Should we be more worried about plastic than global warming?

A place to discuss politics and things related to Govts
Message
Author
User avatar
ExSp33db1rd
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 3229
Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2015 1:51 am
Location: Lesser Antipode
Gender:
Age: 89

Re: Should we be more worried about plastic than global warming?

#301 Post by ExSp33db1rd » Fri Jan 24, 2020 2:36 am

Just visited a new take-away Sushi business. Help yourself from the display counters with the tongs provided, and use either plastic or cardboard boxes to take away your selection. Plastic boxes free, cardboard boxes charged 30c. Guess which I chose ? ( Clue - born in Yorkshire. )

BenThere
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 3804
Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2015 12:54 am
Location: Michigan/Quintana Roo
Gender:
Age: 72

Re: Should we be more worried about plastic than global warming?

#302 Post by BenThere » Fri Jan 24, 2020 10:24 am

Plastic, to me is a far greater problem than climate change. In many of its forms it is non-biodegradable and is dumped wantonly world-wide. It needs to be recycled or incinerated so as to leave no trace. Cellulose-based materials that can be formed into plastic replacing products, I think, offer a lot of alternatives to petroleum-based plastic. Plant based cellulose is biodegradable as it is plant based and will return to soil, or it can be incinerated as well, producing energy. It is also one of the most plentiful elements on the planet.

Capetonian

Re: Should we be more worried about plastic than global warming?

#303 Post by Capetonian » Fri Jan 24, 2020 11:09 pm

I've been banging on about this for years. I am so irritated when I go into a supermarket and see an aisle full of plastic bottles of water, and people walking out with packs of them - shrink wrapped in plastic. More expensive and in most places inferior to what comes out of the tap.
Let’s make 2020 the year we give up bottled water
One Change: One million plastic bottles are sold every minute, and only half are recycled

This year it is estimated that more than half a trillion plastic bottles will be sold globally

Almost one million plastic bottles are bought every minute around the world. Of these, fewer than half are recycled – the rest will take more than 400 years to decompose in landfills.

From soft drinks to shampoo and household cleaners, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles have become all-pervasive. The introduction of this lightweight material transformed the retail sector in the 1970s and beyond – but its affect on the environment has been devastating, with a massive increase in plastic waste finding its way into the oceans and harming marine life.

Despite efforts to reduce the presence of single-use plastics, progress is extremely slow. The EU voted to outlaw 10 single-use plastic items, including straws, forks and knives by 2021, and by 2029 at least 90 per cent of beverage bottles will have to be collected and recycled. Imports of plastics to Ireland, however, show that there’s still plenty of it coming into the country (last year imported plastics had increased in value to €1.67 billion).

Meanwhile, the build-up of plastic waste continues. This year it is estimated that more than half a trillion plastic bottles will be sold globally.

So what can we do about it? Drink more tap water, for a start. An estimated 183 million litres of water were bought in Republic of Ireland in 2017, according to Drinks Industry Ireland. Buying bottled water when there is no alternative – or a boil water notice has been issued – is one thing; buying it as a lifestyle choice is a whole other issue, and a big part of the problem with our throwaway, on-the-go culture.

Bottled water requires up to 2,000 times the energy used to produce tap water. Consider its production, transportation and refrigeration – and it’s easy to see how. These days most cafes and restaurants are pretty good at setting out jugs of water for customers (instead of urging us to order still or sparkling). If you’re not a fan of the taste of your tap water, you can have a small filter tap installed at your sink for a reasonable fee, or purchase a filter jug for your fridge. Many fridges also now have built-in filter taps.

And don’t forget your reusable water bottle. If you’re out and about – or doing some new year’s exercising – check out Refill Ireland’s website for a handy map of nearby water fountains. It’s great to see Dublin Airport has also introduced refilling water stations for travellers, and here’s hoping lots more towns and cities across the country start to roll them out over the next year too.

