Drowning in plastic

[hickybank]

If you watched the program last night, were you as shocked stunned & upset as I was, I was in tears.
Just how can it be cleared up, I think it is far to late for that,.
The damage has been done & is irreversible in my mind.
Even if the major countries clean up their act, it is not going to happen in Indonesia, as they treat the river as a garbage dump & no money to change it
Why is the human race hell bent on destroying our wonderful planet.
I despair

[Ratatouille]

Yes we did hicky and, like you, we were so upset we couldn't get to sleep last night
However , as Mr R pointed out this orning there are somethings to be done - mainly education. If only that had happened 20 years ago before the world became so addicted to the bloody stuff.

Our abiding memory of spending time in the High Atlas Mountains in Morocco 15 years ago was of a sea of black plastic bags draped over every bush and rock

[suffolk]

Even if the major countries clean up their act, it is not going to happen in Indonesia, as they treat the river as a garbage dump & no money to change it

A bit more globalism and a bit less national isolationism would be a start ... but with Trump in charge in the US that's a pipe dream at the moment ... not only will he not contemplate taking on a shared responsibility, the US will be making more of the damned stuff thanks to his obeisance to the powerful US petro-chemical industry

[earthmaiden]

I didn't watch the programme but think I have some idea of what it would have shown.

We can't change the past but have no excuse not to start from our own backyards and support change for the future. We should be looking very carefully at what environmental groups are warning of now as well and campaigning for change to start now rather than in 50 years time which is what happened with warnings first put out in the '60's. There are brilliant young and innovative people out there already coming up with ideas, let's pray they are not stifled.

[suffolk]

I didn't watch the programme but think I have some idea of what it would have shown.

We can't change the past but have no excuse not to start from our own backyards and support change for the future. We should be looking very carefully at what environmental groups are warning of now as well and campaigning for change to start now rather than in 50 years time which is what happened with warnings first put out in the '60's. There are brilliant young and innovative people out there already coming up with ideas, let's pray they are not stifled.

Hear! hear! EM

[hickybank]

Humankind has a lot to answer for, for the pain,distress & death we inflict on the wildlife that we share this planet with.
Out of sight out of mind.
not our problem, pretend it is not happening
Supermarkets say they are doing their bit,
so why when you but prepacked meat or fish, that's already in a plastic tray sealed in plastic, do they ask you if you want it in a separate plastic bag,
And why oh why doe's so much fresh veg have to be in plastic bags.
I am sorry supermarkets are not listening or just not interested
Rant over

[suffolk]

Some supermarkets are trying

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... astic-bags

[earthmaiden]

I think they're trying. It is only recently that the need for change has come into the limelight (of course, it would have been nice if they had taken the initiative before that as it isn't exactly a new thing). It will take a while to get new suppliers/sources of alternative packaging material. There are downsides to most types too. Getting rid of single use stuff will be a start. The amount of 'disposable items one is offered when out and about is breathtaking.

Compostable Vegware is all very well but is it a food byproduct or is food crop land being used for growing packaging instead?

[StokeySue]

One thing that always puzzles me

Most things that are recyclable have recycling symbols on them (the triangular loop)

Where is the global symbol for “this item made of recycled material” perhaps with a % next to it?

And why is it so difficult to recycle items other than packaging? Easy enough to recycle a little shampoo bottle, but how do you recycle a bucket or washing up bowl? Should in fact be easier to recycle as a big lump of usually a single material. Our reuse and recycle centre used to have a skip for such plastics, but it went long ago. And in an area where less than 1/3 of households have access to vehicle, pedestrian access it isn’t really designed for pedestrian access

[Suelle]

Is it really fair to blame the consumer? Unless you are part of the minority who throws litter down into the street, surely the main responsibility rests with those who dispose of our garbage? I recycle carefully, only to hear that plastic is probably sent to landfill anyway, or maybe shipped to third world countries in the hope that they deal with it responsibly and not just dump it in their rivers.

Where are the incinerators for power generation, for plastics which can't be put back into the manufacturing chain? Why aren't councils doing more, and checking the integrity of their disposal systems?

Of course, we can use less plastic, but there will still be a large amount used for many years to come - we've grown reliant on it.

[Ratatouille]

We can't just get out of it that easily Suelle. If every single educated person doesn't do something then we will indeed drwon in the stuff.
Many folks who do just use the oceans as rubbish dumps do it because they don't know any better and it's up to the rest of the world to help/teach them otherwise.

As suffs said earlier when there are admisitrations like the USA who deny and desist, the job is several times more difficult.

I do my best, as we all should but i know I could do better. I should, for example stop people coming out of the supermarket with a whole trolley load of bottled water and ask them "Why?" The water here is perfectly nice to drink. I have battled for years with my Danish friends who insist on only drinking bottled water. They don't get it when they come here and they haven't been poisoned!

[hickybank]

If every bottle that was recyclable had a 10p deposit on it, surely that would encourage people to return them rather than chucking them anywhere, 'it worked in the past

[Meganthemog]

My DD commented last night as we were unpacking the shopping and sorting the recycling that we seem to be getting more plastic rather than less each month. One of our local shops has stopped selling water in plastic bottles but only stocks cans. I bought one to see what it was like - the water wasn't pleasant and didn't quench my thirst at all - it had a vaguely metallic taste. I think too that psychologically I expected a fizz from a can and the still water just felt odd. it Was expensive too at 99p for 330 ml.

[Ratatouille]

There really is no need for people in most countries under normal circumstances. A filter jug helps remove chlorine tastes etc. Of course in situations like in Indonesia at the moment any sort of drinkable water is essential and unfortunately - or more realistically - fortunately plastic containers make the distribution easier and cheaper. So I suppose it's up to scientists to come up with a light but more envitonmentally friendly alternative.

[StokeySue]

I took this pic of my local convenience store this summer, still looks just the same. You can drink the water here.

[PatsyMFagan]

John, my business partner's son insists on only drinking water that is sold in plastic bottles . The Antique shop used to be a plumber's, so you would think they would have a safe water supply John insists that he knows where tap water comes from and so wouldn't touch it ! I have tried explaining that tap water goes through many more H&S testing than any water bought in a bottle.

I too saw most of the programme a was full of dismay at the situation we are now in that is only going to get worse I do as best I can at home, but feel so helpless … I despair that I STILL see customers putting bananas and loose veg in the small plastic bags

[WWordsworth]

Yep, why on earth do people put loose oranges and bananas in a plastic bag.
Sometimes I really really want to say something.

[PatsyMFagan]

Yep, why on earth do people put loose oranges and bananas in a plastic bag.
Sometimes I really really want to say something.

A couple of months ago a very 'helpful' shopper pointed out to me that there were plastic bags just for bananas, oranges and such like ... I think she wondered whatever hit her when I told her what I thought of her suggestion

[earthmaiden]

I can understand multiples of things like apples and oranges as it keeps them together, but not a bunch of bananas or two oranges. I was given some reusable cloth bags some time ago to use instead, so light the weight is negligible. Paper bags would be good, they probably get a lot if wastage from ones that people year but maybe we'll see them soon.

[StokeySue]

I think many shoppers think you are “supposed” to put all loose fruit and veg into a bag, so that it is a single package when you get to the checkout.

I take reusable mesh bags to markets and supermarkets, and my green grocer uses paper, but I don’t use bags there for most things, we have agreed it’s silly to pack everything up when it’s going into a clean cloth bag to be carried less than 100 metres

[Ratatouille]

When I shop in the market i just hand over my basket and the stuff goes in there. I was told off in the supermarket for not using a bag for every item. The bags are biodegradable but you really don't need a bag for a single cabbage.