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https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2016/dec/06/modern-life-ru...
Not a new problem by any means, but a growing realization that we're headed the wrong way. What do you do to reduce your plastic waste?
This year I've started using a re-usable coffee cup (ecoffee is the brand I believe), and the number of disposable coffee cups I've thrown away must be something like 5 total for the whole year (versus 200 the year before or so).
Switched to non-plastic ear buds.
Using re-usable shopping bags last year (again probably used about 5 'disposable' plastic shopping bags this whole year, versus maybe 50-100 in the past.
Other than that, trying to get some kind of weekly schedule going with vegetable meals that can be cooked with minimal packaging and fuss. Work is still ongoing
Not a new problem by any means, but a growing realization that we're headed the wrong way. What do you do to reduce your plastic waste?
This year I've started using a re-usable coffee cup (ecoffee is the brand I believe), and the number of disposable coffee cups I've thrown away must be something like 5 total for the whole year (versus 200 the year before or so).
Switched to non-plastic ear buds.
Using re-usable shopping bags last year (again probably used about 5 'disposable' plastic shopping bags this whole year, versus maybe 50-100 in the past.
Other than that, trying to get some kind of weekly schedule going with vegetable meals that can be cooked with minimal packaging and fuss. Work is still ongoing
7
In reply to SenzuBean:
I try to avoid buying any veg wrapped in plastic. I don't understand why people need broccoli wrapped in plastic, it really pisses me off as being completely pointless (I'm sure someone has some sort of reason for it...). That's just one among many.
I try to avoid buying any veg wrapped in plastic. I don't understand why people need broccoli wrapped in plastic, it really pisses me off as being completely pointless (I'm sure someone has some sort of reason for it...). That's just one among many.
3
In reply to SenzuBean:
What is so thoroughly depressing is the discovery that all those so-called cardboard cups that people get coffee in are simply not recyclable. Yet there doesn't seem to have been any kind of fuss made about this. We throw away millions of them every week and they go in landfill.
A pack of apples, wrapped up in plastic, set on a polystyrene base, all for about £1.50 and generating more landfill. Crazy.
What is so thoroughly depressing is the discovery that all those so-called cardboard cups that people get coffee in are simply not recyclable. Yet there doesn't seem to have been any kind of fuss made about this. We throw away millions of them every week and they go in landfill.
A pack of apples, wrapped up in plastic, set on a polystyrene base, all for about £1.50 and generating more landfill. Crazy.
6
In reply to SenzuBean:
peeled oranges, wrapped in plastic on a little tray is my winner of the pointless packaging award.
peeled oranges, wrapped in plastic on a little tray is my winner of the pointless packaging award.
4
In reply to summo:
Condoms, totally non recyclable other than as a balloon. Rinse em out, relube with a bit of veg oil and away you go or come, again and again. Avoid reproducing whilst recycling, what's not to like.
Condoms, totally non recyclable other than as a balloon. Rinse em out, relube with a bit of veg oil and away you go or come, again and again. Avoid reproducing whilst recycling, what's not to like.
7
1
In reply to Rampikino:
Or roadside verges. I'd say they are the most common piece of roadside litter these days, outstripping even Coke and Red Bull cans. The lovely E Hants lanes are a tribute to the popularity of Costa and the laziness of the slobs who buy their coffee.
> We throw away millions of them every week and they go in landfill.
Or roadside verges. I'd say they are the most common piece of roadside litter these days, outstripping even Coke and Red Bull cans. The lovely E Hants lanes are a tribute to the popularity of Costa and the laziness of the slobs who buy their coffee.
Post edited at 16:49
4
In reply to yesbutnobutyesbut:
not so many decades ago I think that's what did happen.
> Condoms, totally non recyclable other than as a balloon. Rinse em out, relube with a bit of veg oil and away you go or come, again and again. Avoid reproducing whilst recycling, what's not to like.
not so many decades ago I think that's what did happen.