One Change is a weekly column about the changes - big and small - that we can all make in our daily lives for the good of the planet

User avatar
Mrs Ex-Ascot
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 4581
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2015 7:18 am
Location: Botswana but sometimes Greece
Age: 59

Re: Should we be more worried about plastic than global warming?

#304 Post by Mrs Ex-Ascot » Tue Feb 18, 2020 11:15 am

Despite this being from the Groiniad, it is very well written and interesting too; https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/202 ... od-experts :)
RAF 32 Sqn B Flt ; Twin Squirrels.

User avatar
Mrs Ex-Ascot
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 4581
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2015 7:18 am
Location: Botswana but sometimes Greece
Age: 59

Re: Should we be more worried about plastic than global warming?

#305 Post by Mrs Ex-Ascot » Wed Feb 26, 2020 7:00 am

It's not just plastic packaging that is a major problem; https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... frica.html

Why do people have to buy so many clothes? At the moment I am wearing a fifteen year old t shirt and a twenty five year old jumper. My shorts are very new though, only three years old. :D And no I don't look like a scruff bag like Prince Harry in the photo of him in todays DM ;))) o:-)
RAF 32 Sqn B Flt ; Twin Squirrels.

User avatar
barkingmad
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 5497
Joined: Mon Nov 02, 2015 9:13 pm
Location: Another Planet
Gender:
Age: 75

Re: Should we be more worried about plastic than global warming?

#306 Post by barkingmad » Wed Feb 26, 2020 10:33 am

Let’s all hope we’ve got a spare £100,000 laying around ready for the Great all-electric future in the UK and elsewhere?!



Our politicians are very good at posturing and making the right green noises but like the infamous H2S project they really have not done their sums. But then the Diane Abbott mathematics process must be as infectious as Covid-19. I hope I got that number right? But then I’m not wasting millions of taxpayers’ money.

User avatar
Mrs Ex-Ascot
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 4581
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2015 7:18 am
Location: Botswana but sometimes Greece
Age: 59

Re: Should we be more worried about plastic than global warming?

#307 Post by Mrs Ex-Ascot » Mon Mar 02, 2020 6:11 am

If there is plastic in rain because there is plastic in the air, then that means that we are breathing in plastic too; https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... -lake.html :(
RAF 32 Sqn B Flt ; Twin Squirrels.

AtomKraft
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 2549
Joined: Wed Aug 26, 2015 8:05 am
Location: Planet Claire
Gender:
Age: 63

Re: Should we be more worried about plastic than global warming?

#308 Post by AtomKraft » Mon Mar 02, 2020 7:14 am

Who cares?
You live for a while, then ya dee!

PHXPhlyer
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 8239
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2018 2:56 pm
Location: PHX
Gender:
Age: 69

Re: Should we be more worried about plastic than global warming?

#309 Post by PHXPhlyer » Mon Mar 02, 2020 3:42 pm

Like I explained to my kids:
We're all dying; some just dying faster than others! :ymdevil: :))

PP

User avatar
Mrs Ex-Ascot
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 4581
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2015 7:18 am
Location: Botswana but sometimes Greece
Age: 59

Re: Should we be more worried about plastic than global warming?

#310 Post by Mrs Ex-Ascot » Tue Mar 10, 2020 7:18 am

An interesting article despite being from the Daily Wail; https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech ... nough.html :)
RAF 32 Sqn B Flt ; Twin Squirrels.

User avatar
Mrs Ex-Ascot
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 4581
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2015 7:18 am
Location: Botswana but sometimes Greece
Age: 59

Re: Should we be more worried about plastic than global warming?

#311 Post by Mrs Ex-Ascot » Tue Mar 31, 2020 5:59 am

RAF 32 Sqn B Flt ; Twin Squirrels.

Capetonian

Re: Should we be more worried about plastic than global warming?

#312 Post by Capetonian » Tue Mar 31, 2020 7:23 am

Depressing rather than interesting.

