Every day is Earth Day. Let's talk about ways to make it better.
Comments
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Meltdown99 said:5 countries dump more plastic into the oceans than the rest of the world combined
https://www.pri.org/stories/2016-01-13/5-countries-dump-more-plastic-oceans-rest-world-combinedVery good (even though also very disturbing) article. It points out that the many poor people in the five countries (all Asian) can only afford small packets of items like shampoo and these smaller plastic packaging don't get picked up and recycled like some of bottles do. It's also very discouraging to read about the garbage truck that dump trash on the side of the road and that 90% of the plastic ends up in the ocean. Looking at the photos in the article is like looking at a world gone to hell.Why the hell is everything going plastic these days? My wife and I were on the way out to the car after work today and she spotted an empty flask-sized booze bottle on the ground. It was plastic. They put booze in plastic now?! WTF? (We brought the bottle home and put it in the bag of recycling.)What can be done to stop this? It's so discouraging, especially considering the vast majority of the plastic in the ocean is under the surface, much of it breaking down into irretrievable tiny particles that fish eat. If the oceans die, we all die. This is suicidal insanity we are seeing unfold. Can we, will we change our ways?"It's a sad and beautiful world"-Roberto Benigni0 -
Start by mocking all idiots who buy water in plastic bottlesbrianlux said:Meltdown99 said:5 countries dump more plastic into the oceans than the rest of the world combined
https://www.pri.org/stories/2016-01-13/5-countries-dump-more-plastic-oceans-rest-world-combinedVery good (even though also very disturbing) article. It points out that the many poor people in the five countries (all Asian) can only afford small packets of items like shampoo and these smaller plastic packaging don't get picked up and recycled like some of bottles do. It's also very discouraging to read about the garbage truck that dump trash on the side of the road and that 90% of the plastic ends up in the ocean. Looking at the photos in the article is like looking at a world gone to hell.Why the hell is everything going plastic these days? My wife and I were on the way out to the car after work today and she spotted an empty flask-sized booze bottle on the ground. It was plastic. They put booze in plastic now?! WTF? (We brought the bottle home and put it in the bag of recycling.)What can be done to stop this? It's so discouraging, especially considering the vast majority of the plastic in the ocean is under the surface, much of it breaking down into irretrievable tiny particles that fish eat. If the oceans die, we all die. This is suicidal insanity we are seeing unfold. Can we, will we change our ways?
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Smellyman said:
Start by mocking all idiots who buy water in plastic bottlesbrianlux said:Meltdown99 said:5 countries dump more plastic into the oceans than the rest of the world combined
https://www.pri.org/stories/2016-01-13/5-countries-dump-more-plastic-oceans-rest-world-combinedVery good (even though also very disturbing) article. It points out that the many poor people in the five countries (all Asian) can only afford small packets of items like shampoo and these smaller plastic packaging don't get picked up and recycled like some of bottles do. It's also very discouraging to read about the garbage truck that dump trash on the side of the road and that 90% of the plastic ends up in the ocean. Looking at the photos in the article is like looking at a world gone to hell.Why the hell is everything going plastic these days? My wife and I were on the way out to the car after work today and she spotted an empty flask-sized booze bottle on the ground. It was plastic. They put booze in plastic now?! WTF? (We brought the bottle home and put it in the bag of recycling.)What can be done to stop this? It's so discouraging, especially considering the vast majority of the plastic in the ocean is under the surface, much of it breaking down into irretrievable tiny particles that fish eat. If the oceans die, we all die. This is suicidal insanity we are seeing unfold. Can we, will we change our ways?Good idea! I can see people not trusting public drinking fountains like we used to, but lightweight metal water bottles are easy to carry, refillable, and last just about forever. I almost always have one with me. Other than maybe being used in emergency relief situations, they are totally unnecessary. It's bad enough that every grocery store, gas station, and convenience store carries them but it also bugs me to see those plastic b.s. boutique water bottles in places like our co-op or other "health food stores". Health of what? Not the planet!"It's a sad and beautiful world"-Roberto Benigni0 -
I've done beach cleanups in Hong Kong. 90% of the rubbish was seemingly water bottles and their caps
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1 ton of plastic for every 3 tons of fish in the oceans by 2025...Meltdown99 said:5 countries dump more plastic into the oceans than the rest of the world combined
https://www.pri.org/stories/2016-01-13/5-countries-dump-more-plastic-oceans-rest-world-combined
We are doing a fine job lol0 -
I just don't see it getting better anytime soon...my2hands said:
1 ton of plastic for every 3 tons of fish in the oceans by 2025...Meltdown99 said:5 countries dump more plastic into the oceans than the rest of the world combined
https://www.pri.org/stories/2016-01-13/5-countries-dump-more-plastic-oceans-rest-world-combined
We are doing a fine job lolGive Peas A Chance…0 -
I've been anti-bottle water in the past ... but mainly because we have fluoride free water. Now there is a push by the local health board to re-introduce fluoride, all because parents are to lazy to teach their kids proper dental hygiene ... like flossing and brushing your teeth regularly.
