I listened to an NPR conversation last week -- they talked about the "biodegradable" and "compostable" cups and bags... basically it takes specialized recycling ability to actually get the compost "hot" enough to compost the cups (which most recyclers are not yet doing), and the bags only biodgrade over long periods of time, IF exposed currectly to the environment (which the point out is unlikely in a large pile of garbage at the dump). It seems overwhelming to know the right thing to do.

One person suggested using the compostable cups to plant seedlings in (put them straight into the ground once big enough to replant the seedlings). Said he thought that in that environment it could be fairly broken down in 1-2 years, but no one had studied it.

It would be nice to find garbage bags made from a large percentage of recycled products, not just "recyclable" in their own right. I'll keep looking! In the mean time, I just try to keep the actual garbage down to a minimum and remember my bags and cups from home. THANKS for all the suggestions here. Important topic to chat about.