I haven’t given much thought to my own retirement, since it’s about 40 years away, but Lee Benson’s article on horticulturist Peter Murray has me thinking about how I’ll spend it. Will I pass my days relaxing at home, or will I take a page out of Peter’s book and save the earth?
Actually, Peter has managed to do a bit of both. After a 35-year career as a landscape architect, he knew he wanted to spend his retirement doing something to benefit the earth, although he wasn’t sure what.
He happened upon a startling article which reported that the world uses 5 trillion plastic bags every year, or 160,000 per second.
“When I read that, I was staggered,” Peter said. “I mean, it’s criminal, the harm we do, the damage we leave, to future generations.”
He put his lifelong study of plants to use and came up with a bag that is everything a plastic bag isn’t: handy, sturdy yet lightweight, cheaper (in the long run) and biodegradable. After a series of experiments, Peter created a lightweight cotton-jute bag that can hold up to 140 pounds — and if you happen to lose it in the woods, it will biodegrade in about two months.
Read more about Peter’s invention and its growth.
More in Utah
- Aikta Marcoulier & Marla Trollan: Military veterans are an important part of Utah’s economy (Deseret News)
- Utah officials reject request for study into proposed new Morgan County city (KSL)
- Creative arts therapy classes at the University of Utah to help those interested in the field (KSL)
- Provo firefighter killed while hiking in Escalante area of Southern Utah (KUTV)
- Yellow Lake Fire now 100% contained at just over 33K acres, officials say (ABC4)
- Police looking for missing Provo teen who could also be in West Valley City (FOX13)
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