In the 8 years we've been without fluoride my dental visit have been better than when fluoride was in the water ....Give Peas A Chance…0 -
Meltdown99 said:I've been anti-bottle water in the past ... but mainly because we have fluoride free water. Now there is a push by the local health board to re-introduce fluoride, all because parents are to lazy to teach their kids proper dental hygiene ... like flossing and brushing your teeth regularly.
In the 8 years we've been without fluoride my dental visit have been better than when fluoride was in the water ....I've avoided fluoride for many years myself.Can you get a filtering system that would take the bullshit out of the water? Or maybe some other alternative to plastic bottled water? I would be outraged were I in a town that added fluoride to the water!"It's a sad and beautiful world"-Roberto Benigni0 -
You guys watch too much Dr Strangelove lol0
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Anger Over Tourists Swarming Vacation Hot Spots Sparks Global Backlash - The Wall Street Journal https://apple.news/A_PzwfKhjQjuJlqb5KiKbRw
We screw everything up ..jesus greets me looks just like me ....0 -
Don't worry about Meltdown Brian. He is just very much a glass three-quarters empty kind of guy.brianlux said:
OK, so you say we're doomed. Fine.Meltdown99 said:
Who's arguing ... the earth is overpopulated with mostly poor people. Poor people will always choose the cheaper option. Can you fix those problems? Because unless those problems are solved, the earth is doomed.brianlux said:
OK, so you just want to deride my comments or argue. Fine. It looks like we are done here. I am. Adios.Meltdown99 said:Knock yourself out it you think it'll make a difference ...
I imagine hospitals/restaurants/seniors homes will never switch due to the risk of improper sterilization...
Look, I think this thread is worth saving not because I made it but because the Earth which feeds and sustains us deserves it.
No, of course I cannot fix the problems that are harming the planet. No ONE person can do that. Saying we're doomed will not make it better either. Anyone here can insist on being negative and pessimistic, that's their right. But that is not the intent of this thread. Maybe doomsdayers could create a "The World is Doomed" thread for those with that view who don't want to talk about solutions on this one.
I'm not sure what will please you on any level Meltdown - I've yet to see it! You're the official forum naysayer I think, lol.
The straw ban is a great first step. There is also a Canada-wide ban on microbeads already, to take effect I think this year or next, can't quite remember (they gave time for companies to adjust). Obviously hospitals and the like will manage to adjust just fine.
I already ordered by set of stainless steel straws, they're on their way. I ordered a set for my mom too, since she has an essential tremour that goes kind of wild specifically when she raises a cup or glass to her mouth, so she sometimes needs a straw to avoid throwing her drink all over the place.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata0 -
Is it? Why do you say that Often? I thought that too, but then all of a sudden this big news story came out very recently about how it's actually absolutely crucial that we do indeed wash our recyclables, and experts were being asked about it. They all said that it's super easy for recyclables to be tainted from even small amounts of contaminates, including food. Did you see this coverage? It was a news story nationally and locally I guess a couple weeks ago or so.oftenreading said:
While rodents are obviously a problem, it’s a myth that recyclables need to be cleaned before being collected.Meltdown99 said:
It's a disposal problem ... and who is responsible for proper disposal, humans. Once again it just simply comes down over population ...brianlux said:
"As part of our 25-year environment plan we have pledged to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste, and that includes single-use products that include plastic such as wet wipes," the UK's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs told MailOnline in a statement.Meltdown99 said:UK's Pledge to Ban Single-Use Plastics Includes Wet Wipes
https://www.ecowatch.com/wet-wipes-ban-uk-2566716761.html
That's great! My only concern is that they follow through (i.e. "the best laid plans of mice and men") and "25 years". I'll celebrate when it happens, keep up hope in the meantime.
