As reported today in the New York Times,

three leading plastic bag manufacturers are now suing ele-friends ChicoBag for “illegal trash-talking about plastic bag waste.”

ChicoBag inventor and president Andy Keller — seen here on Walk the Talk Show from the LOHAS forum in 2008 — suggests that,

“the [plastic bag] industry was going after a small competitor because “their product” had “become the poster child of unnecessary waste.”

According to the instigators of this legal action,

ChicoBag’s Web site cites Environmental Protection Agency information that is outdated. The E.P.A. no longer endorses estimates like the one ChicoBag cited: that only 1 percent of plastic bags are recycled.

In response, Mr. Keller points out that,

An industry site used the same figure until recently… [and] Hilex Poly’s Web site also appeals to the environmentally conscious, promoting new reusable or biodegradable products and encouraging reduction in paper bag waste. He said, “We agree on all those things. Their business is single-use bags, mine is reusable bags — we disagree on the proper course of action.”

Fortunately, it appears the pettiness of this lawsuit is apparent to all involved, and the plaintiffs face an uphill legal battle.

Rick Kurnit, a lawyer familiar with the relevant precedents (namely “the Lanham Act, prohibiting false and misleading advertising”) explains the triviality of the complaint, saying that

If a consumer cares about the environment, lowering their footprint, if he cares about disposal — would it really matter if the swirling mass in the Pacific is the size of Texas or just Rhode Island?

Personally? The answer is no, it makes no difference. Either way, I know we need to drastically alter our mundane habits if we expect to continue to enjoy life on this beautiful planet.

Click here for the full article…

Bonus video:

Waylon Lewis interviews Andy Keller and the Bag Monster:

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Born on planet Earth, David Telfer McConaghay has since wandered across its surface in search of something which, when found, kindly insists that he continue searching. He completed his B.A. in English & Creative Writing at The George Washington University in 2008. Experiences at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm are the primary source of any yogic inspiration David aka Sri Nivasa may express. He plays on Facebook Here and can be followed on Twitter Here