member over 1 year ago
Yay! Paper cups! I don’t much care for the Styrofoam cups, myself.
Le'letha Premium Member over 1 year ago
The dreaded “any other business” is invariably someone else’s.
Le'letha Premium Member over 1 year ago
Sunflower Elvis! XD
thelsrc over 1 year ago
Open ended questions are a great way to extend a boring meeting.
uncle snipe over 1 year ago
Dad Cat, on the case. He’s after the dreaded Sugar Gremlin, also known as Lupin!
WelshRat Premium Member over 1 year ago
Never mind the decaff, Lupin needs the desugared.
cb8ty over 1 year ago
Sophie spoke up quietly. She’s come such a long way. She has friends in the BPH.
dmah Premium Member over 1 year ago
But … but … I thought cats lack the receptors for sweetness and are essentially “sweet blind”?
Sue Ellen over 1 year ago
I would think the creamer packets would be more popular with cats than sugar packets, but then I realize these are not ordinary cats!
uncle snipe over 1 year ago
Once again, great doodles by Beatrix. Elvis poofed out never gets old.
I need a burrito over 1 year ago
Wow lupin wow
DorseyBelle over 1 year ago
Dandelion Elvis is instantly recognizable even in Beatrix’s simple sketch.
cwesling over 1 year ago
So, the little Beatrix doodles seem to be more frequent lately — does that mean Georgia’s hand is feeling better?
More_Cats_Than_Sense over 1 year ago
The correct number of sugar packets in a mug of coffee, is zero.
emiesty Premium Member over 1 year ago
*OT* TinyKittens report
Robin Harwood over 1 year ago
You might as well not bother attending these meetings, Elvis. Everyone has already decided that they will reject anything you say.
FreyjaRN Premium Member over 1 year ago
These notes are great!
Hubby posted! Hooray!
rs0204 Premium Member over 1 year ago
I have been thinking about the planet a lot lately and wondering what it will be like for my kids when they are my age. I am not optimistic. I did some research on paper vs. styrofoam, and this article seemed to take in a lot of the variables:
One Dutch study shows just how similar the environmental impacts of paper and polystyrene foam cups are when all factors are considered. The study looked at 10 categories of environmental impact, assessing each type of cup in each category. The researchers found that paper cups performed better in five categories, and polystyrene cups were better in the other five.
Compared to making paper cups, manufacturing polystyrene cups:
*requires about 42 percent less water
*needs about 17 percent less energy
*uses 22 percent less petroleum to source materials and ship cups
*doesn’t call for chemicals that can harm water if not disposed of properly, such as chlorine dioxide
*doesn’t necessitate the cutting of trees
In contrast, when compared to foam cups, paper cups:
*produce about 28 percent fewer greenhouse gasses
*decompose in a landfill in 20 years, as opposed to 1 million-plus
*decompose in water in just a few days, instead of 50 years
*are far easier to recycle and recycle at a higher rate
*aren’t toxic
Therefore, my conclusion is to always employ reusable cups. Both kids have water bottles that clip on their book bags at school; they seem to have the right idea.
Katzen1415 over 1 year ago
I accidentally read panel 3 first and was not disappointed at the description of Lupin shenanigans that led to it. There are just some days where you need to be a sugar gremlin.
Kitty Katz over 1 year ago
Meanwhile, Back on the Nile
Iggy: So we have a few scrolls showing plans for stringed instruments similar to what we have planned.
Mandy: What kind of music does your cousin like to play?
Iggy: He likes to play many different styles, but he does like fast, upbeat music. Definitely likes to be fun.
Lynn: Alright. I think we should design an instrument that is easy to hold, can play many different styles, and is durable..
Iron Glove: Will we need special tools as well?
Lynn: Yes we can design them, but we need someone skilled in metal work to actually create them.
Iron Glove: Then I’m your chipmunk.
Mandy: Right. Looks like we have a plan.
hfelder7219 over 1 year ago
“ sugar gremlin” – I can’t wait to use that term on someone!
JDP_Huntington Beach over 1 year ago
I am already having withdrawls from not having the sweet Sophie Illustrations …..anyone else?
Beatrix’s doodles are cute, but Sophie’s Art touches the soul.
gigagrouch over 1 year ago
But paper cups don’t squeak when you bite them.
