Before I kick off…I would like to truly thank everyone who sends me good news stories and who share/reblog these posts to spread the word that plastic IS A BIG PROBLEM WORLDWIDE very, very much…
This rant started building inside me when I read a FB post about whales found dead with shit loads of plastic in their stomachs…
Over the past two weeks, two whales have washed up on shores—one in the Philippines, and one in Italy—with stomachs stuffed with disposable plastic trash. On March 16, a young Cuvier’s beaked whale died and was found in Mabini after having consumed about 88 pounds of plastics. Last week, a pregnant sperm whale washed up dead in Sardinia with a little less than 50 pounds of plastic in her stomach. The beaked whale was found in a state of advanced dehydration and starvation, while the sperm whale’s death has not been fully diagnosed.
Of course, I opened it and started to click the links…Way back in 2014...Yep…California’s Governor Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 270…
Now comes the kicker…the ban was put on hold until a referendum is voted on in 2016.
Officials said that based on a random sample of 800,000 names submitted by the American Progressive Bag Alliance at the end of last year, opponents to the ban had mustered 555,000 names — more than the 505,000 needed to force a vote.
“It’s not surprising that after spending more than $3.2 million, 98 per cent of which is from out-of-state, the plastic bag industry has bought its way onto the California ballot to protect its profits,” said Mark Murray of Californians vs. Big Plastic, an advocacy group that supported the plastic bag ban and includes the Sierra Club, Heal the Bay and the Surfrider Foundation. Full story here
On November 8, 2016, California voters approved Proposition 67, the statewide Single-Use Carryout Bag Ban.
However, some contend the state should stay out of the business of restricting plastics, whether straws or packaging. They also claim a small percentage of plastics in the ocean are coming from the United States.
“It won’t change anything, and nobody will see a difference,” said Kerry Jackson, a fellow at the Center for California Reform at the Pacific Research Institute, a conservative think tank based in San Francisco. “This is a freedom issue as well. [Companies] should be able to decide what they’re going to give to customers, and customers should be able to decide what they want to get.”
Freedom issue?…. Companies should be able to decide.?.. What planet apart from planet greed and money are these people on…It certainly isn’t the Blue Planet!
Now for the fluffy bits…The good News Stories…
Readers Corner…
PLASTICS are polluting our oceans. Two young Americans have founded something called 4Oceans – I’ve done some research and it seems to be on the up and up. For every twenty-dollar bracelet, you buy, made from recycled plastics in Bali, they promise to remove one pound of plastic from the oceans. They are located around the world and it seems like a good place to donate. The bracelets aren’t much, but then most of the money goes to the cleanup and the local Bali economy. Check it out.
Victoria Ziglar sent me the info on Patch Plasters…
Patch’s hypoallergenic adhesive strips, perfect for kids and adults alike, are free of plastic, parabens, latex and silicon. Bamboo is a rapidly renewable resource that grows many times faster than trees, uses much less water, produces up to 35 more oxygen and doesn’t need pesticides or herbicides!
Ideal for me in two ways so thank you, Tori, as I have a plaster allergy…
Also from Tori…Who is a little star…thank you xxx
The UK’s biggest coordinated beach clean-up, organised by Surfers Against Sewage, will see volunteers across the UK removing plastic from natural spaces including mountains, as well as contributing to the UK’s biggest ever Plastic Pollution Audit to help further track and tackle plastic pollution to stop it at the source.
Thank you, ladies …You Rock!
Finally, if you are still buying takeaway drinks then maybe …No, yes it is time to step up and take your own reusable cup
Thank you for still being here if you have survived my rant…xxx
Until next time ….with updated news on the plastic front…
Thank you for reading this post which I believe will point the way to a few changes we can make to really make a difference as I know I am not doing enough and should be doing more and that seems to be backed up by much in this post what do you think?… Are you doing enough to Save the Planet ???
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 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!
More and more of my blogging friends have joined me on MeWe…A social media site which is fairly new and which promises much without the restrictions some other social media sites are choosing to impose on many of us…Join me if you will on mewe.com/i/caroltaylor3
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/
Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all have a great week xx
Retired? No one told me! 
