Plastic

[BoxOfShreddies]

Blue Planet really raised peoples awareness. Please don't let that stop. If everyone does just a tiny bit we can all help.

We've made a conscious effort to reduce plastic. We and the DC have metal drinking bottles for water at school now. We use the net ecobags when we're shopping so fresh fruit and veg doesn't go in plastic bags. We use bars of soap instead of liquid handwash in a plastic bottle. They're small things but it's something.
Any more ideas gratefully recieved.

www.theoceancleanup.com/press/great-pacific-garbage-patch-growing-rapidly-study-shows/
Or BBC
www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-43490235

Using metal bottles and net eco bags will help ease your own conscience but these actions (along with supermarkets replacing thin bags with really thick plastic bags for 5p ) are just a drop in the ocean.

It's depressing because those who could really make a difference (huge corporations) never will.

There was this bit of government campaign a while ago, titled "the one that creates the mess should pay for cleaning it up" (not in the UK, obvs.)

I, and many with me, pointed out that we're not actually the ones creating the mess. Manufacturers are creating the mess. We already do as much as we can to reduce our use of plastic, but manufacturers pack stuff in so much plastic that essentially, we are paying for their mess.

The campaign didn't run very long, but manufacturers are still the ones creating the mess.

If I buy taco shells, they're in 3 layers of plastic wrap. Cucumbers in plastic, courgettes in plastic mesh, it's ridiculous.

I'd love to go back to glass bottles, our own bags and the like. Like it was when I was a littl'un.

Soap instead of shower gel, solid shampoo, carry cutlery and a reusable coffee cup. Stop buying as much generally.

Agree that industry/big business needs to get on board but if consumer opinion and behaviour changes and they believe it will affect their profits, then hopefully wider change will happen

I think we will come up with better ways of breaking down and recycling plastic I read about a few recently but I can't remember them

Something to do with classical that's which had a bacteria in their gut which could digest plastic?
But yes we really do need to reduce our use of plastic packaging etc

Caterpillars not classical!

The previous posters are spot on. I have a big family, we are vegan (as the greener option), we minimise plastics and non-reusables where we can. It is as if we do nothing if manufacturers do so little. We all need to stop shopping at stores that don't have a decent policy on environmental waste and supporting companies that do. It is so much easier said than done though. It is thoroughly depressing.

You asked for other ideas, go vegan, it isn't necessarily green for sure, and there are ways of being a pretty awful vegan. But being vegan is by far the greenest option (regardless of buying organic meat and dairy). Go Vegan. Please.

Yes InspMorse I know it's just a drop in the ocean, but it's something. Like I said if anyone has any more ideas then please share them. genuinely mean it, we want to reduce as much as possible.

We're already a vegan family, have been for years.

The manufacturers and big corporations need to help.

Washing clothes is a conundrum,lots of micro fibers get nto our water systems that way,I don't know if better filters on washing machines would help.
I agree with manufacturers reducing the amount of onc use only,disposable plastic wrapping.
I keep sticking a note in our local supermarket suggestions box about paper bags for loose veg.Nothing .Using eco bags is fine but the majority of shoppers won't have them.Like the idea of refunds for lastuc bottles but it would be better if we didn't have so many disposable plastic bottles.
Id like the think that the government were doing this on a concern for the planet but us is Chinas move to stop taking so much of our waste that has sparked it.

Not trying to be goady here as my DD has become vegetarian due to ecological concerns and I have mostly as I can't be bothered to cook 2 meals,but being vegan and having a varied diet depends on a lot of importe food at the moment.Hiw possible is it to be vegan or even vegetarian on home grown,local foods.Our diet would be much poorer without rice,pulses and beans and all imported and mostly in plastic packaging.

To be sure, unnecessary packaging (any sort, not just plastic) should be reduced as far as possible. But, 'Cucumbers in plastic, courgettes in plastic mesh, it's ridiculous.' ... courgettes in mesh, yes, unnecessary, ridiculous. The cucumbers though - and certainly half cucumbers - the plastic wrapping allows them to last longer. Remove all plastic packaging and you will inevitably significantly increase food waste and/or make some types of fruit and veg more expensive.

Onlyoldontheoutside We use beans and pulses that come in glass jars that are recycled.

