Category Archives: Microplastics

Plastic…Part 11…Are we really doing enough?

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Good morning for sunny Thailand and it is a glorious day …At the moment …I say that as it is the low season which means sunshine and tropical storms and boy when that rain starts the heavens just open…It is also why everything is so gloriously green here…

Curry plant in bloom

My curry tree…

It makes you feel that all is well with the world but don’t be fooled it appears it is NOT!

I have written much about the billions of tons of plastic which affect the health of our seas…and Planet …landfill…Plastic is everywhere …

But how does it get there?

But I  always dispose of my waste properly! I always recycle when possible!”, We all say it! But, if no-one is responsible, how does so much end up in the rivers and the ocean?

But I always put my trash in the bin!

overflowing waste bins

Photo credit: habeebee on VisualHunt / CC BY-NC-ND

How many of us are guilty of adding our waste to that overflowing bin? Then walking away satisfied that we have done OUR bit?…

The problem doesn’t end here either because next, we need to move the garbage to a more permanent location. Before you say recycling, remember that, worldwide, less than 10% of all waste is recycled which means that the majority of your rubbish ends up as landfill or incinerated.

I see rubbish and bins everywhere like that here…So what is generally the first few things that happen before the rubbish is collected…

The wind picks up and blows the plastic bags everywhere...The dogs, cats and even the man who trundles along with his little trolley and goes down the bin…splits plastic bags open to see what is inside… This is life this happens, this is the reality!

street lady going down a waste bin

Photo credit: drpavloff on VisualHunt / CC BY-NC

All true...That is life …We may not want to admit it …But it is what happens…I see this every time I go for a walk but haven’t yet plucked up the courage to ask if I can take a photo…

This part of the story is probably the one we are most aware of. But there is another side of the story that we are less aware of but equally responsible for… I hear you…Loud and clear!

But how can I control illegal dumping of rubbish? Am I responsible for the actions of people who throw away their cigarette butts which are washed down the drain directly into the oceans? These actions do have an impact but it is not the biggest problem. It is also something we have no control over anyway.

In fact, the other side of the story is caused by us…Again! It has been estimated that of all the plastic and rubbish in the oceans, 90% of it comes from just 10 rivers.

Now if you were to look at where those rivers were located you would notice a link… it is those countries which most likely to manufacture many of the cheap, disposable plastic items. Items that are typically found as landfill and littering the oceans, such as plastic bags, toys, toothbrushes, straws and bottles.

They also happen to be the countries most likely to have inadequate waste management facilities. This means rubbish is much more likely to end up being lost to the environment.

We go shopping and often pick up things without a thought…I know I do… I consciously do try really hard but also if it is a product I buy…  I sometimes still buy it and dispose of it correctly of course I do but honestly, I don’t do enough … I really don’t!

I need to be more conscientious… Here’s what I think…

Refuse – Whenever you can, say NO to plastic bags, straws, cups, forks and spoons! And ask yourself, do I really need this?

This one I do…I have bamboo straws and we take our own cups for a refill I also refuse any cutlery or bag as always have a cloth bag with me…This I can honestly say I have perfected.

Reduce – When you cannot refuse, use less of whatever you can!

Truly I need to be better at this one...I need to decide and ask myself do I need to buy something then take the decision to try to find and buy a product marketed as sustainable and manufactured with consideration of the environment…Like these…I love them… banana leaves are used to make little baskets to hold tomatoes or other vegetables the bamboo containers holding tomatoes are emptied into a paper bag at the till and reused…

This is such a simple use of natural packaging and is what I buy when I can but I do need to think before I buy any imported items as that is where my problem lies. I need to think about packaging and the air miles even more …Think before I buy! Buy local …

Reuse – Fill up your water bottle, take cutlery out with you, reuse that plastic bag over and over.

Waterbottle √ Take cutlery with you × reuse that plastic bag √…2 out of 3 most of the time as sometimes I forget the cutlery…My bad…

Repair – If it breaks, don’t automatically throw it away, check if you can fix it!

I do now and that is because Thais are really good at that…Not much gets thrown away they always make do and mend…

Thinking about packaging in the home as I often do…

I have come across these great platinum silicone products which have many uses for the freezer, the oven and taking your food to work or play…It seems there are no known problems at the moment and that although they are not compostable they are fully recyclable where there are facilities.