I worked for 25 years in maintenance for a school board, I can tell you, being in as many schools as I've been in over the years ... well most of what the school recycled was contaminated and likely just went to the land-fills eventually, not to mention how many bottles/cans/paper ended up regular garbage. And this is the generation that grew up with recycling, and they do a shit job of taking care of their own little piece of the world...
The town I live in about 2 years ago passed a hard sided garbage container by-law to supposedly keep the rodents away (not working), I've seen rodents coming out of the recycling, because no one properly rinses their recycling...in which case it just another garbage pail...last Friday on our recycling day, it was extremely windy, the recycling was blowing everywhere, what a mess ... now you think someone would realize this and design recycling containers with lids ... and maybe they have, you'd think recycling containers with lids make more sense.
I'm not one for more taxes and fees...so I don't believe in a user fee for excessive garbage. I would prefer the town remove weekly garbage collection and open up depots where people can bring their garbage. Adding user fees to garbage collection will not help much. Now start inconveniencing people ... that will have a much greater impact. Of course, then we need to strengthen illegal dumping and littering by-laws. I propose heavy fines and community service for those people (the community service should be cleaning up trash). Littering is a pet peeve of mine, which obviously why the plastic is getting into our waterways. The community I live used to be a nice clean community, now I notice more and more garbage. I live across from Detroit, we are taking on the appearance of Detroit in the 80's...
I just don't see the bigger problems being solved until people properly recycle, stop littering, walk every once in a while and make better decisions.
You should see how many people just in my neighbourhood who drive full size pickups, just for pleasure...makes no sense.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata0 -
Traveling used to be fun. Now you travel only to find dbags you were trying to get away from.josevolution said:Anger Over Tourists Swarming Vacation Hot Spots Sparks Global Backlash - The Wall Street Journal https://apple.news/A_PzwfKhjQjuJlqb5KiKbRw
We screw everything up ..
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Especially here in the U.S. on a holiday like Memorial Day. Go somewhere? Heck no! We had another no-drive day. Worked in the garden, watched some cool music videos, did a little reading, played with the cat. My kind of day!Smellyman said:
Traveling used to be fun. Now you travel only to find dbags you were trying to get away from.josevolution said:Anger Over Tourists Swarming Vacation Hot Spots Sparks Global Backlash - The Wall Street Journal https://apple.news/A_PzwfKhjQjuJlqb5KiKbRw
We screw everything up ..
"It's a sad and beautiful world"-Roberto Benigni0 -
Sperm whales killed in Mediterranean by supermarket bags
Most of the endangered sperm whales that have been found dead in the eastern Mediterranean since 2001 were killed by plastic debris, a study has found.
Post-mortem examinations on nine of 24 carcasses found in Greek waters revealed that the animals experienced slow and painful deaths after their stomachs were blocked by the large amounts of plastic they had ingested. The study was carried out by the Pelagos Cetacean Research Institute in Athens.
Alexandros Frantzis, head of the team of Greek marine biologists, said that one young male found near Mykonos had ingested more than a hundred items of plastic, including supermarket bags. One bag originated from a kebab shop in the city of Thessaloniki, 500 miles to the north.
“The young whale suffered an excruciating death,” Dr Frantzis told The Times. “We alone are accountable.”
Sperm whales are considered endangered in the Mediterranean, which is home to about 1,800, of which 200 are in the Aegean.
A sperm whale that washed up on the shores of Spain last month was carrying almost 30kg of plastic in its stomach. An emaciated whale carcass found in the southern Peloponnese in 2014 had two and a half metres of plastic netting in its intestines.
“It’s alarming but not surprising,” Dr Frantzis said. “The trend is bound to get worse because the amount of plastic waste in the Aegean Sea is growing.”
Other species such as sea turtles are also increasingly threatened by the plastic build-up in the sea. Since the start of the year the Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation has documented 18 deaths of rare loggerhead and green turtles in the southeast Aegean. The true number is suspected to be much higher because most dead sea turtles are never recovered.
Greece introduced a plastic bag surcharge this year but has yet to institute the nationwide ban adopted by several European Union member states, including France and Italy.