1
In reply to SenzuBean:
The only way supermarkets will get the message is if you removed all the packaging from items and left it by the tills. It would take a large proportion of people to do this to be effective though.
The only way supermarkets will get the message is if you removed all the packaging from items and left it by the tills. It would take a large proportion of people to do this to be effective though.
8
In reply to knighty:
All isn't a great idea. Shrink-wrapped cucumber will last around five times longer* than non-shrink wrapped cucumber.
*Might be less, just a quick google on this.
> The only way supermarkets will get the message is if you removed all the packaging from items and left it by the tills.
All isn't a great idea. Shrink-wrapped cucumber will last around five times longer* than non-shrink wrapped cucumber.
*Might be less, just a quick google on this.
1
In reply to Rampikino:
Its not strictly true but the number of places currently capable of recycling them is minimal and its not a particularly efficient process
> What is so thoroughly depressing is the discovery that all those so-called cardboard cups that people get coffee in are simply not recyclable.
Its not strictly true but the number of places currently capable of recycling them is minimal and its not a particularly efficient process
1
In reply to felt:
I'm not asking you to leave your yogurt pot tops at the tills, just the unnecessary crap that they wrap around other stuff.
I'm not asking you to leave your yogurt pot tops at the tills, just the unnecessary crap that they wrap around other stuff.
2
In reply to felt:
I'd personally do away with cucumbers to solve this issue. Awful food.
> All isn't a great idea. Shrink-wrapped cucumber will last around five times longer* than non-shrink wrapped cucumber.
> *Might be less, just a quick google on this.
I'd personally do away with cucumbers to solve this issue. Awful food.
6
1
1
In reply to James Malloch:
It's either doing away with chilled cucumber soup or cucumber and yoghurt dip or any other splendid cucumboid confection -- or simply doing away with hot weather. And I do like hot weather.
It's either doing away with chilled cucumber soup or cucumber and yoghurt dip or any other splendid cucumboid confection -- or simply doing away with hot weather. And I do like hot weather.
1
In reply to SenzuBean:
Plastic shrink wrap to package screwdrivers, not even the handle mind, but the hardened steel tip.
Why?
CB
Plastic shrink wrap to package screwdrivers, not even the handle mind, but the hardened steel tip.
Why?
CB
3
In reply to Rampikino:
I see France and Germany are legislating that such products should be wrapped with biodegradable plastic, which is a step in the right direction.
I think a proper solution would be more holistic. My idea is that the cost of 'decommissioning' something should be there up front (more or less, or perhaps less stringently - a kind of insurance). This I think should apply to everything - e.g. nuclear reactors, fuel (how much is it going to cost to capture that CO2/NOx and put it into an inert form?), plastic (that shitty plastic that costs 1p to make - it will cost 20p to return to raw materials), food (i.e. most vegetables have practically zero decommissioning cost), smartphones (oh boy, huge cost increase - but that's good. Less frivolous usages (nobody needs that much computing power to look at messages and play fruit games. This places the burden on the manufacturer (where it belongs), and incentivizes them to develop ways to reduce decommissioning cost. The effect is that consumers pay the real cost of an item, which I'm confident will favor so-called 'eco' products in almost every case.
Of course this idea is pie in the sky, many details lacking, but I think it's a good vision.
But, I don't think governments will change or align quick enough. I think individuals need to act and drive the change. I'm wondering why so few people act but can whole heartedly acknowledge that they should? Is it because people think on a very deep level that if we're all doing something, then it must be okay [to waste plastic]?
> What is so thoroughly depressing is the discovery that all those so-called cardboard cups that people get coffee in are simply not recyclable. Yet there doesn't seem to have been any kind of fuss made about this. We throw away millions of them every week and they go in landfill.
> A pack of apples, wrapped up in plastic, set on a polystyrene base, all for about £1.50 and generating more landfill. Crazy.