While not a “100% natural” material like rubber, food-grade silicone is a non-toxic polymer mostly made from silica (sand). It can withstand heating and freezing without leaching or off-gassing, hazardous chemicals – unlike plastics, which contaminate food in these environments.

I like the way that the top seals and they fold flat I am thinking I could use them when I buy meat to save on a plastic bag and for me they would be better in the freezer than glass as I don’t have a very big freezer and glass is rigid and takes up more room.

And if you are short on smiles today then watch this video and I dare you not to smile…

However to keep on believing that throwing our trash in the correct bins and recycling is going to help our planet is wrong. we need to change not only our ways but our thinking…

The Bottom Line…

It is up to us as individuals to take a stand and start changing the way we look at our trash and the things that we buy.

Will you???

Thank you so much for reading this post and if it made you smile please share and or comment on how you deal with plastic 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 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/

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CarolCooks2…Weekly Roundup…Yanang Juice, Koh Samui A Secret Garden, King Tides and Coorg Mango Curry…

5 Replies

I have a corker of a weekly roundup for you much variety which really reflects my brain…It flits around and it just needs a word or a phrase and I am off to DuckDuckGo…Then an idea for a post or a recipe is growing…I never know where I am likely to end up some days. I puzzle over a subject and then bingo the lights go on…I think this week has been much like that one idea has led to another and then I watched Question Time and realised it wasn’t just me…So much is going on in the world it is easy to get sidetracked, isn’t it? Then when it gets too much I just go for a walk or down to the kitchen and cook…

So if you have had a week like me coupled with as I have tropical storms and my seasonal leaking ceiling which no one seems to have the answer to…Get your favourite drink and settle down for a rollercoaster of a read…

great reads a weekly roundup lady with electronic reader

 

First is Sally’s weekly roundup over at Smorgasbord and what a variety of posts she has for you …If the handsome John Wicks is your thing coupled with a daiquiri then you are in for a treat.

Me… I always head straight for the maestro himself the lovely Will. I play his selection of videos while I read or type…Always a treat…I also get to discover and listen to artists that I haven’t heard before and get to learn about their musical journey always well told and fascinating…

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/05/26/smorgasbord-blog-magazine-weekly-round-up-john-wick-3-spirits-in-the-sky-polar-bears-and-apple-daiquiris/

Plastic …Always something new and I am in awe of some of the inventions …I featured The Budweiser recycled football pitch…Not because I am a die-hard football fan but because I saw a floating football pitch here in Thailand and it was awesome…Image playing football and your ball went off the pitch …You got wet…Those kids soon became so skilled at ball control.

Trainers, I mean how many pairs can you have? Adidas has come up with the recyclable trainer ..finished with your trainers they will take them back…How cool is that?The old and new adidas trainers

https://carolcooks2.com/2019/05/27/plastic-part-10-a-recycled-football-pitch/

Diets have been around since time immemorial and some work and some are just plain dangerous…I mean cotton wool balls soaked in a juice or smoothie and then eating it…How crazy is that? The tapeworm diet…Just the thought is enough to make me stop eating how gross is that? Stress also plays a big part but remember…

stressed is only desserts backwards

Now, where is that Chocolate Brownie? Who ate the last piece?

https://carolcooks2.com/2019/05/28/healthy-eating-eat-smart-yanang-juice-and-the-very-first-diet-book/

Back to Sally who has my permission to go through my archives and pick 4 posts. Sally chose my favourite place this week… The Secret Garden in Koh Samui, Thailand…It is the most magical place I have seen…Enjoy!

Koh Samui The Secret Garden

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/05/29/smorgasbord-posts-from-your-archives-potluck-travel-thailandkoh-samuia-secret-garden-by-carol-taylor/

