Day Ninety-Two: hopeful plastic!

This article really got me thinking today. After all the discussion about 'nasty plastic' (i.e. shopping bags) that has dominated the news - and this blog - over the last few days, this story seemed particularly apt. According to the New Scientist, EU investment has facilitated the development of plastic optical fibers that can carry ultra-high-speed broadband. They are cheap, easy to install, and allow a speed of connection around 50 times that of ASDL. They have many other advantages over the usual copper wires too, being more flexible, tougher (the same lack of biodegradability that makes plastic such a menace in bag form, one presumes!) and very easy to install. All of which made me think that this might be good news not just for Europeans but for others too - offering new potential to improve communication and access to knowledge via broadband in developing countries. Question: When is 'nasty plastic' in fact 'good plastic'? Answer: when it's in the right place at the right time for the right reason!