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17 May 99 - juice concentrates; four-legged weed killers ** WASTE PREVENTION FORUM ** -- A project of the National Waste Prevention Coalition --------------------- The first five postings are in response to the 5/14/99 posting about unfrozen concentrated juices sold in the supermarket in aluminum cans: --------------------- >From Stephen Long, Massachusetts Dept. of Environmental Quality Engineering, Boston, MA: Juice concentrate (unfrozen) has been around as long as I can remember. Here are some random thoughts and anecdotal examples based on my own experience: - In the early 1970s, a company called Zyrex made juice concentrate (typical grape, orange and other flavors) that was sold in the Northeastern US. - In 1980, as an exchange student in France, I remember a HUGE variety of concentrate flavors, including mint that was mixed with Pernod (yum!). - The concentrate craze has hit the bigger manufacturers somewhat more recently. I've been buying the concentrate since the late 1980s. Since that time, Ocean Spray switched containers from aseptic, to plastic to aluminum. Mott's also offers the concentrate. I've never seen any advertising on source reduction for these products. - The ratio of concentrate to water recommended by the manufacturer makes for a pretty syrupy mix, so I do my own source reduction by making a diluted mixture (water or seltzer) on a glass-by-glass basis. - For the recyclers out there, most companies which make frozen juice concentrate (Welch's for one) are changing containers from the metal-ended cardboard tube to a plastic called PEN. PEN will have an impact on HDPE and PET markets. E-mail: Stephen (D O T) Long (A T) state (D O T) ma (D O T) us ------------------- >From Barb Nesheim, Metro Area Exchange, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN: Regarding unfrozen concentrated juice in cans: Ocean Spray has offered a limited variety here in the Minneapolis area for over a year. I'm not exactly sure when they started it. I noticed they had expanded their flavor offerings yesterday. So far I haven't seen this from Libby, or Welch's, although I haven't looked either.... E-mail: neshe005 (A T) tc (D O T) umn (D O T) edu -------------------- >From Barbara Frierson, City of Alameda, CA: This new juice packaging has been available in the Bay Area for many months -- maybe even a year. I agree it's a great packaging solution, and user-friendly to boot! E-mail: bfrierso [ A T ] ci [ D O T ] alameda [ D O T ] ca [ D O T ] us ------------------- >From Jim Schrock, Earthworks Recycling, Spokane, WA: I've been seeing those unfrozen canned concentrate juices around, I'd guess... for about one or two years now. I like having a couple around because they don't clutter up the freezer or refrigerator and, like you say, the recyclability of the can. E-mail: jschrock [AT] cet [DOT] com -------------------- >From Jeffrey Smedberg, County of Santa Cruz Public Works, Santa Cruz, CA: Re: Concentrated juice. Lots of environmental plusses. Anyone done a taste comparison? Do any of the brands offer their juice in all 3 packages: juice bottle, concentrate in can, frozen concentrate? That would be a good set-up for comparisons. E-mail: DPW179 [A T] SCRUZA [D O T] cahwnet [D O T] gov ------------------- Excerpted from article in the 5/16/99 New York Times (no byline): A herd of about 100 Cashmere goats has been munching at a Denver city park and other weed-choked areas around the city since April. It's part of a City of Denver program to fight invasive weeds that have taken over native plants and wildlife habitats. "We hope the goats will reduce our use of herbicides and pesticides in the long run," said Judy Montero, a Denver Parks and Recreation Department spokeswoman. This year, the city will spend $50,000 in grant money on this experimental weed control program. The goats will be used to help restore 25 to 35 acres within the city limits. An Alpine, Wyoming, company called Land Whisperer is leasing the goats to the city. Goats prefer broadleaf weeds to grass, unlike cows and horses, which graze grass first, according to Lani Lamming, who owns the company with her husband Fred. The goats, which work in two four-hour shifts daily in a temporarily fenced-in area, can mow down about one acre per day. The cost of a job varies depending on conditions, but Lamming estimates the average cost is $100 per acre, using 50 to 100 goats. In the past, the city has relied on mechanical mowing, spraying herbicides and pesticides and pulling weeds by hand. But those methods have hazards: air pollution from mowing and contamination of groundwater from chemical sprays. "The goats alone can't get rid of the weeds," said Gayle Weinstein, a naturalist for the parks department. She said the goats could work the same site only about three times during a growing season and still get enough to eat. After that, most of the seed heads should be gone. "Then we'll come in and spray when the plants are weakened," she said. "Maybe with this combination we could get rid of the weeds in a couple of years." - end -