From Inhabitat: 5 Ideas for an Eco-Friendly Fourth

For you last minute green people, check out these last minute July 4th ideas to keep your party real-green. I especially like the BYOC concept-bring your own cup. You could have a lot of fun with that one. Inhabitat is a cool weekly newsletter that shares dozens of news features and product ideas centered around green design.

What Happens to All of Those Empty Water Bottles?

Courtesy of Getty Images: Ever wonder what happens to all of those empty water bottles go that people throw away? This poor guy has figured it out as he struggles through the water bottle black hole found in the Pacific Ocean. Plastic accounts for 90% of all debris that floats in the ocean. Guess what is eating and absorbing the leaching chemicals of all of that trash? The seafood and fish that we enjoy via delicious sushi, fried fish sandwiches and tuna salad. One more reason to just say no to plastic and styrofoam or to at least recycle. The good news: The demand for biodegradeable plastic is on the rise.

For more information on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, check out Algalita.org, an organization dedicated to research on plastics impact on marine life.