In April 2009, Frito-Lay launched an eco-friendly bag for its Sun Chips products to great fanfare, touting the bags' compostability, and the fact that they were made from plants not plastic. But, the bags soon became known for something besides their staunch environmentalism: Their noisiness. People complained. Facebook groups and YouTube videos mocked the bags' cacophonous nature. Sales of the snacks dropped by more than 11 percent in the course of a year. Now, Frito-Lay is returning to the old plastic bag for five of the six Sun Chips flavors, saying "We chose to respond to the consumer feedback but still want to show that we are committed." Smart move? (Watch a CBS report about the Sun Chips bags)
The Sun Chips bag is noise pollution: After performing tests on the problematic bags, CBS New York reports that they can yield noise levels greater than 100 decibels — more than a subway or a lawnmower, which weigh in at 90 and 85 decibels, respectively. Sure, the bag may be "healthy for our environment, but [it's] not so healthy" for our ears.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Kinmen Islands: Taiwan's frontline with ChinaIn Depth Just a few miles off the mainland, the Kinmen Islands could be attacked first if China invades Taiwan
-
Bellagio: glitz and glamour on the Las Vegas StripThe Week Recommends Find la dolce vita in the Nevada desert at this luxurious hotel
-
Melting glaciers may lead to more volcanic eruptionsUnder the radar We're in for a boom