Time for a sort of rant…Haha…But you know me by now and know that I am passionate about what I believe in …Climate Change has me stumped though…I do think there is a problem… not sure how serious it really is as people love to scaremonger BUT  I have watched David Attenburgh and listened to many others and also know that over millions of years naturally things or the earth has changed…I also know we need CO2 as do the trees and plants to survive…Planting trees is good…Deforestation is not…There is so much to be taken into account and it needs to be correct action, not knee jerk action due to pressure but also sometimes politicians do need a kick up the proverbial, stop passing the buck and work together over all parties…So much info to digest…

nature-forest-trees-path-3

Photo on Visual hunt

Trees always make me feel so calm…I have always enjoyed a walk through the trees…

https://carolcooks2.com/2019/05/30/waste-not-want-not-hunger-and-king-tides/

Lastly this week in my kitchen and as he who I rarely obey…haha …has been rained off and is indoors more rather than out in the garden…Has been going through the fridge and cupboards looking for snacks…So it was time to make his favourite Bread Pudding which kept him quiet for a few days…haha and I had to cook comfort food, one pot curries, jalapeno poppers and a tagine…I also made a lovely Coorg Mango Curry…a tad spicy but really nice …So a few recipes to check out for you…All tried and tested in my kitchen…

https://carolcooks2.com/2019/05/31/this-week-in-my-kitchen-bread-pudding-jalapeno-poppers-and-coorg-mango-curry/

I hope you have enjoyed this weeks roundup and please leave a comment on any of the subjects… your comments are very welcome and will always be answered…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 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

 

 

Plastic…Part 10…A recycled Football Pitch…

9 Replies

Good morning…My head is swimming…When is a bag not a bag??? I am beginning to think I will never know…

coloured plastic bags blowing in the wind

A question and statement from Ellen Hawley set us both thinking ??? I am beginning to think that it is all in the production and that there are exceptions to a very broad ruling…I hope this link helps my only concern is that the statement.

“A bioplastic carrier bag also looks exactly like a traditional carrier bag. ” Means I will never truly know what I am using…

Produces the comment from me… Help! …and remember…

stressed is only desserts backwards

Photo credit: oatsy40 on VisualHunt.com / CC BY

The sheer volume of plastic waste is now coming to light and scientists have found 414 million pieces of plastic waste on Australia’s Cocos Islands which has made scientists reassess the amount of plastic pollution that may already be in the world.

Much of this was found below ground which gives scientists grounds to think the scale of plastic may be incorrect and be far more…

Now for the good news as there are many projects underway or already in practice to address this…ProAmPac has announced four new sustainable product groups…

Of course, it means that to start with we as consumers may need to do our research for companies whose packaging is compostable and recyclable with our yard waste or food and doesn’t need specialist recycling. But…we want to do our bit as well, don’t we?…

Shampoo…Of course, we can make our own using recycled containers and bottles but with our busy lives and resources, we don’t always have the time or the inclination…

Herbal Essences and TerraCycle create the brands first ever beach plastic bottle

 

Budweiser, an official sponsor of the 2018 FIFA World Cup…and sponsor of so many sporting events…

 

Budweiser Creates Unique Football Pitch From Recycled Plastic Cups…How fantastic is that? It does seem that many of the sporting giants are getting behind the plastic problem and yes it will create more publicity for them but I don’t care if it lessens the amount of plastic in our oceans which killing the marine life then so be it…

Unilever North America…Accelerates their action on their plastic packaging target…

Another sporting giant…Adidas has unlocked a circular future with a running shoe made to be remade…

The old and new adidas trainers

Photo credit: r0bm867 on Visualhunt.com / CC BY-NC

I think a circular economy is a way forward and many companies are signing with Loop who are rethinking recycling. Producing great looking containers which they will refill.

Going on holiday? Many countries now are banning plastic at the point of entry…The Airport…It is also said that Africa is leading the world in plastic bag bans.

Countries, states, large cities and small towns all around the world have banned disposable plastic shopping bags to protect the environment. In Canada, the town of Leaf Rapids, Manitoba banned plastic bags in 2007. Other North American cities include San Francisco (also 2007), Seattle, Los Angeles, Portland and Mexico City. The states of Hawaii and North Carolina have banned plastic bags, and states in Australia and India have done the same. Countries that have banned disposable plastic bags include Italy, China, Bangladesh, many countries in Africa including Rwanda, Kenya, the Congo, and South Africa and the list is growing…all positive…

Just one more thing I have been reading quite a lot on the whales which are washing up dead on various beaches around the world and it seems that as whales hoover up as they go around they are ingesting microplastic which is either in the water or the fish they are eating so just to recap please think about what you are buying as regards Cosmetics as much of this ends up in the waterways and eventually the sea…

Thank you for reading and please if you liked this share to your friends we must get the word out that the march of the plastic must be stopped and soon 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 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

CarolCooks2…Weekly Roundup…Butterfly Pea Tea, Plastic Bags,

2 Replies

Good morning and welcome to this week’s roundup just in case you missed some although I missed last week as I was on a jolly to Bangkok to meet my number #1 Son we had a lovely weekend of tea tasting, temples, shopping and of course eating delicious street food…I didn’t even ..shock horror take my laptop…haha

Do you know the difference between a Biodegradable Plastic bag and a Compostable Plastic Bag?

