The Blue Planet Uk...How amazing is that? The BBC most certainly know how to make programmes like this… If you haven’t watched then #recommended# 

 

Image by WikiImages from Pixabay

I can’t wait although I am scared, to say the least, what Sir David Attenborough has to say on climate change…

I thought today I would have a roam around the world to see what initiatives are going on although I do believe that however many initiatives are going on we need to be looking at the source i.e…My pesky manufacturers, they need to be pulled up sharp and told to sort it and pronto or face the consequences so we need to look at who we are electing and how they are going to tackle that…Rant nearly over…haha…

Become a climate voter...I am sure if you google it you will find a party in your area …

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warns the world is running out of time to contain climate change.

I do believe that the amount of plastic generated affects the climate quite simply they are interlinked…

Plastic has invaded our everyday lives and is in everything we buy and use in one form or another…

Each year this figure increase and it is said that in 10 years time production and consumption with double it currently stands at 8 million metric tons finds its way into our oceans.

Worldwide it is estimated that 8.3 billion plastic straws pollute the beaches…

Plastic bags, disposable napkins, plastic straws, plastic takeaway cups, glitter I could go on how could we not notice how could we not realise…did we not see the warning or more to the point heed them…I will be honest here I have read and seen lots over the years and still I didn’t heed the signs…I suppose I was guilty of thinking or not thinking and thought the problem was being addressed…By someone else…

Image by Stefan Schweihofer from Pixabay

Complacency is the word …

Let’s have a look at how many good serious and inventive ideas are being implemented around the world to make good use of plastic or eliminate the need for plastic and find other ways of producing what we need…

Thailand…

An obvious choice as I live here …Thailand is looking to ban the use of very thin single-use plastic bags in 2022, followed by single-use plastic glasses and straws three years …Thailand is also to ban foreign plastic waste from 2021. Thailand and other southern Asian countries are buckling under the sheer weight of imported plastic waste.

The UK...

In January 2018, the UK announced a 25-year plan to set the global gold standard on eliminating plastic waste, according to environment minister Michael Gove.

Australia …

Unlike other governments I couldn’t find much on outright bans it seems to be that it is happening state by state…South Australia, the Australian Capital Territory, Tasmania, and the Northern Territory, have state-wide bans on single-use plastic bags, and Queensland is set to follow in July 2018. Ministers also endorsed a target of 100 per cent of Australian packaging being recyclable, compostable or reusable by 2025, to be delivered by the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation.

Canada…

In January 2018, Canada put a stop to plastic microbeads. Although microbeads were permitted to be manufactured and imported for non-prescription drugs and certain natural health products until July 1 2018.

New Zealand…

Associate Minister for the Environment Eugenie Sage has confirmed that single-use plastic shopping bags will be phased out in New Zealand with regulations to come into force from 1 July 2019.

Germany…

Germany’s minister for agriculture, food and consumer protection. Klöckner wants to halve the amount of food thrown away in the country by 2030. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Cabinet adopted a concept to reach this goal on Wednesday. It is not only aimed at end consumers — i.e. customers in supermarkets — but also at companies, organizations, politicians and scientists. Klöckner made it clear that reducing waste is an “economic, ecological and ethical obligation” for everyone.

France…

2016 saw France become the first country to announce a total ban on plastic cups, plates, and cutlery, to be brought in from 2020.

India…

India pledges to beat plastic pollution by 2022…Wow, that is fighting talk as they probably have more plastic waste than many countries worldwide. India was the host to World Environment Day 2018 and they have taken 5 steps to fast track it already…

Holland…

With effect from January 2016, free plastic bags were banned… Although alongside France they have agreed to a Plastic Pact this is being condemned by the break free from plastics movement and Hollands recycling Network as they feel it should be law and not voluntary…

The Phillipines…

The 3rd major pollution contributor to plastic in the oceans…It seems that plastics, consumer makers are making the pledges… 

Spain…

In October, Spain became the 32nd country to sign up to the UN Clean Seas campaign, which aims to ‘turn the tide on plastic.’

South Africa…

The government wants to ban... A lot of wants but no clear policies…

Finland…

Collective working in Finland received a Plastics Roadmap, which is the first step toward a new, sustainable plastic economy. Of the more than 100 proposals made, the roadmap presents a set of key actions to find solutions to challenges caused by plastics.

Rwanda…

Pleasing to see that here the call to end plastic waste has been escalating and even becoming a priority during the recent Annual World Economic Forum where consumer products companies were pressurised to put up more stringent strategies to curb plastic waste.

Switzerland…

Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 24 January 2019 – Governments and companies are working actively around the world to create a circular economy for plastics.

The USA…

This article published in Jan 2019 show s current legislation by state…Plastic bag and paper bags…

My conclusion…

The countries I have chosen to highlight are based on my readership on my blog…There seems to be a trend for this circular economy for plastics which I highlighted in week 15 in my Thursdays  Waste Not! Want Not! post and it seems a very positive action. Many countries are focusing on single-use plastics which is a start and Thailand is banning imports of plastic waste which is a fantastic move as I believe as a country we should all be responsible for our own plastic waste.

Some are taking a bit of a back seat I believe and although the UK’S 25-year plan is admirable I hope it has a big effect on the environment sooner rather than later…I like to see wording like banned from now or a year in advance…We don’t have 25 years to address this problem…

The EU’s Clean Seas campaign has a good sign up rate however I know that some countries who signed up and agreed to the EU’s fishing quota charter are blatantly ignoring them so I do hope they enforce this much better.

As well as government pledges there are also many local pledges which are great to see but ultimately it is the source of the problem which needs addressing not recycling and cleanups they just keep it from escalating as fast.

But please also remember that textiles also cause environmental problems those glittery tops and dresses when washed all go into the water system and those clothes you recycle often go to landfill and because they are sewed with plastic threads etc they don’t decompose very quickly…Thinking about tossing old clothing in the bin? Don’t. Not even if it’s shredded, stained or no longer on trend. You know those old nylon tights you used to gym in back in the day? Chucking them in the bin for being smelly and stretched out of recognition involves taking 30 to 40 years to decompose.

Thank you for reading and please continue to send me your local initiatives for my Thursday’s posts with pictures if possible xxx

About Carol Taylor:

Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing.

The environment is also something I am passionate about and there will be more on this on my blog this year

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then I bid you welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Carol is a contributor to the Phuket Island Writers Anthology: https://www.amazon.com/Phuket-Island-Writers-Anthology-Stories-ebook/dp/B00RU5IYNS

Connect to Carol

Blog: https://carolcooks2.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheRealCarolT
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carol.taylor.1422

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/caroltaylor56/pins/

MeWe is a new social media and one which many of us are turning to mainly migrating over to as FB has banned many of my friends and for what seems no good reason that we can see I hope you will join us there.

MeWe: mewe.com/i/caroltaylor3

Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all having a great week xx