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Plastic Protest
Plastic Protest
Recent social media attention has brought about a day of protest against the amount of unnecessary plastic packaging used within the Supermarket Industry.
Recent social media attention has brought about a day of protest against the amount of unnecessary plastic packaging used within the Supermarket Industry.
The Nation Wide Protest on Saturday 21st April will highlight the public's concern with what appears to have 2 main objectives:
The Nation Wide Protest on Saturday 21st April will highlight the public's concern with what appears to have 2 main objectives:
1. Highlight to Producers and Distributors that Customers would like them to use less plastic packaging.
1. Highlight to Producers and Distributors that Customers would like them to use less plastic packaging.
2. Bring awareness to Consumers of how their personal choices are contributing to the environmental problem.
2. Bring awareness to Consumers of how their personal choices are contributing to the environmental problem.
Action you SHOULD take:
Action you SHOULD take:
- Don't buy any plastic wrapped packaging if there's an alternative option.
- Don't assume ALL plastic packaging is not recyclable, if in doubt ask.
- Don't buy ANY more plastic carrier bags.
- Avoid buying drinks bottles especially water.
- Buy biodegradable waste 'bin' bags
- Don't use plastic bags for fruit and veg.
- Reuse what you already have.
- Recycle.
'Environmentally Friendly'
'Environmentally Friendly'
This is a phrase frequently misused as a marketing and publicity tool to suggest that we are somehow working in harmony with Mother Nature to continue, or to excuse, our 'throw-away' culture.
This is a phrase frequently misused as a marketing and publicity tool to suggest that we are somehow working in harmony with Mother Nature to continue, or to excuse, our 'throw-away' culture.
'Environmentally Conscious'
'Environmentally Conscious'
This is a more apt phrase to describe many people's behaviour and awareness that their decisions and actions have an impact..
This is a more apt phrase to describe many people's behaviour and awareness that their decisions and actions have an impact..
Everything has a consequence whether it is from lighting a fire for warmth & cooking, using electric vehicles for transport, building Eco homes or growing 'organic' crops. Most activities have a harmful environmental consequence or unintended side effect even if the motivation and intention is good.
Everything has a consequence whether it is from lighting a fire for warmth & cooking, using electric vehicles for transport, building Eco homes or growing 'organic' crops. Most activities have a harmful environmental consequence or unintended side effect even if the motivation and intention is good.
Create, Use, Reuse, Recycle, Reduce
Create, Use, Reuse, Recycle, Reduce
What's the Problem with Plastic?
What's the Problem with Plastic?
One of the fantastic properties of most plastics can be its very long lifespan but we've chosen to misuse them as part of our 'throw away' convenience lifestyle.
One of the fantastic properties of most plastics can be its very long lifespan but we've chosen to misuse them as part of our 'throw away' convenience lifestyle.
Very few products don't involve plastics either in their creation, packaging, transportation, purchase or end of life. Plastics are used virtually everywhere but the main problem is that they poison the air, ground, water and any living thing for an unknown length of time as a waste product.
Very few products don't involve plastics either in their creation, packaging, transportation, purchase or end of life. Plastics are used virtually everywhere but the main problem is that they poison the air, ground, water and any living thing for an unknown length of time as a waste product.
Plastics Don't Decompose!
Plastics Don't Decompose!
You'll read statistics like the chart which suggests plastics will decompose in anything from 10 to +500 years which is misleading.
You'll read statistics like the chart which suggests plastics will decompose in anything from 10 to +500 years which is misleading.
Invented in 1907 and made popular in the 60's these 'potential facts' about plastic come from laboratory estimates.
Invented in 1907 and made popular in the 60's these 'potential facts' about plastic come from laboratory estimates.
The chart suggests the problem will be gone in a few hundred years after bacteria has decomposed the material but that's not true.
The chart suggests the problem will be gone in a few hundred years after bacteria has decomposed the material but that's not true.
Polythene for example is used in most lightweight carrier bags and will not decompose but merely crumble into very fine particles if exposed to continuous sunlight. It doesn't actually turn into something neutral or become less poisonous to the environment.