Do I use biodegradable bags or compostable bags?

How can we be sure biodegradable bags are really eco-friendly? Are they the same as degradable plastic bags?

coloured plastic bags blowing in the wind

There are independent certification schemes you can look out for that give you peace of mind about the claims being made. But it means that you must do your research…To help you a little I have conducted some research and these are my findings…

https://carolcooks2.com/2019/05/20/plastic-part-9-biodegradable-and-compostable-bags/

My weekend in Bangers( Bangkok)…

All is revealed …

https://carolcooks2.com/2019/05/21/healthy-eating-eat-smart-a-bangkok-weekend-tea-tasting-butterfly-pea-flowers/

This next post is from my archives…I gave Sally permission to have a route around and this is one of my early posts which she chose to publish featuring the lovely Saangchai who is a Soi dog who now has his forever home with us…

SAM_7022

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/05/22/smorgasbord-posts-from-your-archives-potluck-dogs-are-not-our-whole-life-but-they-make-our-life-whole-by-carol-taylor/

My next post is my Waste Not! Want Not series …

It is certainly pleasing to see so much tree planting happening around the world and things do certainly seem to be ratching up a few notches there are lots of encouraging stories which leads me to think all may not quite be lost just yet but we mustn’t drop the baton…For the sake of our children, grandchildren and future generations, we must do all we can…

adult hand holding the world and a child finger pointing

Image by DarkWorkX from Pixabay

https://carolcooks2.com/2019/05/23/waste-not-want-not-india-plants-66-million-trees/

Fajitas are my grandsons new favourite dinner so I have been told …Something I rarely cook but it looks like that will be changing…haha…My preference is smoked mackerel with green mango salad but it wouldn’t do for us all to be alike would it and I love nothing better than seeing a child enjoy his/her food…

mackerel and green mango Thai salad

https://carolcooks2.com/2019/05/24/this-week-in-my-kitchen-fajitas-green-mango-and-mackerel-salad/

Carrying on with my smoked mackerel my next recipe was smoked mackerel with broccoli, almonds and walnuts and very tasty it is as well…

smoked mackerel and broccoli salad

https://carolcooks2.com/2019/05/25/smoked-mackerel-with-brocolli-almonds-and-walnuts/

Thank you very much for reading I have lots of good news for next week on the Waste problem around the world, A new drink I have discovered and lots more so please join me 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 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 weekend xx

Plastic…Part 9…Biodegradable and Compostable bags?

38 Replies

Welcome to this weeks post on plastic…It is week 9 already and so much info on plastic it is unreal…

coloured plastic bags blowing in the wind

Photo credit: European Parliament on Visualhunt / CC BY-NC-ND

I am trying really hard to dispense with plastic in the home and I have gone a good way forward to doing that but some things cause for radical changes for example ” The freezer” I freeze fruit, some meat and if I make extra of a dish then I freeze in portions …Therein lies the problem for me…

Do I use biodegradable bags or compostable bags?

How can we be sure biodegradable bags are really eco-friendly? Are they the same as degradable plastic bags?

There are independent certification schemes you can look out for that give you peace of mind about the claims being made. But it means that you must do your research…

We will start with your kitchen bin…

Of course, the most eco-friendly answer is don’t line your bin…Which means that you must separate all your compostables,. recyclables and general waste…Of course, if you recycle and compost as much as you can you will find that you will have less waste.

If you must line your bin then check you are using a certified biodegradable or certified compostable bag instead of traditional plastic bags ( no more) using any plastic bags which you bring your shopping home in unless they are certified or those labelled degradable.

So you have checked your bags out and lined your bin…That’s alright then …Isn’t it? No!

