The latest news on the environment and recycling…13th August

This week I have brought you a mixture of good news as it really isn’t ALL doom and gloom…There are lots of great schemes, new ideas and enthusiasm around the world to make it a better place for us and the wildlife…But of course, I will have a naughty corner…

My grandson was on a school trip last week planting trees…I was pleased to hear this as Thailand has a huge plastic waste problem but to know that they are encouraging the kids to think about the enviroment is very pleasing…I am still waiting for the images and some more info which I will post soon…

nature-forest-trees-path-3

Talking of trees New Zealand’s target of planting one billion trees is going well…The government plans to meet its goal by making it easier to plant trees. They will do this by lowering any planting barriers currently faced by landowners and improving incentives to support the right trees, in the right place, for the right purpose. They are also interested in partnering with New Zealanders regarding research, innovation, and sector development initiatives.

I do think with the sheer scale of the recycling… That much work is needed at source these comments from Rod McDaniel, CEO of Springfield, Tenn.-based processor S3 Recycling Solutions. McDaniel will be participating in a conference session called Growth in Turbulent Times, featuring perspectives from a range of e-scrap executives who have pushed forward their businesses despite commodity fluctuations and other industry uncertainties. I think what he is saying is true they do have to make a profit…It is business after all…But the enviroment is also a factor…

What would you say is the single biggest challenge facing the e-scrap industry today? Recycling electronics responsibly all while making a profit. It seems as if every month there is a new e-waste company that has gone out of business for either illegally dumping or loss of revenue/profit.

How has S3 Recycling Solutions gone about navigating these challenges?

As far as responsible recycling, although we are not R2, all our downstream vendors hold this certification (or e-Stewards). I think it’s important for recyclers not to always see our “competitors” as the competition. We have developed relationships with our downstream partners that specialize in areas we do not. An example of that is our relationship with Dynamic Lifecycle Innovations. We do not specialize in de-manufacturing; we do perform light de-manufacturing and work with DLI to recycle all of our end-of-life electronics. About 80 per cent of our revenue comes from the resale.

It is good to see that he is looking at competitors from the same industry as partners in a way and looking at how they can together combine their areas of expertise.

Good to hear…as recycling is a huge area and must be done responsibly…

Surfin…This word always conjures up the song from the Beach Boys which I think I played to death in my younger days…

Image by Manie Van der Hoven from Pixabay

Surfers have an intimate relationship with the water, but the damage they do goes under-reported. Wetsuits are made of neoprene, a synthetic rubber originally invented to line landfill sites: good for staying warm while surfing in December, less so for the environment.

It is estimated that 380 tonnes of wetsuit waste are dumped every year. But one man has come up with a radical solution…A fully recyclable wetsuit…

The Orkney Isles charge ahead with electric…They are now producing more than they need…

This is quite a long video but interesting…

https://youtu.be/FXe1hBvlylw

Wow, how good is this? A wedding breakfast using waste food…Now, this is some dedication to stopping food waste…

The lavish banquet included sea bream, sea bass, ox, pork ribs and chicken, with vegan, gluten-free and vegetarian diners also catered for – all created from surplus food that would otherwise have been destined for the rubbish bin.

But guests only found out the origin of their meal after they had tucked in, with the big reveal by the bride and groom drawing “huge gasps” from across the room.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-49320381

How wonderful and it just shows what can be done…I think for too long we have all just accepted things as they are and I think reading a lot of these incentives they are community-based and I think we need to accept that if we still want to take from all the wonderful foods and the pleasure we gain from beautiful places we need to play OUR part…

Naughty Corner…Mining…

Mining landscape-4359644_640

One of Australia’s most contentious coalmines, New Acland, was caught drilling 27 illegal bores last year and fined $3,152 by the Queensland government, a figure an environment group has labelled “paltry”.

Part of the New Hope group I have read a few links and on the face of it they are putting a lot into the communities …But if all is hunky-dory and above board, as all the gloss wants us to think…27 illegal bores that smacks of defiance for the guidelines imposed and why for such a profitable company is the fine so small??? So much doesn’t add up and it looks like communities are being given money and what role does the Queensland government play in this because the rosy pictures being painted do not reflect the illegal boring …Something ain’t right…

Another mining company is also facing suspicion of cyberstalking scientists and stopping expert evidence being subjected to proper public scrutiny…

It seems heavy-handed tactics are being employed and are not being stopped. Very worrying…

That’s all for today’s lots of great projects which fill me with hope for the future…Thank you for reading and if you have any great schemes in your neighbourhood please share and I will link back to you. xx

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!

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

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Thank you for reading …Have a great week xx