AIBU to think the government should subsidise eco friendly products?

[gotmychocolateimgood]

I think it should cost less or the same to use products with less packaging, chemicals etc? Im just starting to try to use less plastic etc and this occurred to me. Plastic is too cheap and easy to buy.

Yes. Probably.
I'm spending more buying glass packaging instead of plastic.

No. I think that we as consumers need to put pressure on big business to supply what we want - lower levels of packaging. But that isn't happening because most of us are playing lip service to climate change and our role. We feel great when we throw a plastic carton in the recycling bin.

If there was one area that the government should help subsidise, it's the cost of electric cars. Many of us in cities could easily switch as range is less of an issue than it would in the country. The government is dragging its heels - pressure from the likes of BP, Shell etc.?

YANBU, but taxing or banning environmentally damaging options is more likely to actually happen.

Some examples:
Milk delivery in bottles from local dairy
Method and ecover cleaning products, OK some come in plastic bottles but they are supposedly better for the environment
Alternatives to single use plastic eg clingfilm, dental floss harps, plastic drinking bottles
Shampoo bars are quite costly to buy initially although apparently they last for ages
Reusable sanitary wear and nappies could also be subsidised (obviously there is long term money saving here)

A lot of these products seem to be marketed at middle class people and I think they should be made more accessible to everyone.

@gotmychocolateimgood I'm having a rare moment when I'd like to have a proper with someone and discuss!

The issue with recyclable nappies and
sanitary products is that you need time and money, and be in a good mental space to take the extra load. Amog working mums, the biggest advocates i knew for them used a laundry service . But these are hard to manage if you're already struggling with a job and 3 under 4. I think there is easier low hanging fruit.

Water bottles, dental floss, cling film - we should bring back advisory campaigns now. (I'd throw in all single use plastics).

I would worry that if this was imposed at a government level then it would be a knee jerk ban with little consideration of the wider impacts of switching from single use plastics. For example, what are the carbon costs? You might reduce plastic litter but increase energy consumption and CO2 release (eg through switching to glass, there is the need to clean and sterilise containers which costs energy). What is the environmental impact of switching to products sourced from the natural world eg bamboo, paper, cotton? Would switching to these put increased pressure on ecosystems if it were done en masse?
I would be more interested in pressure on businesses to reduce (rather than replace) unnecessary packaging. Starting with toy companies!

Yes, I agree that packaging is a huge issue. Especially when items are wrapped multiple times. The amount we chuck at Christmas is ridiculous. I use brown paper and string to wrap presents but hey ho.

Ironically I bought some reusable sanitary pads on ebay recently. They are great--much more comfortable and clean feeling than disposable ones. They were £10.80 for 10, bargain! But they came from China, were wrapped individually and then as a set in clear plastic then a plastic postage bag. Well I've got them now and won't need to buy any more, but unwrapping all that plastic was quite disheartening! I emailed the seller to complain.

@W0rriedMum hello! 🙂

It does seem to open up a can of worms. I've always recycled stuff but only recently thought about it all a lot more. Similarly if you try to cut down on meat, and make a meal from avacodo and cashew nuts, well that's not exactly environmentally or ethically friendly either. Is it worth buying reusable products when they are flown halfway round the world and wrapped in loads of plastic? Maybe. A British company like Cheeky Wipes would cost more money to buy from. Also you run the risk of sounding a bit poncy even questioning and discussing these things.