Plastic water in most countries should be banned as there is very little justification for its use, if people need carbonated water they can buy a machine to make it at home, in the office, etc.

User avatar
Mrs Ex-Ascot
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 4581
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2015 7:18 am
Location: Botswana but sometimes Greece
Age: 59

Re: Should we be more worried about plastic than global warming?

#313 Post by Mrs Ex-Ascot » Tue Apr 07, 2020 5:58 am

This seems to be a cheap and useful development by the Japanese; https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech ... water.html :)
RAF 32 Sqn B Flt ; Twin Squirrels.

AtomKraft
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 2549
Joined: Wed Aug 26, 2015 8:05 am
Location: Planet Claire
Gender:
Age: 63

Re: Should we be more worried about plastic than global warming?

#314 Post by AtomKraft » Tue Apr 07, 2020 6:11 am

Could we not devise some sort of heat powered water purifier?

We could run it on Chinese...

User avatar
Mrs Ex-Ascot
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 4581
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2015 7:18 am
Location: Botswana but sometimes Greece
Age: 59

Re: Should we be more worried about plastic than global warming?

#315 Post by Mrs Ex-Ascot » Wed Apr 08, 2020 3:41 pm

RAF 32 Sqn B Flt ; Twin Squirrels.

User avatar
Mrs Ex-Ascot
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 4581
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2015 7:18 am
Location: Botswana but sometimes Greece
Age: 59

Re: Should we be more worried about plastic than global warming?

#316 Post by Mrs Ex-Ascot » Fri Apr 24, 2020 3:35 pm

This is an interesting article highlighting an excellent project in Chile; https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/ ... onia-chile :-bd
RAF 32 Sqn B Flt ; Twin Squirrels.

User avatar
Mrs Ex-Ascot
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 4581
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2015 7:18 am
Location: Botswana but sometimes Greece
Age: 59

Re: Should we be more worried about plastic than global warming?

#317 Post by Mrs Ex-Ascot » Sun May 17, 2020 7:19 am

This is a promising development by the Cloggies; https://www.theguardian.com/environment ... -in-a-year :)
RAF 32 Sqn B Flt ; Twin Squirrels.

G-CPTN
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 7593
Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2018 11:22 pm
Location: Tynedale
Gender:
Age: 79

Re: Should we be more worried about plastic than global warming?

#318 Post by G-CPTN » Sun May 17, 2020 1:00 pm

Mrs Ex-Ascot wrote:
Sun May 17, 2020 7:19 am
This is a promising development by the Cloggies; https://www.theguardian.com/environment ... -in-a-year :)
Good news, but how do we recover all the everlasting plastic already out there?

BenThere
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 3804
Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2015 12:54 am
Location: Michigan/Quintana Roo
Gender:
Age: 72

Re: Should we be more worried about plastic than global warming?

#319 Post by BenThere » Sun May 17, 2020 6:54 pm

We've got to scoop it up and recycle/burn it. Also prevent its emanation from the sources.

Pontius Navigator
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 14669
Joined: Fri Jul 07, 2017 8:17 am
Location: Gravity be the clue
Gender:
Age: 80

Re: Should we be more worried about plastic than global warming?

#320 Post by Pontius Navigator » Mon May 18, 2020 7:31 am

I used to make a few bob collecting glass bottles in Cyprus. I would collect them off the sea bed. The Cyps had everything on deposit including cardboard wine boxes. People still chucked stuff but there was a benefit for litter pickers.

Instead of council recycling collections where only 2 out of about 8 types of plastic are acceptable we should bag it and have a cash for weight reward. With the council collection, if it looks like plastic in it goes good or bad, and mixed with dirty tins and all sorts of paper and cardboard.

Remember before they invented recycling we used to bundle a week's collection of newspapers and they were collected by Boy Scouts? Remember aluminium can collections? There used to be can-crushers and sacks of aluminium earned hard cash.

Post Reply