I’ve understood but that doesn’t mean most will!! Not everyone has a degree in plastics. So increasing the complexity of something is not always the answer. A plastic bottle is a plastic bottle most people will feel a plastic wrapper the same.......and so on. They’ll not be that interested in separating one from tother.....just my opinion!
Neddy this is one example, but nobody is saying we have to use 7 bins. It’s one way. If money was spent, then it could all go in one bin and be sorted centrally (or externally). That’s another. The point is, something needs to be done. It will cost time, attitude change and money. Without that we’re in trouble. My original point was beyond all this. It is the lack of education and or knowledge beyond plastic that is where we fall down and how the message is put over to the public and or how the governments react. The highlighting of plastics in the ocean on Blue Planet was without to doubt the first big trigger in truly widening the publics awareness to this. I am not saying it is not a problem but saying the message that is being delivered is wrong. Until that program, when I told people what I do for a living, they looked at me with a shrug and had no understanding or interest in what I do. It was a conversation stopper. Since that show and the media frenzy after it, people turn their nose up at me and look in disgust. This is genuinely true. One mate has me in his phone as “Dolphin murderer.” Last year I booked a room for some interviews at a hotel and the lady showing me to the room, upon hearing what I did, said, “Oh so your responsible for ruining the planet, I won’t use plastic anymore.” I genuinely had a long hard think about my future and if my conscience believed I should change my career; that’s how strong the media message was. Those are just two examples of the many I could give you. People react like this without any real knowledge. Same as in here. This started because Imps made an incorrect comment about “single use” plastic placards, which was a good example of the misinformation that is out there. People are running around wanting to ban plastic without understanding what the alternatives mean and although not many will admit it, it’s becasue they heard it on the television. They don’t know the environmental impact of using alternatives or the impact of using nothing. There is no doubt some uses of plastic that are not necessary but the current mindset has flicked the switch from Black to white. How many people know what will happen to food waste if plastic was removed? When was the last time anyone mentioned the chemicals used in making paper? How much energy it takes to produce or recycle glass? What is needed most of all is a change in human attitude, behaviour and understanding. This has to come from our governments and global organisations backed by government funding as well as from individuals who can’t be bothered to take 30 seconds extra when sorting the recycling out. My fear though is that those at the very top of the supply chains of life, stand to lose too much financially and that greed will prevent the right actions from happening. Please don’t not do the right things just because lots of people won’t or it takes a little extra effort.
Please don’t mis-understand me I understand the need for people to be made aware and the need for better education. I agree that the manufacturers have a responsibility and at the moment they are very lax.i also agree that it is not going to be easy to make people understand. I’m not knowledgable enough to suggest the best way out of the situation.
Recycling is great. But it won’t come close to solving the problem of over production. We need to use less, of everything, but especially of packaging. And as consumers, we have to reward with our custom those shops and businesses that behave responsibly. Have you seen how much plastic they put on their fruit in Waitrose? They’ve proved they will listen, because they’ve basically got rid of carrier bags, but a punnet of strawberries is encased in enough plastic to strangle a dolphin.
Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. everyone everywhere, Worldwide plastic bag use reduction. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phase-out_of_lightweight_plastic_bags We saw changes in Bali last year, more alternatives used papaya, bamboo and paper replacing plastic straws. That before the ban. There's also a big effort in education throughout Indonesia. A lot youth driven. http://whatsnewindonesia.com/bali/bali-bans-plastic-bags
Ever wondered why plastic is used on fruit? This is a classic response (sorry to use yours Archers). A better example would be packaging on toys. Too much and not necessary.
We need to educate people on not throwing plastic away........here's a video of a bag in the ocean trapping a fish ......thankfully the diver frees the fish.
Apologies Beddy. I get rather impatient with people these days. I've been patient for about 25-30 years. It occasionally runs out. Actually, you didn't quite understand. Nobody is suggesting 7 bins for consumers, but that is the level of separation required before recycling properly takes place. So somewhere in the system it has to be done. Edit: I should say, this is for plastic recycling only. Then there are the various metals, papers and garden waste, etc.
Because the quality of fruit in supermarkets is ****, and because it often travels miles to get to it’s destination. More locally sourced, organic produce would reduce the need for wrapping everything in plastic. Industrially produced fruit grown in tents starts to rot the second it’s picked, organic produce has a much better shelf life.
Correct, however even with local fruit, shelf life (and home shelf life) is extended even further with the packaging. If we increase food waste, we end up back at over production that you mentioned earlier and other effects on the environment.
Well yeah, so there needs to be a balance. In the meantime, I don’t buy fruit that’s over-packaged, and always look for something that’s locally sourced where possible (not bananas, obviously). It’s a particular irony that English apples are prized by chefs all over Europe, but our supermarkets are stocked with apples from Canada, the USA, and Italy. Why, ffs?
I agree with you on that... can’t beat a local cox’s pippin Best answer for this is a good local market.
When I lived in rural Kent between 1995-2001 I was surrounded by fruit fields, orchards and hops. 12 miles east was Ashford where I worked and occasionally shopped. Around September, the Kent apples started appearing. Not in the supermarkets though. I walked into Asda one day and stared at the rows of apples from NZ, Italy, Spain, South Africa, etc. No Kent or English apples at all. 'No demand for them, Sir' was the answer to my enquiry. As for cherries, raspberries... Kent apples eventually went straight to cider. Other English apples started to disappear entirely. In 2000 we were already being made well aware that we ought to be eating local produce. This isn't some abrupt new message that has just appeared. Just that people don't listen because the idea of eating something across the world is more attractive than paying attention to advice that they don't quite understand. And supermarkets play at being good responsible retailers, but basically they offer zero real information or help. It's not supplying the public with what they want either. It's creating a market for the produce and pushing it until it takes hold/takes over.
This and profit. A South African Apple probably offers far greater profit, despite having to ship it half way round the world. Crazy. We should also eat seasonal fruit and veg, in their season.
