An article regarding Dutch research into a green alternative to PET plastics.
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Where plastic ends up:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/01/photos-reveal-plastic-plankton-in-ocean/
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My local pharmacy used to give out plastic bags. For a while, they went for paper. The other day, I got this;
That web address doesnāt exist. I think this is the real one:
The bag is made from something called Mater-Bi.
https://www.novamont.com/eng/mater-bi
To me, paper is the obvious choice for anything thatās not too wet or too heavy (like pharmaceuticals). Iām not convinced that, environmentally and socially, bioplastcs are a better option.
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Ours still does along complete with the pharmacy branding all over it.
Although the packaging and nature of many the products, medicines included probably undo much of the benefit of the paper bags?
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Step by step.
Like eating an elephant. One mouthful at a time.
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An article regarding research into using sulphur to make plastic products.
https://www.labnews.co.uk/news/sulphur-polymers-eco-friendly-plastics-14-02-2019/
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WA invention, Seabin, captures floating rubbish from the ocean.
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I saw that the ACT Govt is reviewing the usage of all single use plastics and this may include the wrapping used on fresh fruit and veg in stores. The aim is to greatly reduce or eliminate the use of these plastics which will reduce impacts on the environment and would have benefits for waste control landfill.
I think all State Governments should undertake the same type of review and all of them legislate the removal of single use plastics as soon as possible.
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Canberra has always tried to be a leader in social issues, but no matter how responsible / idealistic the idea, much has just caused changes else where. For example I can not see that they could enforce the banning of kitchen tidy liners or some other types of single use plastic bags. For example, residents must use kitchen tidy liners or their rubbish bins would stink terribly, and if no plastic bags were available for pets poo bags, you would not be able to swim in any river near Canberra due to contamination washed down the gutters. Our local council initially frowned on kitchen tidy bags (just put food scraps loose in red bin) but stopped action, I think due to the stink and possible health issues at land fill sites. The council also now provides pet poo bags at council chambers and other points (local $2 shops also sell them) to reduce pet owners just flicking pet droppings onto the roads, which are flushed into the bay at next storm. Not sure how you overcome not having single use plastic bags, as our family tries hard to reduce but still finish up with using about 14 / week (7 for dog walking and 7 for kitchen tidy usage).
Yes, weāve forgotten how to live without them. For most of human history (and all of pre-history) we seem to have managed though. We just need to remember.
You can obtain biodegradable bags for this type of usage or use newspaper or similar like we do. It just takes a bit more time to find the alternative bags but once you have a supplier it isnāt hard to get resupplied. Many Councils in our area supply these bags for use and you could perhaps ask a Council if they use them who they get their supplies from. While these bags are single use they arenāt the non biodegradable types that many people use.
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Every little bit (of plastic) hurts.
More mini plastic toys to bribe children and boost Colesā sales. More plastic that will eventually end up in land-fills or oceans.
Parents just show your children some of the videos and horrifying pictures of plastic pollution. Google it. COLES donāt care about your health. Just buy $30 of anything to get the plastic Stickeez. No, you DONāT have to buy fruit and veggies. Canāt you see it???
Enough is enough!!! When are these retail giants going to take some responsibility for the sad state of the planet and the plastic strangling wild-life and killing thousands in slow torturous deaths as they feed on plastic. Watch this video: YouTube
PLEASE STOP THIS CAMPAIGN AND REFUSE THE STICKEEZ. Please peopleā¦ the earth is in a terrible state already and this is criminal!! RSPCA this is your call too!
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Weāve asked major supermarkets whether it is okay to bring your own container, and the response was a little muddled.
What are your thoughts on providing your own container to save on plastic?
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Hobart City Council votes to ban all single use plastic items in the takeaway food industry.
The future for bamboo products is certainly looking healthy.
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And now we have straw straws.
https://kitchen.nine.com.au/2019/02/28/12/14/sustainable-straws-made-of-wheat-straw
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Another concerning article regarding single use plastics.
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VIABLILTY-----Did a lot of reading on this thread . Coles were lambasted for their little shop promotion . Other manufacturers copped it in the neck for using plastic bags for their produce and products. The doom sayers would have us believe that plastic is the new 'Black Death " that hit Europe etc .
What I donāt see is any viable alternatives being put forward . I heard the postie heading down the street on his mo ped today and headed out the front to see if he had anything for me . He had my Choice Magazine fully visible through itās poly prop poly this poly that cover . Three young women , two with pushers were passing as he went to place the Mag in the letter box . They stopped and one asked could she have a look at it . Maybe the pink cover , the feminists will eat me for that one ,genderisation::, or maybe the big dollop of ice cream shown on the cover attracted her .
I arrived at the letter box and she asked me how long I had been a Choice member and that she and her husband were thinking of joining . I told them go to Choice.com etc etc .
That long diatribe for this reason . The Choice magazine is posted in a plastic see through satchel . As a person with a marketing back ground I think it is very effective way of mailing the mag out .
See this where viability comes into it . We have spoken out against the Coleās Little shop , one use plastic bags and yet we do not offer any long term viable alternatives . Our own Mag comes in plastic wrapping .
Take for instance Iām the CEO of Choice , heaven forbid , and the point of using plastic mailing material was raised by a campaigner against plastic packaging . THe first thing I would say to him/her is show me a viable "COST EFFECTIVE "way of getting the mags out there . It would be the same old recycled paper blah blah argument. What about the printing costs on the envelopes and most " recycled " paper does not come cheap . Labelling of names and addresses has to be done by rather expensive machinery/computer what ever and mistakes
would still happen in delivery errors . Another thing is the Mag as it is posted now is water proof in its āPLASTICā wrapping . My letter box has more leaks than the half time break at the AFL Grand Final . In the last three years Iāve emptied a number of paper turned to mush envelopes out the letter box .
To end this diatribe please put up some viable alternatives out there. I know the whole plastic packaging and container issue is a problem but whilst governments wont legislate to change packaging laws and when they do donāt enforce them the manufacturing community will just run riot , as they have for over 100 years in Australia , and the problem will go on unabated .
Just ripping open my Choice Mag . The Computer one looks interesting .
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An interesting article regarding the trade-off between plastic packaging and food waste.
A case of deciding what is the lesser of two evils.
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I saw this recently at a large supermarket: a single-use rigid plastic container (bottom and lid) wrapped in single-use soft plastic.
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! I told the salesperson to not wrap plastic containers in more plastic.
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! I told the salesperson to not wrap plastic containers in more plastic.
I am capable of placing the container āright way upā in a trolley, and then in my reusble shopping bag, and then in my refrigerator - to avoid leaks.
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Those things are notorious for leaking, so I doubt it would be a good idea to simply stop wrapping in plastic wrap. Not offering/buying that product would be a better option
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