Studies suggest that more than 90 per cent of the litter floating in the Mediterranean or lying on its sea bed is plastic. The concentration of microplastics in the Mediterranean, including fragments less than 5mm long, has been measured at 1.2 million per square kilometre, one of the highest rates in the world.
Source: TimesPost edited by Pap onAthens 2006 / Milton Keynes 2014 / London 1&2 2022 / Seattle 1&2 2024 / Dublin 2024 / Manchester 2024 / New Orleans 20250 -
PJ_Soul said:
Don't worry about PJSOUL Brian. He is just very much a glass three-quarters empty kind of guy.brianlux said:
OK, so you say we're doomed. Fine.Meltdown99 said:
Who's arguing ... the earth is overpopulated with mostly poor people. Poor people will always choose the cheaper option. Can you fix those problems? Because unless those problems are solved, the earth is doomed.brianlux said:
OK, so you just want to deride my comments or argue. Fine. It looks like we are done here. I am. Adios.Meltdown99 said:Knock yourself out it you think it'll make a difference ...
I imagine hospitals/restaurants/seniors homes will never switch due to the risk of improper sterilization...
Look, I think this thread is worth saving not because I made it but because the Earth which feeds and sustains us deserves it.
No, of course I cannot fix the problems that are harming the planet. No ONE person can do that. Saying we're doomed will not make it better either. Anyone here can insist on being negative and pessimistic, that's their right. But that is not the intent of this thread. Maybe doomsdayers could create a "The World is Doomed" thread for those with that view who don't want to talk about solutions on this one. I'm not sure what will please you on any level PJSOUL - I've yet to see it! You're the official forum naysayer I think, lol.
The straw ban is a great first step. There is also a Canada-wide ban on microbeads already, to take effect I think this year or next, can't quite remember (they gave time for companies to adjust). Obviously hospitals and the like will manage to adjust just fine.
I already ordered by set of stainless steel straws, they're on their way. I ordered a set for my mom too, since she has an essential tremour that goes kind of wild specifically when she raises a cup or glass to her mouth, so she sometimes needs a straw to avoid throwing her drink all over the place.
Give Peas A Chance…0 -
Not cool to change others’ quotes. The mods have been clear on that.Meltdown99 said:PJ_Soul said:
Don't worry about PJSOUL Brian. He is just very much a glass three-quarters empty kind of guy.brianlux said:
OK, so you say we're doomed. Fine.Meltdown99 said:
Who's arguing ... the earth is overpopulated with mostly poor people. Poor people will always choose the cheaper option. Can you fix those problems? Because unless those problems are solved, the earth is doomed.brianlux said:
OK, so you just want to deride my comments or argue. Fine. It looks like we are done here. I am. Adios.Meltdown99 said:Knock yourself out it you think it'll make a difference ...
I imagine hospitals/restaurants/seniors homes will never switch due to the risk of improper sterilization...
Look, I think this thread is worth saving not because I made it but because the Earth which feeds and sustains us deserves it.
No, of course I cannot fix the problems that are harming the planet. No ONE person can do that. Saying we're doomed will not make it better either. Anyone here can insist on being negative and pessimistic, that's their right. But that is not the intent of this thread. Maybe doomsdayers could create a "The World is Doomed" thread for those with that view who don't want to talk about solutions on this one. I'm not sure what will please you on any level PJSOUL - I've yet to see it! You're the official forum naysayer I think, lol.
The straw ban is a great first step. There is also a Canada-wide ban on microbeads already, to take effect I think this year or next, can't quite remember (they gave time for companies to adjust). Obviously hospitals and the like will manage to adjust just fine.
I already ordered by set of stainless steel straws, they're on their way. I ordered a set for my mom too, since she has an essential tremour that goes kind of wild specifically when she raises a cup or glass to her mouth, so she sometimes needs a straw to avoid throwing her drink all over the place.