Lady Alsace over 1 year ago
Does the heart in the last panel have a map of the earth on it? Or is it my imagination?
Sabrina17 over 1 year ago
Poof!
ladykat over 1 year ago
Paper is preferable to styrofoam, I believe; however, I carry water bottles and use a mug at home. At the cabin, I use a glass.
ladykat over 1 year ago
Elvis, Lupin eating sugar isn’t a reason for you to poof; however, Lupin, don’t eat the paper the sugar comes packaged in. It will make you ickly.
wuhts over 1 year ago
Only Georgia Dunn could fill four panels with writing and a few little drawings and make me look forward to it every day. Thank you.
bryan42 over 1 year ago
Ladybug Update: She is continuing to improve. She is walking nearly normal, if weakly. She’s almost regained bowel and bladder control and is eliminated regularly. She still only has minimal use of her tail but at least she does move the base of it a little bit when she’s posturing in the litterbox. She also seems to like the stretch that my therapist showed me. She’ll turn her head to watch me when I’m working with her but she doesn’t struggle or complain one bit.
I must again say thank you for the well-wishes and support of this community.
T_Lexi over 1 year ago
Lupin reminded me of my favorite line from Monster House: “It’s just a couple tater tots hopped up on too many pixy sticks.”
Jacob Mattingly over 1 year ago
Burt you knew who you were giving a bunch of cups to. Stop acting so high and mighty and accept the budget sink. Though I’ll give Sophie extra credit for defusing the situation. Get this lady a job at the station!
Gent over 1 year ago
No no no and no. Paper cups is lined with plastic on inside. Why you no use glass or steel cups? Or earthen or clay even.
david.reichert over 1 year ago
If you adopt a paper cup, are you required to name it?
Aspen_Bell over 1 year ago
Thank you, Georgia & Cats, & HAPPY EARTH DAY TO YOU!!!
LoriSA1 over 1 year ago
My cat loves to eat foam rubber (not styrofoam) and some other soft plastics. He also licks photos. I think I’m hiding/ridding the house of these items but he seems to find new items to nibble. Last month he ate painters tape and ended up at the vets (luckily it eventually passed through him).
Red Bird over 1 year ago
Her doodles are precious! Sunflower Elvis is definitely a keeper.
Daeder over 1 year ago
An addendum to add some money to the budget for crinkly packing paper was also passed unanimously.
tammyspeakslife Premium Member over 1 year ago
I learned in an infant first aid class that styrofoam is dangerous, especially for babies. One particle when breathed in can cause pneumonia symptoms known as; Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis?SymptomsA long-term cough.Coughing up large amounts of mucus.Feeling short of breath. as it is not able to break down. The lungs fill up with fluid in an effort to expel the foreign object and baby would succumb quickly as their lungs are too little.
willie_mctell over 1 year ago
Paper cups. Good choice. Get compostable ones.
knight1192a over 1 year ago
Good motion on Sophie’s part. Paper cups may also be more decroative, better for art.
Had a kid in Home Ec. in 8th grade who was a bit like Lupin when it came to coffee. Don’t know why but our Home Ec. teacher let us drink coffee if we wanted to. Well, he really didn’t drink coffee, it was more he drank coffee flavored sugar. He’d sit there and basically empty a sugar bowl into his coffee until he had sludge. He was hyper enough to begin with and then he had a reason to have more sugar. Don’t know waht happened to him as he moved away after the end of the year.
Da awesomest oof over 1 year ago
I just love that this is one of those comics where the characters actually grow up
Font Lady Premium Member over 1 year ago
When I was a kid, my mom would make homemade ice cream. On time, my younger brother, aged 4 at the time, set his cup of ice cream on the porch and went in the house to get some chocolate to put on it. When he got back, all 4 of our month old kittens were crouched around it lapping it up just as fast as they could. What made it the funniest was that they were all shivering while eating it, their little kitten tails pointed straight up.
Aspen_Bell over 1 year ago
You can tell how long the discussion went on by Bea’s sketches. Poofy Elvis didn’t take very long to do, but then she took the next page to do a fairly involved flower, leaving space at the top to continue the minutes. I think Elvis was still raving while she did that, and then she just added Lupin’s comment above it.
GojiTheKing about 2 months ago
I’m glad they’re helping the environment by using paper cups.