I see France and Germany are legislating that such products should be wrapped with biodegradable plastic, which is a step in the right direction.
I think a proper solution would be more holistic. My idea is that the cost of 'decommissioning' something should be there up front (more or less, or perhaps less stringently - a kind of insurance). This I think should apply to everything - e.g. nuclear reactors, fuel (how much is it going to cost to capture that CO2/NOx and put it into an inert form?), plastic (that shitty plastic that costs 1p to make - it will cost 20p to return to raw materials), food (i.e. most vegetables have practically zero decommissioning cost), smartphones (oh boy, huge cost increase - but that's good. Less frivolous usages (nobody needs that much computing power to look at messages and play fruit games. This places the burden on the manufacturer (where it belongs), and incentivizes them to develop ways to reduce decommissioning cost. The effect is that consumers pay the real cost of an item, which I'm confident will favor so-called 'eco' products in almost every case.
Of course this idea is pie in the sky, many details lacking, but I think it's a good vision.
But, I don't think governments will change or align quick enough. I think individuals need to act and drive the change. I'm wondering why so few people act but can whole heartedly acknowledge that they should? Is it because people think on a very deep level that if we're all doing something, then it must be okay [to waste plastic]?
2
In reply to NottsRich:
I believe the rational is that the packaging keeps the veg fresher for longer thereby minimising food waste. I'd like to think there was a better solution!
I believe the rational is that the packaging keeps the veg fresher for longer thereby minimising food waste. I'd like to think there was a better solution!
In reply to knighty:
Keep out of supermarkets. In the ethical consumer's guide to supermarkets, carried out in 2014, out of 20, Asda scored a half.
Keep out of supermarkets. In the ethical consumer's guide to supermarkets, carried out in 2014, out of 20, Asda scored a half.
Post edited at 17:27
3
In reply to Phil1919:
It's very hard for those who usually don't spend weekends at home and do their shopping after work. :/
> Keep out of supermarkets. In the ethical consumer's guide to supermarkets, carried out in 2014, out of 20, Asda scored a half.
It's very hard for those who usually don't spend weekends at home and do their shopping after work. :/
In reply to felt:
Yeah but how long do you genuinely need to store a cucumber for? For 90% of the time I'm sure you would eat it more quickly than a non-shrink wrapped one would be unusable.
I find it really depressing here in French supermarkets where you have to weigh and price your own loose veg with a sticker rather than at the till. That means most people use a plastic bag even when not needed just to simply put the price sticker on.
> All isn't a great idea. Shrink-wrapped cucumber will last around five times longer* than non-shrink wrapped cucumber.
Yeah but how long do you genuinely need to store a cucumber for? For 90% of the time I'm sure you would eat it more quickly than a non-shrink wrapped one would be unusable.
I find it really depressing here in French supermarkets where you have to weigh and price your own loose veg with a sticker rather than at the till. That means most people use a plastic bag even when not needed just to simply put the price sticker on.
1
In reply to yorkshireman:
Oh, I don't know, our Riverford ones plastic wrapped last a family of four a week.
Oh, I don't know, our Riverford ones plastic wrapped last a family of four a week.
1
In reply to SenzuBean:
But the loss of custom would be more than enough to persuade them to dramatically alter their priorities.
> It's very hard for those who usually don't spend weekends at home and do their shopping after work. :/
But the loss of custom would be more than enough to persuade them to dramatically alter their priorities.
In reply to knighty:
I believe it worked in Swizerland when councils charged by weight for refuse collection the well behaved Swiss just unwrapped their food at the till leveraging the power of the supermarkets and almost overnight the amount of spurious packaging was slashed. Of course we Brits would probably just fly tip it on the way to work or stash it in the neighbour's bin while blaming the EU.
jk
> The only way supermarkets will get the message is if you removed all the packaging from items and left it by the tills. It would take a large proportion of people to do this to be effective though.