my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf0 -
The info we were getting from our local recycling agency, and most of what I was reading online, said that modern recycling facilities can handle the food waste left in containers as long as they are reasonably clean. The message seemed to be aimed at encouraging people to recycle rather than to have a “too much trouble” mentality. Perhaps the messaging has changed again.PJ_Soul said:
Is it? Why do you say that Often? I thought that too, but then all of a sudden this big news story came out very recently about how it's actually absolutely crucial that we do indeed wash our recyclables, and experts were being asked about it. They all said that it's super easy for recyclables to be tainted from even small amounts of contaminates, including food. Did you see this coverage? It was a news story nationally and locally I guess a couple weeks ago or so.oftenreading said:
While rodents are obviously a problem, it’s a myth that recyclables need to be cleaned before being collected.Meltdown99 said:
It's a disposal problem ... and who is responsible for proper disposal, humans. Once again it just simply comes down over population ...brianlux said:
"As part of our 25-year environment plan we have pledged to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste, and that includes single-use products that include plastic such as wet wipes," the UK's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs told MailOnline in a statement.Meltdown99 said:UK's Pledge to Ban Single-Use Plastics Includes Wet Wipes
https://www.ecowatch.com/wet-wipes-ban-uk-2566716761.html
That's great! My only concern is that they follow through (i.e. "the best laid plans of mice and men") and "25 years". I'll celebrate when it happens, keep up hope in the meantime.
I worked for 25 years in maintenance for a school board, I can tell you, being in as many schools as I've been in over the years ... well most of what the school recycled was contaminated and likely just went to the land-fills eventually, not to mention how many bottles/cans/paper ended up regular garbage. And this is the generation that grew up with recycling, and they do a shit job of taking care of their own little piece of the world...
The town I live in about 2 years ago passed a hard sided garbage container by-law to supposedly keep the rodents away (not working), I've seen rodents coming out of the recycling, because no one properly rinses their recycling...in which case it just another garbage pail...last Friday on our recycling day, it was extremely windy, the recycling was blowing everywhere, what a mess ... now you think someone would realize this and design recycling containers with lids ... and maybe they have, you'd think recycling containers with lids make more sense.
I'm not one for more taxes and fees...so I don't believe in a user fee for excessive garbage. I would prefer the town remove weekly garbage collection and open up depots where people can bring their garbage. Adding user fees to garbage collection will not help much. Now start inconveniencing people ... that will have a much greater impact. Of course, then we need to strengthen illegal dumping and littering by-laws. I propose heavy fines and community service for those people (the community service should be cleaning up trash). Littering is a pet peeve of mine, which obviously why the plastic is getting into our waterways. The community I live used to be a nice clean community, now I notice more and more garbage. I live across from Detroit, we are taking on the appearance of Detroit in the 80's...
I just don't see the bigger problems being solved until people properly recycle, stop littering, walk every once in a while and make better decisions.
You should see how many people just in my neighbourhood who drive full size pickups, just for pleasure...makes no sense.my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf0 -
LOL, I'm going to have to sit down with you two with some drinks and bamboo straws and work this out. No one leaves the table until everyone is laughing and happy or passes out. Deal?Meltdown99 said:PJ_Soul said:
Don't worry about PJSOUL Brian. He is just very much a glass three-quarters empty kind of guy.brianlux said:
OK, so you say we're doomed. Fine.Meltdown99 said:
Who's arguing ... the earth is overpopulated with mostly poor people. Poor people will always choose the cheaper option. Can you fix those problems? Because unless those problems are solved, the earth is doomed.brianlux said:
OK, so you just want to deride my comments or argue. Fine. It looks like we are done here. I am. Adios.Meltdown99 said:Knock yourself out it you think it'll make a difference ...
I imagine hospitals/restaurants/seniors homes will never switch due to the risk of improper sterilization...
Look, I think this thread is worth saving not because I made it but because the Earth which feeds and sustains us deserves it.
No, of course I cannot fix the problems that are harming the planet. No ONE person can do that. Saying we're doomed will not make it better either. Anyone here can insist on being negative and pessimistic, that's their right. But that is not the intent of this thread. Maybe doomsdayers could create a "The World is Doomed" thread for those with that view who don't want to talk about solutions on this one. I'm not sure what will please you on any level PJSOUL - I've yet to see it! You're the official forum naysayer I think, lol.
The straw ban is a great first step. There is also a Canada-wide ban on microbeads already, to take effect I think this year or next, can't quite remember (they gave time for companies to adjust). Obviously hospitals and the like will manage to adjust just fine.
I already ordered by set of stainless steel straws, they're on their way. I ordered a set for my mom too, since she has an essential tremour that goes kind of wild specifically when she raises a cup or glass to her mouth, so she sometimes needs a straw to avoid throwing her drink all over the place.
"It's a sad and beautiful world"-Roberto Benigni0
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