Yes, we know.

Not only has a been a while since we spoke with you, dear reader, but important things have been happening -- things that require the insight you have come to depend upon from our informed and, dare we say, charming experts at The Thin Green line.

Well too bad this isn't going to be one of those days.

We're too excited about an announcement from Coca Cola, first reported here, that it's signature brown bottle may soon get a little bit greener.

"The world's largest beverage company says its new PlantBottle™ is recyclable, has a lower reliance on a non-renewable resource, and reduces carbon emissions compared with petroleum-based PET plastic bottles," the Environmental News Service reported.

"PET plastic bottles are made from petroleum, a non-renewable resource. The new bottle is made from a blend of petroleum-based materials and up to 30 percent plant-based materials such as sugar cane and molasses. "

What can we say but "wow."

The new "plant bottle," will be piloted with Dasani and sparkling water brands in select markets later this year and with vitamin water in 2010.

"The Coca-Cola Company is a company with the power to transform the marketplace, and the introduction of the PlantBottle is yet another great example of their leadership on environmental issues," Carter Roberts, president and chief executive of World Wildlife Fund, U.S., told ENS.

And while yes, we are tempted to make all sorts of snarky comments about a bottle of Coke's power to dissolve a nail or cook a steak (it once took the paint off the hood of our 1979 Thunderbird which had over-heated one sad July day near Fort Apache in the Bronx), but we'll refrain.

Because what Roberts said is true. They do have the power to transform a marketplace in desperate need of further transformation.

So we say again: "Wow."

Now we're pining for that other 70 percent. Then when we have a Coke, we'll smile.