Why? Because if you are filling those bags with general/household waste then once it gets to the landfill site the bag will break down or not according to what rubbish is inside the bag so all your efforts checking that your bags are certified will have gone to waste…If you are using biodegradable and compostable bags to contain general waste or household rubbish, be mindful of the fact that once it is all sent to landfill, the bag will behave like the rubbish it is containing. In a landfill site, biodegradable and compostable bags will break down a lot more slowly than they would in your home composting system, and they will break down without oxygen, producing methane, a greenhouse gas much more dangerous than carbon dioxide.

Biodegradable plastic bags…

Quite simply, something is biodegradable when living things, for example, fungi or bacteria, can break it down. Biodegradable bags are made from natural plant-based materials like corn and wheat starch rather than petroleum. However, when it comes to this kind of plastic, there are certain conditions required for the bag to begin to break down and biodegrade.

Firstly, temperatures need to reach 50 degrees Celsius. Secondly, the bag needs to be exposed to UV light. In an oceanic environment, this is highly unlikely to happen. Plus, as I have stated above if biodegradable bags are sent to landfill, they break down without oxygen to produce methane, a greenhouse gas far more powerful than carbon dioxide.

Degradable plastic bags…

Degradable items, unlike Biodegradable bags, are not broken down by living organisms so cannot be classed as biodegradable or compostable. Instead, the bags contain chemical additives used in the production of the plastic which allows the bag to break down quicker than a standard plastic bag usually would.

Which means bags advertised as degradable’ are definitely not beneficial, and can even be worse for the environment! Degradable bags that disintegrate just become tinier and tinier pieces of microplastic quicker, which as we know poses serious threats to marine life.

Microplastics enter the food chain lower down, getting eaten by smaller species and then continuing to make their way up the food chain as these smaller species are consumed. A situation which is highlighted very frequently in the news most recently the victims being gray whales.

Compostable plastic bags…

The word ‘compostable’ is incredibly misleading for the average consumer. You’d think a bag labelled as compostable would mean you could throw it in your backyard compost alongside your fruit and veggie scraps, right? Wrong. Compostable bags biodegrade, but only under certain conditions.

Compostable bags need to be composted in a specific composting facility, Compostable bags are generally made from plant material that returns to base organic components when processed by these facilities, but the problem lies in the fact there are thus far only 150 of these facilities Australia wide.

However, it seems that with the changing of consumer attitudes commercially many countries are struggling as current commercial plants cannot deal with all the different types of plastic …

As a consumer based on this, I am making a concerted effort to avoid as much plastic as I can in my own home,,,

Home Freezing for me one of the hardest to change…Here is a good article about using mason jars as storage in the freezer…Something I haven’t tried yet…Have you?

Dog poo bags? 

dog photo

Photo credit: flowcomm on Visualhunt.com / CC BY

It seems that whatever bag you use not many cities accept them once used due to cross contamination…

I think bags are much like plastic bottles when I reviewed they have a long way to go until recycling is available and effective within a short timescale…

Until then I will do the best I can given the circumstances of disposal available…

Thank you so much for reading this post If you have any thoughts please add a comment I always respond 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 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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plastic…Part 7…How does plastic get into the Sea?

10 Replies

It is the subject of many news desks, question time, documentary’s, in fact, it is on the news it comes up on your FB news feed, magazines, newspapers..everyone is talking about plastic…

 

Plastic is a major problem worldwide…International environmental movements are working overtime on publicising the fact or coming up with answers…States and local councils are trying to play their part by banning single-use plastic bags, straws and drink containers.

Fact: Between 4.7 and 12.9 million metric tons of plastic is floating around in the oceans…

Fact: The equivalent of one garbage truck per minute being emptied in the ocean.

A study conducted by the Santa  Barbara Marine Conservancy found that of all ocean waste only 1 % of surface waste  i.e garbage patches which we have seen photos of floating on the seas or what is washed up on the shorelines  contained drink cups, straws, cigarettes one of the biggest contributors of sea waste is fishing equipment and nets although there have been no conclusive long term studies…

The oceans and seas are so vast that unless there are studies which encompass all the seas and rivers which would be a mammoth of a task and would be nigh on impossible.