Do you have anywhere you can get local veg boxes from? Most of our veg comes from an organic farm just outside of the city. It comes in a wooden crate and we give it back the next week when we get the next. We get seasonal fruit and veg.

We live in Spain where I think it might be easier to get local grown than the UK because of the weather.
Spain does use a lot of plastic, but where fruit and veg are concerned you can avoid it if you want.

Are there any independent shops? There's a few here that have containers with all the loose produce (beans & pulses) so you can take your own container.

rice,pulses and beans and all imported and mostly in plastic packaging.

You can probably reduce the amount of single-use plastic by buying in large quantities, maybe from Asian supermarkets. Larger packs have a lower surface to volume ratio. Large bags from dry goods can be re-used for many purposes.

A shop like this? They obviously buy in bulk, so like the PP says it's less footprint hopefully.

You asked for other ideas, go vegan

Bollocks to that.

I'm happy to take my own reusable bags, so I don't need plastic carrier bags when I'm doing my shopping. Not much effort for a huge benefit if we all do it.

I'm buggered if I'm giving up all my favourite foods, though.

I live rurally so no coop outlets.I grow what I can and can get locally grown veg but if I stuck to that in winter I'd be a bit limited.
We do have a deli where you can take your own containers.
There is only my DD and I so a veg box would be overkill as is bulk buying.
We need to do something though as it is in our drinking water and in the air sowe are already ingesting it.
Hard to turn the clock back on something we have become so reliant on.

Stop with all the glitter on everything.
And refuse plastic drinking straws, especially when you are on holiday by the sea, where they get blown around and into the water. If you buy cans held together by plastic, cut the loops through before you recycle it.

Reusable nappies, or biodegradable at least
Mooncup instead of tampons or pads
Reusable tupperware rather than freezer bags and clingfilm
Reusable coffee cup and water bottle
Water filter jug or tap instead of bottled water
No nespresso
Clothes that last years rather than throwaway fashion (esp man made)
Avoid fleece clothing
Don't buy plastic tat toys - party bags can be made of paper and contain something non plastic, avoid the magazines with free toys on the front
Refillable toiletries and cleaning products (eg Method)
Bar soap

Agree that avoiding food waste is also crucial however so there's no point reducing packaging if it means lots more food gets thrown away

the plastic wrapping allows them to last longer.

Nope, the plastic wrapping just allows them to look unblemished longer. If you grow your own cucumbers you know that plastic makes no difference to their longevity on the shelf.

I'm a bit baffled about how practical the idea of reusable coffee cups is. The analogy is made with bags for life. But, it's easy to squish a bag or two into a pocket or handbag in case you need one. Are there collapsible cups? And what do you do with them after use - unless you can find somewhere to wash them, they're going to be rather manky and unhygienic by the time you get them home if you have a latte in the morning, and I certainly wouldn't want to reuse it for another drink later on without a proper wash.

Easiest way to avoid takeaway cups is to avoid takeaways, perhaps.

Couldn't a supermarket just try in a few stores having cereal , pasta , rice etc in bins that we bring our own containers in to weigh and fill.
I can't imagine it would be expensive to set up. We weigh our own fruit and veg now , what's the difference?

Only playing devils advocate here, but...

Only a tiny proportion of plastic used in this country ends up in the ocean. Most plastic that ends up in the ocean in the UK is rubbish left on the beach, or fishing detritus. As long as you don’t litter plastic, you don’t add to the ocean-plastic problem (micro plastics aside).

The two major contributors of plastic pollution are discarded fishing nets (recent estimates show ~half of the weight “great Pacific garbage patch” is from fishing nets). And domestic rubbish from the major Asian rivers.

Micro plastics are a separate issue, but to date there is no solid evidence (to my knowledge) that indicates that microplastics have any effect on any ecosystem.

I do agree that we should all do what we can, but the idea (for example) that banning plastic bottles in the Uk would have any impact of worldwide ocean plastic pollution is nonsense.

Become a political activist and campaigner? I try to do all kinds of small things in my own life, but am painfully aware that we need to change public policy and education on this topic in order to make a real difference.

Depends what you're doing Errol but easy enough to rinse when you next go to the toilet. I usually carry a few cotton hankies) napkins with me so stuff one of those in to stop any drips in bag. Only drink black coffee too so no potential sour milk issues.