Science takes patience. I made sure to check on the progress of the decline of the two plastic bags when we were last at Roundrock, but I hoped for something more dramatic to report.

If you recall my first post on this subject, you know that I have set two common plastic grocery bags in an exposed area in the forest so that I can check on their decay from natural forces. One of them (in the lower right of the photo above) is a regular grocery store bag that you can find blowing about the countryside or choking sea turtles just about everywhere. The second (upper left) is one I got from a local natural foods store that is suppose to biodegrade over time (the bag, not the store). I think the common grocery bag can be expected to last forever. (I had hoped to score another bag — one that would decay in only a few weeks — from a certain visitor from Oregon, but she seemed to have forgotten to pack a sample when she came.) My thought was that I could compare the decay of the bags and then draw profound conclusions from the observation.

There’s not much to report thus far, though. All that I noticed was that the printing on the bags has become a bit faded. It’s a start down the long road of decline, and I really do intend to keep you well informed about this thrilling experiment in the months and years to come.

Missouri calendar:

• Canada goose population at waterfowl areas is at its peak.

Posted by: Roundrockjournal    Source

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