Thoughts for the new year - the plastics problem

Discussion on living for a better and more responsible future
wildlifemad
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Re: Thoughts for the new year - the plastics problem

Post by wildlifemad »

I shop once a week & go out early (7.30am ish). A good proportion of the people shopping then are people popping in on their way to work & it amazes me how many buy a carrier bag, surely if you know you are going in the supermarket for a few bits its not that difficult to take a bag in with you. I never buy a bag & even refuse a used one if I buy something from the charity shop!
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Mo
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Re: Thoughts for the new year - the plastics problem

Post by Mo »

I was standing behind someone at the checkout who had a huge trolleyfull and was buying loads of bags, even for things that filled the bag and were already wrapped or in a box. She'd need the trolley to take them to the car, so what did she gain,
I keep a box in the car, or carry a shoulder bag or rucksack.
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wildlifemad
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Re: Thoughts for the new year - the plastics problem

Post by wildlifemad »

Obviously got more money than sense & no care for the environment Mo! It makes me so angry.
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manda
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Re: Thoughts for the new year - the plastics problem

Post by manda »

Just ban them altogether...problem solved....there are plenty of countries that have banned them.
Leave boxes for people to use, encourage strong bags - sell them at the checkout if need be, we also take a chilly bin for frozen foods / dairy
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kitla
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Re: Thoughts for the new year - the plastics problem

Post by kitla »

Just listened to radio 4 diiscussion about the issue. Apparently we only end up recycling about 2% of our plastics! No wonder it's become a problem.
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Richard
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Re: Thoughts for the new year - the plastics problem

Post by Richard »

I thought Teresa May spoke quite well on the 25 year Environment Plan this morning.
However....25 years could see 6, 7, 8 Governments from either Party, so without sealing these plans with legislation and law isn't really giving anyone, or wildlife, the guarantee of a better future.

Saying that, I take back some of the things said about Michael Gove, he has done some pretty decent things since he became Minister of the Environment.

As for Plastic Bags, either as Manda said, ban them or put the charges up to 25p per bag.
At present, 5p doesn't even touch the side of anyone's pocket.

Even then there's Crisps packets etc. etc.

Has to be education and stiff penalties for litter louts.
Problem is the finance to make sure this works.

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kitla
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Re: Thoughts for the new year - the plastics problem

Post by kitla »

Interesting, on the telly they were discussing ways we can use alternatives to disposable plastic - like cotton buds, always pick the ones without plastic tubes,(its never crossed my mind) and plastic staws - use paper ones. I remember paper straws being plain white & flimsy, but I just googled them & they are so pretty now, much nicer than plastic. A big issue is disposable coffee cups & water bottles - a quick search & I found foldable cups & bottles we can easily carry about. I think if the supermarkets would promote these alternative products - and they aren't too pricey - it could start to become the norm for alot of people. >fi<
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wildlifemad
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Re: Thoughts for the new year - the plastics problem

Post by wildlifemad »

I saw that on the One Show about cotton buds, etc, I didn't even know you could get them with paper sticks but I will look now. As others say its about finding alternatives & put the price up for single use carriers bags if you are not going to ban them. Tesco have stopped their 5p bag & only sell the re-usable ones. The girls on the tills said they got a lot of abuse when that came into force but it would be interesting to know if the usage has gone down even more now.
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manda
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Re: Thoughts for the new year - the plastics problem

Post by manda »

I was watching the news last night and saw Penzance is trying to become a plastic free town ...this is what needs to happen in every town ....I applaud them here's hoping the manufacturers start paying attention to this as it seems to be a topic that's gathering steam quickly.
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Re: Thoughts for the new year - the plastics problem

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all ,
Well couple of things . Anything China can do we could do. IE recycle and use it. Save shipping pollution give work to country and replace the European trade .
2 I recycle egg boxes so that's a start.
3 Now I know why when I get my fresh crisps that are all smashed at the
Bottom , some checked the contents.
4 I never take bags to super markets 2 resaon`s , one if I can not carry to van I do not need it (Money Saver ) Good till I get to the Reduced bit then all bets are off .Next I take to van and throw it in the back and bag it at home , Freezer , garage , tins cupboard and then fridge stuff .
If I done this at the supermarket I would have another thread about old men needing help to pack and taking to long and moaning to himself.
Plastic is a problem and so is living in the 21st century . Just needs a mind put to work to solve it.
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kitla
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Re: Thoughts for the new year - the plastics problem

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manda wrote:I was watching the news last night and saw Penzance is trying to become a plastic free town ...this is what needs to happen in every town ....I applaud them here's hoping the manufacturers start paying attention to this as it seems to be a topic that's gathering steam quickly.

I'm sure Cornwall is especially aware of the problem lately after seeing those awful pictures of the mounds of plastic litter washed onto the beaches by recent storm Eleanor. This isnt just a problem that's been around for years but only just being talked about now, when you see the stats charts it's shocking how fast plastics production is increasing every year. Personally I'd love to see the end of some of the multipaks in the supermarkets! I've just thrown away a big foil lined bag that contained a few snack packs of biscuits for my son's lunchbox. We can count! the tills can work out if we have 6 of something so get a cheaper price than buying less. We dont need plastic wrapped multipacks, just new shelving to hold single packs/tins
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manda
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Re: Thoughts for the new year - the plastics problem

Post by manda »

Or perhaps buy a large bag of crisps and use reusable containers for lunchboxes to put them in....then there is only one bag rather than 6 small ones (wax lined paper would be better but somehow I don't think that's going to happen). I do this here in NZ as the multipacks are a ridiculous price for not much in the way of crisps....I won't use their plastic / packaging and I want more for my money.
Son has a lunchbag and in that is a container for his sandwiches and crisps.....they are used for years.

Cheese go back to it being loose and it's gets wrapped in paper (I used to work on the cheese counter at Lancaster & Crooks - now the Coop in Park Gate Richard). It was easy to get and very little waste as a result.....I still think that manufacturers use of plastic has gone crazy and they should be taken to task on it....Governments need to take responsibility and do something now.
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p.penn
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Re: Thoughts for the new year - the plastics problem

Post by p.penn »

I went down to the garage for shopping today as it has an M&S. The fresh soup was in plastic tubs, the bread in plastic, ready meals same, and the pack of 4 cakes (I only discovered when I got them home) were in a plastic tray, then in a sealed plastic bag, then in a box with a large plastic window {mr.angry} I won’t be buying those again. I had thought maybe better from M&S
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kitla
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Re: Thoughts for the new year - the plastics problem

Post by kitla »

Just put money where mouth is....drove past the supermarkets & visited the wonderful little backstreet butcher (award winning no less) Had a great chat with him about all this stuff, came out with a bag (my own of course) full of really nice meat, from non intensive farms, wrapped in a few tiny, flimsy plastic bags. It wasnt a bargain, but for the quality I couldnt have found it cheaper elsewhere, and no plastic meat trays! It's a start!
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manda
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Re: Thoughts for the new year - the plastics problem

Post by manda »

It's how it starts though Kitla...lets be honest it's those bargains (much as I hate to say it) that are killing the planet we live on and producing the amount of waste we see.
Supply meeting demand is a thing of the past...they've gone way past that...and in turn created a population that believes that everything should be available to us as we want it when we want it.

It was one thing I really noticed when we came back to the UK a couple of years ago...to be honest when we first move to NZ I used to find the lack of choice "interesting" now even though it's grown massively it's still not on the same scale....visiting the Pesky's at Bursledon (which is a huge shop) I was completely overwhelmed with the choice....but not in a good way - it was ridiculous.
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