Plastic waste in seas/oceans

[bludclot]

We have a long way to go.


It's reduce, reuse, recycle. In that order. Please don't think that by filling two recycling bins (for two people in a fortnight? How?) you are being environmentally friendly, better not to bring that material to your residence in the first place i.e. reduce.


I see people in supermarkets - typically pick up a couple of bananas and in the very thin give away plastic bag they go. Why? Last I knew bananas had a protective skin on them already. In the same vein I see cars drive to car park recycling bins... I see average speeds of 80mph on motorways (what's wrong with 56mph and fuel and emissions saving?) I see vehicle use for pleasure, I see motor racing, I see new vehicles being produced, sold and used, I see cheap clothing shops with huge queues at tills, I see fast food packaging everywhere, I see house building when we already have housing numbers sufficient to house everyone (just not necessarily where people want to live) I see shops filled with single use plastic goods for every holiday (halloween currently) I see fireworks every year (any idea just how massively polluting they are?) I could go on. That's just what I see, don't start me on what I hear and feel (heating for cold, air conditioning for hot everywhere, what's with that? We are warm blooded live with it and enjoy ffs).


I can only conclude that this societal structure is not sustainable.


Let's be honest here: We all want to be environmentally friendly, I think that's a given. When we are comfortably well off it's quite easy too. As soon as paying rent/mortgage/bills is under threat the environment (and pretty much everything else) goes out of the window. It's why people rip tusks out of elephants, cut down rain forests and produce plastic novelty items - to pay bills and put food on the family table i.e. be a good provider. It's not so easy to take the moral high ground with en empty belly and hungry children. So... cut to the chase here: the human race has two options: a massive reduction in numbers or scrapping of the monetary system. Either of these should eliminate plastic going into our oceans.


The irony of all this is that living by the 'reduce, reuse, recycle' maxim actually saves loads of money!