Hi Carol If they had made plastic bio degradable when it was invented there would not be this mess today! Yet they blame us! Thank you for calling by and liking “Shadow People!” Do They really exist?#TheFoureyedPoet.
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Edible bags are surely the answer…
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Edible 6 pack holders have been made and some companies are using them but I am not sure it will stop people dumping their rubbish ….I believe people need educating to dispose of waste correctly …
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Pingback: CarolCooks2…Weekly catchup…Plastic, Cloud Eggs, B3, Komoto Dragons and Dare to Dream! | Retired? No one told me!
Absolutely Carol, the time is now! I read about that poor sperm whale, and you can bet there are many more dead because of ocean pollution. So bloody sad. 😦 ❤
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I know Debby we all need to really step up and do more be heard ❤️❤️
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We shall keep harping on such issues! ❤ xx
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It’s my least favourite thing about traveling in Asia, the huge amount of waste you see everywhere, it’s so sad. It’s better in the UK but you still see people dumping stuff out of cars and the hidden waste caused by non natural clothing like polyester being washed or micro beads and glitter in cosmetics 🤨
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I know there are lots of positive signs here but I do hope it is not to little to late… Much more must be done in schools start young 😀
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Thank you very miuch for your very engaged work. Best wishes, Michael
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I really have to be more conscientious about taking my reusable bags.
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Yes you do…leave them where you can see them and after a few time it becomes second nature or leave them in the car if you go by car 🙂
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Yes, that’d be a good idea. Leave them in the car.
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The amount of unnecessary plastic wrapping we produce really irks me. I know that there is no perfect solution…the sheer volume of packaging and the inks to print on them is going to cause problems somewhere… but plastics, to be used once, thrown away and forgotten about are such an appalling waste of resources and cause so much damage…
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I know , Sue there are many zero waste stores now which if there is one near to you may be worth a look….I refuse bags in shops and shop on markets so I don’t get plastic cartons with my fruit etc and if things need wrapping they use banana leaves and bamboo ties…I think if we go in stores( and) I know many won’t but unwrap your packaged goods in store if everyone did that the store would haver to rethink…Just an idea 🙂
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I buy loose produce wherever possible and regret the passing of independent shops . All packaging gets re-used and eventually recycled.
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As heart-breaking and maddening as the news is about how utterly disrespectful we humans can be to other species/ecosystems (plastic in whales’ digestive systems AND horrible explosives underwater which ruins their amazing hearing… while we greedily search for more fossil fuels, some of which will be turned into non-decomposing plastics!!!!), I am slightly comforted by your blog post because someone else is upset about these issues. Thank you for caring and sharing your ideas about how we can make different, wiser choices!
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Thank you, Will..Yes I am upset as it seems to just drag on and on and still be produced…Thank you I am pleased the post gave you some comfort 🙂
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Reblogged this on Smorgasbord Blog Magazine and commented:
Carol Taylor with her weekly war on waste and continues with the use of plastics and its appalling impact on wildlife, including whales. It would also seem that it is mammoth task to move a bill through government with some taking 16 years to enact a ban that should be immediate.. well worth a read and getting your own dander up.
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That’s so sad about the poor Whales.
You’re welcome about the links. I didn’t know about your alergy, but that makes me even more glad I sent you that one.
Am I doing enough? I doubt it. But I’ll keep trying. If we all keep trying, maybe eventually it will be enough. Maybe, if enough of us try, the money-grabbing companies will even start to wake up and start trying too. Can but hope, right?
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Yes we can, Tori…I don’t buy very much at all which is manufactured I buy natural where possible for example salt is farmed near me so that is the salt I buy…Also the shops are happy to put the kids drinks in reusable containers now which is good less plastic that we are using…Every little helps and if I hadn’t been so incensed to write todays post I would have published one on how to make your own household products it is so easy and better for the environment but that is for next week now 🙂 x
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I know. I read about it. It is so appalling.
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It is Cindy..Hence my rant at the feet dragging to bring in legislation …
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