I believe it worked in Swizerland when councils charged by weight for refuse collection the well behaved Swiss just unwrapped their food at the till leveraging the power of the supermarkets and almost overnight the amount of spurious packaging was slashed. Of course we Brits would probably just fly tip it on the way to work or stash it in the neighbour's bin while blaming the EU.
jk
12
In reply to yorkshireman:
This. Its ridiculous. Most countries now have a plastic carrier bag "tax" which is great, but then they give out free plastic bags to put fruit, veg and bread in. In the UK I used to just put veg straight in my basket but most other countries require weighing before the till. Here in Italy there are plastic gloves you have to wear as well! I reuse the bags for sandwiches but eventually they still need chucked.
Hopefully we will at least move towards plant based plastics in the future. Though personally I still don't know what's wrong with the good old paper bag.
As far as what I do to reduce plastic - eat mainly vegetarian food (even with the stupid bags its still less packaging than meat, plus the other environmental benefits are massive), buy pasta, rice etc in bulk. Milk in cartons. Make sandwiches for lunch rather than buying whilst out. Take a bottle of water with me. Buy plastic items and clothing that is made to last where possible. Use stuff until it breaks, not until a new model or fashion comes out.
The great thing is they're all things that save money as well! Eco-dirtbag!
This. Its ridiculous. Most countries now have a plastic carrier bag "tax" which is great, but then they give out free plastic bags to put fruit, veg and bread in. In the UK I used to just put veg straight in my basket but most other countries require weighing before the till. Here in Italy there are plastic gloves you have to wear as well! I reuse the bags for sandwiches but eventually they still need chucked.
Hopefully we will at least move towards plant based plastics in the future. Though personally I still don't know what's wrong with the good old paper bag.
As far as what I do to reduce plastic - eat mainly vegetarian food (even with the stupid bags its still less packaging than meat, plus the other environmental benefits are massive), buy pasta, rice etc in bulk. Milk in cartons. Make sandwiches for lunch rather than buying whilst out. Take a bottle of water with me. Buy plastic items and clothing that is made to last where possible. Use stuff until it breaks, not until a new model or fashion comes out.
The great thing is they're all things that save money as well! Eco-dirtbag!
Post edited at 20:52
2
In reply to yorkshireman:
Agreed - the bags are enourmous. I often stick directly onto the product - a single pepper, a hand of banannas - and it discourages me from purchasing variety.
Agreed - the bags are enourmous. I often stick directly onto the product - a single pepper, a hand of banannas - and it discourages me from purchasing variety.
In reply to LeeWood:
Yep, it's frustratingly pointless. They don't seem to mind labels straight onto the fruit/veg though, so that's ok at least.
Bottled water...
> Agreed - the bags are enourmous. I often stick directly onto the product - a single pepper, a hand of banannas - and it discourages me from purchasing variety.
Yep, it's frustratingly pointless. They don't seem to mind labels straight onto the fruit/veg though, so that's ok at least.
Bottled water...
In reply to knighty:
They tried this in Germany a few years ago ( i.e. it was a law that you can leave behind unnecessary packaging in the shop). It worked for a little while and then people forgot and went back to normal. It would be worth another try today, I think!
They tried this in Germany a few years ago ( i.e. it was a law that you can leave behind unnecessary packaging in the shop). It worked for a little while and then people forgot and went back to normal. It would be worth another try today, I think!
In reply to Heike:
Maybe you could wrongfoot them at the till by unwrapping the packaging from the goods and just buying that. OK, you'd be suffering short-term, although whisky containers are often worth the price of the whisky on their own. But after a while there would be such a large pile of unwapped goods by the till that they'd have to do something.
Maybe you could wrongfoot them at the till by unwrapping the packaging from the goods and just buying that. OK, you'd be suffering short-term, although whisky containers are often worth the price of the whisky on their own. But after a while there would be such a large pile of unwapped goods by the till that they'd have to do something.
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