Polythene for example is used in most lightweight carrier bags and will not decompose but merely crumble into very fine particles if exposed to continuous sunlight. It doesn't actually turn into something neutral or become less poisonous to the environment.
Now multiply this problem by the billions of waste plastic bags in existence. If they're buried and not fully exposed to sunlight they'll take centuries longer to degrade.
Now multiply this problem by the billions of waste plastic bags in existence. If they're buried and not fully exposed to sunlight they'll take centuries longer to degrade.
Cheap
Cheap
This is now the major problem since something cheap and poisonous needs legislation to control its use. Given that the mass production costs of lightweight plastic carrier bags is incredibly low they would still be available for free if it wasn't for government intervention. Adding a small charge in 2002 saw a 90% reduction in Irish usage but how many of us still buy them instead of the natural fabric bags instead?
This is now the major problem since something cheap and poisonous needs legislation to control its use. Given that the mass production costs of lightweight plastic carrier bags is incredibly low they would still be available for free if it wasn't for government intervention. Adding a small charge in 2002 saw a 90% reduction in Irish usage but how many of us still buy them instead of the natural fabric bags instead?
See who's banned or taxed them in the world map and you'll see consensus that legislation was needed to make a difference.
See who's banned or taxed them in the world map and you'll see consensus that legislation was needed to make a difference.
Poisoning the food chain
Poisoning the food chain
A plastic carrier bag placed in the ground leaches chemicals (fine particles) into the soil which do nothing to enhance the soils growing qualities. These chemicals find their way into the water system and ultimately leach into a wider area as they travel to the sea. Marine life then absorb these and the chemicals enter the food chain.
A plastic carrier bag placed in the ground leaches chemicals (fine particles) into the soil which do nothing to enhance the soils growing qualities. These chemicals find their way into the water system and ultimately leach into a wider area as they travel to the sea. Marine life then absorb these and the chemicals enter the food chain.
We could soon discover that we are now eating food or consuming drinks potentially containing microplastics. The fine particles can also enter the weather system, enter into the sky to be redistributed across the land and in the air that we breath.
We could soon discover that we are now eating food or consuming drinks potentially containing microplastics. The fine particles can also enter the weather system, enter into the sky to be redistributed across the land and in the air that we breath.
Reuse and Recycle
Reuse and Recycle
We've become so accustomed to seeing food wrapped in plastic packaging and accepting that it's often used for good reasons: hygiene, preservative, storage, transportation and marketing visibility.
We've become so accustomed to seeing food wrapped in plastic packaging and accepting that it's often used for good reasons: hygiene, preservative, storage, transportation and marketing visibility.
Technology exists for plastic drinks bottles to now be recycled over and over again but we're relying on waste industry to do this for us. Just like bottle banks we could be recycling better.
Technology exists for plastic drinks bottles to now be recycled over and over again but we're relying on waste industry to do this for us. Just like bottle banks we could be recycling better.
Most products are not designed to be reused probably for hygiene, liability and repeat business reasons. There needs to be government legislation and control to change our habits.
Most products are not designed to be reused probably for hygiene, liability and repeat business reasons. There needs to be government legislation and control to change our habits.
The Environmental legacy of Plastic may last forever.
The Environmental legacy of Plastic may last forever.
Concerned about YOUR waste?
Concerned about YOUR waste?
Think twice before YOU purchase and participate in being part of the ongoing problem.
Think twice before YOU purchase and participate in being part of the ongoing problem.
Plastic Bags, drinks bottles and packaging are not the only 'plastic' problem.
Plastic Bags, drinks bottles and packaging are not the only 'plastic' problem.
I took notes with a plastic pen to type this on a plastic laptop and you're likely to be reading this on a plastic mobile phone.
I took notes with a plastic pen to type this on a plastic laptop and you're likely to be reading this on a plastic mobile phone.
Plastics are prevalent in modern society and will literally be with us for centuries to come.
Plastics are prevalent in modern society and will literally be with us for centuries to come.
Choose Wisely
Choose Wisely
Recent Media Articles
Recent Media Articles
Read Next in April Edition 2018
Read Next in April Edition 2018
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