Plastics Recycling, in a Sentence, What Makes You a Hypocrite?

I agree entirely, it's ridiculous how you can recycle some plastics in certain areas but not in others. Why can't they be collected and transported to be recycled. The problem is the cost, for councils to allocate the amount needed to do this would inevitably leave no money for other resources that people still feel are more important to their quality of life. The problem has festered and been underestimated, downplayed and downright ignored for so long that there's no longer a fix, only a management of damage already done, and even that isn't happening as it should. I'm behind the younger generations recent efforts to wake up the mass majority of the population to the bleak reality of our true situation. I believe that nothing less than the western world giving up a lot of their lives of luxury could even have an impact on our situation and that is not likely to happen. I say luxury because that is what it is in comparison to some peoples lives in this world, even those considered to be in poverty in the west still have a priviledged life style compared to those who have to trek miles for unclean water to drink. The other end of the scale is abhorrent to me, some people living in mansions and buying diamond collars for their pets, spending obscene amounts of money on clothing and such like. I have been accused of being an idealist and yeah I know there's no easy solution but surely nobody should be allowed to have 40 million, Super Yachts and the power and control it affords them when parts of the world could use that kind of money to at the very least have fresh clean drinking water available to them and enough food that they are not considered starving! I don't know what can be done to alter perspective and bring about new attitudes for change, but I do think the younger population have a valid point in suggesting that nothing short of revolution will bring about the gargantuan change needed to address the 'problem'. Wow, that got away from me. tad heavy for a Friday morning! I'm not on a high horse either, I'm as guilty as the next person in my attitude, but I'm trying. When people can't even live without cling film, well, enough said. x

I know ACR made the valid point about single use plastics though. If we can stop using those its a massive start. If as consumers we demand recyclable packaging as a must and refuse to buy unless it is so, this could impact, but changing habits is hard this is the problem. The thing is we do one thing and sit back and feel good about ourselves, example in point I use Beeswax washable wraps instead of clingfilm, but still sometimes buy fruit in plastic containers and plastic net wrapping! It is the manufacturers who control the packaging material chosen so we need to demand they go as green as is absolutely possible, if price is a little higher as a result consumers have to take that on as a necessary cost of this positive change.

We have a dog too. You can get biodegradable dog poo bags, they are more expensive though.

MrsCraig Oh yes the Earth Rated ones are good and easy to tear off. But one of the solutions I have found to avoid a stinky outside bin is to store them in a nappy bin until collection day and I'm aware that it is plastic so I feel like for every good thing I am also doing a bad thing lol

jenidady I know! We have a baby too, so I try my best to recycle everything and be environmentally friendly but I feel the same as you, it is counterproductive!

MrsCraig I know the baby nappy guilt! Even 18 years ago when my little one was in nappies we all felt guilty, mind you, including myself, we were never guilty enough to use terry cloth nappies with a pin like our own mums did. That's the problem, when something is so convenient and time saving it's hard to go back even for the right reasons. x

ACES74 I looked into cloth nappies as they aren't as much work as they used to be. The problem is I haven't got a house big enough to cope with all the washing! Plus he spent a lot of time in hospital and they have to use disposable ones there.

MrsCraig , sounds like you've had bigger things to cope with than the guilt over nappies love, I do hope your little fella is doing ok now.

ACES74 definitely had bigger things to worry about. He has been flying since his operation and is doing really well.

MrsCraig That is wonderful to hear. It's the most stressful worry of all, the anxiety over the health, safety, welfare and happiness of our own children. Everything else is just gravy! Your little fellas already ahead having a strong Mummy by his side. x

ACES74 I've never known worry like it! I'm just pleased he came through it and is going from strength to strength. I get my strength from him and my wonderful husband x

Plastic IS part of life today, but we really should be at the point where we are only manufacturing plastics that are fully recyclable, it's long overdue. There should be no plastics still requiring landfill disposal, that to me is the absurdity.

Burn it, reuse it or etc. There are plenty of uses for it but the activists who want to get plastic banned don't do much in the thinking department.

And that's why I'd rather avoid protests. Most of the time nothing good comes out of it. ACES74

Rockman I'm not an active protester myself but I do believe a lot of good has come from protests even if they have not brought about the immediate solution to their problem they do inevitably show on mass the feelings and opinion of a large percentage of the population, they may not, if ever, win the day but they do evoke discussion and debate which abeit slowly, brings about change.

ACES74 Those protests that have been happening just end up on creating more messes for the poor folks to clean up the streets than actually anything good and productive.

Greta Thunberg for example is a teenage girl being used for political reasons and with the internet, she can't erase the dramatic, scaremongering speeches she's given. It's not just cringey, embarrassing but also pathetic. If her parents cared for her they wouldn't allow this.

I agree, although considering the length of time that we've had the knowledge of the damage plastics do when entering into the ecosystem we are slow, almost static in our response. Why are these plastics still manufactured when alternatives exist. Again it's a question of cash and where we are willing to spend to affect that change.