In the 1967 film "The Graduate," Mr. McGuire advises protagonist Ben Braddock, "There's a great future in plastics." A handful of recent UC Davis graduates have heeded that advice and are building the next generation of plastic. Their company, Micromidas, processes sewage sludge, the hardened layer of waste from sewage treatment facilities, into Polyhydroxyalkanoates, or PHAs. Simply put, it turns poop into plastic. Founder and CEO John Bissell said he was motivated ethically and economically to form a truly "green" plastic company in all aspects of production. Micromidas uses bio-waste and biological methods to create biodegradable plastic. The idea that in the right conditions, bugs c

Creepy, crawly, slithery critters abound!  The reptiles at the 12th Annual Sacramento Reptile Show were the stars at the Sacramento Convention Center.  The show, which began Saturday, will continue through Sunday and should average about 10,000 reptilian enthusiasts and animal fans alike over the weekend. With strollers packing in the 15,000 square-foot Exhibit Hall, people of all ages appeared amazed at the wide selection of chameleons, bearded dragons, pythons, and poison dart frogs.  Vendors with colorful signs were selling everything from reptilian food, assorted enclosures and incubators.  Many of the vendors were offering promotional discounts for this special show. Jeremy and Ange