Should we be more worried about plastic than global warming?

[John Hill]

. After all, we invented environmentalism and have spearheaded the implementation of policies to preserve and protect our planet,

No you didn't Benny, that was the Greens who you so roundly despise..

[BenThere]

Are you suggesting the green movement's inception and development occurred outside the US and the Western World, as my post stated? Where did it come from then, North Korea?

[John Hill]

The first thing your Trump did in office was withdraw the USA from the Paris climate accord. 'nuff said.

[Magnus]

Bzzzzt. Wrong, but thanks for playing. His first major move was to attack the Affordable Care Act, which he did in January 2017. He also increased the budget of the Environmental Protection Agency, his first significant move on environmental issues. The withdrawal from Paris came later, in June.

'nuff said, indeed.

[John Hill]

. He also increased the budget of the Environmental Protection Agency, his first significant move on environmental issues..

Trump's EPA is an agency to downplay and ignore changes in global weather.

On April 28, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) abruptly took down its long-standing treasure trove of online climate change resources, and put up a message stating that they were being updated to reflect the new priorities of the Trump administration.

It's becoming more and more clear that one of those priorities is to downplay the threat of climate change. And one way way to do that is to ignore it altogether.

To that end, on Friday, a group that monitors federal websites for changes in climate change content reported that the some of the climate websites taken down in April have returned to the EPA's site, with all references to climate change removed.

https://mashable.com/2017/10/20/epa-cli ... WX0gVgXPq5

[BenThere]

Trump's EPA is an agency to downplay and ignore changes in global weather.

That's part of the reason we elected him. Global weather has been changing for millions of years. Global warming fanatics have tried to divert scarce economic resources toward unfounded theories that have been increasingly discredited. The fact is, we don't like you trying to take our economies down. Stop it.

[John Hill]

Your economy wont count for much when the world is unlivable.

[Magnus]

Not unexpectedly, JH, I see you failed to address your unfounded assertion that "The first thing your Trump did in office was withdraw the USA from the Paris climate accord", when that withdrawal was several months after him taking office, and after the President had taken several other actions on a range of issues.

[Mrs Ex-Ascot]

The Netherlands seem to be taking the lead in reducing plastic packaging in supermarkets; https://www.theguardian.com/environment ... upermarket

We even have a company here in Maun that sells packaging made from cellulose and wood pulp. Also Woolworths are using as much ecological packaging as they can too. Unfortunately Spar are lagging behind; I just bought a cauliflower unnecessarily packaged on a polystyrene tray and wrapped in clingfilm.

Good on the Cloggies!

[Mrs Ex-Ascot]

An interesting article from the Guardian today; https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/ ... aner-world

[Slasher]

TS are you against plastic altogether (e.g. Lego, Jeppesen circular puters, trash bins, slide rules, backyard tables etc) or just plastic shopping bags?

Sorry to ask all these questions.

[ExSp33db1rd]

but we don't usually dump that stuff in the trash, to end up in the sea. My plastic Jepp. slide rule is essential equipment when at the supermarket when cost per oz or similar isn't -deliberately - displayed on "Special Offers" e.g. is it better to buy 2x300 gm packets of Own Brand cornflakes "On Special" at $4 each, or one 500 gm pack of Kellogs at the regular price of $6.50 ? Answers on a postcard.
( I know, you're going to say go for the Kellogs anyway, but frankly I can't tell the difference, and when mixed with Muesli and All Bran and topped off with Low Fat milk - who cares ? )
I know, big deal, but the barstewards do it all the time, then the till knocks up the regular price and a Supervisor has to be called to explain that The System hasn't caught up. ( this is the Rant thread, isn't it ? )

[Mrs Ex-Ascot]

Slasher I'm not against plastic as such, just throwaway plastics which seem to be engulfing the planet. So I guess I'm in the plastic bag league. My childhood Lego got recycled; it went to my nieces and nephews.

I am not obsessed just interested in the subject, particularly new technologies and alternatives to plastic.

[BenThere]

The holy grail is to come up with solutions that are bio-degradable, and progress has been and continues to be made. My inclination is that plastic is invaluable, but the detritus needs to be able to be recycled cleanly as energy.

[Mrs Ex-Ascot]

The World's first plastic free supermarket aisle has opened; lets hope it is the first of many Worldwide.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/artic ... aisle.html

[Magnus]

Speedy, my slide rule (guessing stick) is a 1970 multi-function one made from bamboo with plastic (I assume) scales. Our kids haven't a fekn clue what it is. If I showed them my books of log tables, or LaPlace and Fourier transforms, their little minds would possibly explode, and I grudge the redecoration costs.

[ExSp33db1rd]

Yes, I was using a keyring attachment circular slide rule stuck inside my wallet at the Supermarket one day, and the school student cashier on a work experience day asked me what it was ? A circular slide rule. Wot's a Slide Rule ? And, as I've mentioned many times I have fun giving the odd bits of loose coins to get a return of whole unit notes, beats them every time. One could weep.

In the days of 10 Bob and / or Pound notes, my aged uncle would only ever draw money from the bank in 10 Bob notes - he was fed up with being short changed when he handed over a pound note, so I guess it's nothing new, except that in his days the cashiers had to add it all up on their fingers instead of picking up a calculator, or allowing the modern till to work it out for them.

[Magnus]

Ah yes, Speedy. Cost of shopping £9.37. Hand over a tenner plus 37p, and they still require the cash register's skill to work out £1 change. Sad, isn't it?

[Mrs Ex-Ascot]

The Refill campaign is now to be tried out in parts of London. Sounds like a good idea of doing something simple to help reduce plastic waste.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/ ... stic-waste

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

Here's some natural justice.
Bottled water worldwide found to be contaminated with microplastics...from discarded water bottles

http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/bottl ... -1.4575045