Speaking of ents…

Sustainable Business News:

Often referred to as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the North Pacific Gyre could be twice the size of Texas and contains about 3.5 million tons of trash – it’s called the world’s largest landfill.

Much of the trash is plastic that’s broken down into suspended particulates, a testament to humanity’s reliance on petroleum and our failure to dispose of products made from it properly. For years it was believed the trash was unredeemable.

Not any longer. A California-based green household and personal products company called Method has figured out a way to use plastic from the Gyre in the production of 100% post-consumer polyethylene bottles. 25% of the plastic used in the bottles is recovered from the Gyre.

Now that’s entertainm-ent!

Calling All Ents! Chip Cravaack’s In Your Neck Of The Woods!

Chip Cravaack’s office put out this press release yesterday:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Michael Bars
October 3, 2011 Office: 202-225-6211
PERMALINK Cell: 202-360-2894

MEDIA ADVISORY: U.S. Representatives Cravaack, Benishek, Duffy, Ribble, Announce Forestry Conference

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Chip Cravaack (MN-8) is pleased to join with House colleagues Benishek (MI), Duffy (WI), Ribble (WI), and industry leaders in a conference to discuss issues currently facing U.S. forestry operations, as well as to forecast future challenges.

What: The Forestry Policy Conference is a unique effort to highlight current policies impacting national forests and discuss opportunities that will allow better utilization of forest resources across the four congressional districts represented. A multi-state and multi-Congressional District Forestry Advisory Council will be announced for the purpose of providing ongoing advice and counsel to the four members.

Who: U.S. Representatives Dan Benishek M.D. (MI-1), Chip Cravaack (MN-8), Sean Duffy (WI-7), Reid Ribble (WI-8), industry leaders and others interested in forestry issues. Additionally, U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell will provide special remarks during the conference.

When & Where: Monday, Oct. 17, 2011; Nicolet College, 5364 College Drive, Rhinelander, WI; 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Why: There are six national forests in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan and the issues and concerns related to timber supply, transportation, regulatory reform and lawsuit reform are virtually the same in each state.

Description of the Event: In addition to the Chief Tidewell’s remarks, the conference will include four panel discussion topics, with the Representatives serving as moderators, on national forest management, timber supply and transportation issues, lawsuit reform, and regulatory reform.

Additional speakers include Chuck Meyers, Regional Forester, U.S. Forest Service, Milwaukee, WI; Rick Degen, Bennett Hardwoods, Inc., Green Bay, WI; State Representative Tom Tiffany, Hazelhurst, WI; State Senator Tom Casperson, Escanaba, MI; Henry Scheinebeck, Executive Director of the Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association, Rhinelander, WI; Jon Lamy, Regional Manager for Louisiana Pacific Corporation, Sagola, MI; Howard Hedstrom, President of Hedstrom Lumber, Grand Marais, MN; Jane Severt, Executive Director of the Wisconsin County Forests Association, Rhinelander, WI; Gary Zimmer, Regional Biologist from the Ruffed Grouse Society, Laona, WI; David Oberstar, Attorney with Fryberger, Buchanan, Smith & Frederick, Duluth, MN; John Piotrowski, Environmental Manager for the Packaging Corporation of America, Tomahawk, WI; ; John Gephart, Vice President of North Shore Forest Products, Duluth, MN; and Scott Robbins, Director of Forestry Initiatives for the Michigan Forest Products Council, White Pine, MI.

RSVP’s Encouraged: Space is limited; therefore, interested attendees should contact Lori Latham at (989) 448-881 to reserve a seat at the conference.

To RSVP for this event, or for more information, please click here.

I can hear the chainsaws being warmed up already.

1125 1014?

OK, the market has broken support on fairly heavy volume. As mentioned previously, the next stop according to technicians is around 1014 (a further 7.5% drop), a Fibonacci retracement of 61.8% from the top in summer 2008 to the bottom in March 2009. Asia and futures are red. Hong Kong, which according to Barry Ritholtz has been a pretty good predictor of our markets, is down 1.5%. SPY MINI futures have been rising, which suggests a morning bounce.

The main problem is (suhprayhz!) fear over European banks, but more accurately, the complete inability of Europe–and the US and China–to come to terms with the fundamental problems.