This nature, com article explains more about The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

map great pacific garbage patch

Photo credit: The Sun and Doves on Visual Hunt / CC BY-NC-SA

A 2017 study found that 79,000 metric tons of plastic are floating in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Although G7 countries signed the Oceans Plastics Charter many organisations do not think it goes far enough…

There is no mention of plastic reduction policies and Japan and America did not sign the charter. In the case of fishing gear, there are no worldwide rules.

It seems to me that no one country wants to be the one which goes far enough and makes a difference…more effort has been made by environmental and non-profit organisations.

One such organisation Net-Works was co-founded by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and Interface Inc.

 

What can replace plastics?

The answer can be a difficult one as plastic is very versatile and I have heard McDonald’s are getting flack because they are replacing or have replaced plastic straws with paper straws.

Last June, the US fast-food chain announced it would end the use of plastic straws in all 1,361 branches across the UK after nearly half a million people called for the company to make the change. The company began phasing out plastic straws last September, with the process to be completed sometime this year.

However, the move has angered customers, with several now taking to Twitter to complain the paper straws are ruining their drinks, specifically milkshakes.

One customer tweeted: “With the paper straws they are fine for a coke but the other day I had a milkshake and I struggled so so much that I ended up getting one of my own plastic straws at home.”

They obviously were not one of the half a million people who called for the company to make a change…when they are still using plastic straws in their own home…Just saying!

Maybe McDonald’s should offer a choice and reduce the price of a meal by 20p if paper straws are used and increase the cost by 20p if a plastic straw is used.

Bioplastics...Are one popular area of research as cellulose is the starting compound instead of petroleum. PLA is a corn-based plastic substitute which means it is bio-degradable.

The drawback is the production which is not very environmentally friendly…As they are plant-based then a lot of land is required if pesticides and fertilisers are used that contributes to greenhouse gases…Special composting facilities are also required to break down the bioplastic…

Assorted cotton bags

Photo credit: Martha W McQuade on VisualHunt / CC BY

A study by the UK Environmental Agency found cotton tote bags must be used over 300 times to be as sustainable as a plastic bag, given the increase n costs to make them.

Recycling…How can we improve recycling?

Recycling facilities melt plastic down, turn it into pellets that are sold and repurposed…That sounds simple, doesn’t it?

But what about the plastic which is not biodegradable? It ends up in landfill or the ocean for centuries…

Research carried out by the University of California at Santa Barbara discovered only 9% of all plastic produced has been recycled…Many reasons account for this as many people don’t recycle properly and just stick in the closest bin, it may be too dirty I always wash my containers before they are put in the bin and because of the little symbols which I mentioned in a previous post all plastic cannot go into the same bin it needs to be sorted…

It actually takes a lot of time, energy and fuel to recycle plastic and cost-benefit analysis has found that recycling plastic might not be worth the resources it takes…Many environmental groups largely agree that recycling should be a last resort until more effective and efficient waste management is enforced…

So what is the answer?

How to encourage people to take greater responsibility for the action around environmental crises.

Nick Nash is a fellow in the social and environmental psychology department at the University of Cardiff. He specifically focuses on how pro-environmental behaviour can be encouraged, especially when the environment may not be people’s biggest concern.

In other words, making environmentalism a social norm is one of the best ways to get people to be more aware of their behaviour. Using the plastic straw ban as an example, he explained, “if everybody else in the restaurant is using them, and the context condones their use (e.g. straws on tables or put into drinks when served), then this increases the likelihood that an individual will act in accordance.”

He explained ways to increase the odds of a practice becoming a social norm; for example, getting people to make explicit commitments, getting celebrities or well-liked people to publicize their own actions, and raising awareness about easy-to-follow behaviours.

I also think behaviours are learnt and more must be done from the beginning in nurseries and schools…

There are definitely many incentives and much going on but we clearly have a long, long way to go or more and more plastic will end up in the oceans of the world.

What do you think?

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 have a great week  xx

 

 

 

 

 

Plastic…Part 5…Plastic releases Greenhouse Gases…

2 Replies

Just like Healthy Eating if we do not shop mindfully impacts on Food Waste…The manufacture of plastics and plastic, when exposed to the elements, releases methane and ethylene – two powerful greenhouse gases that can intensify climate change.

green foot prints eco system

It is little wonder that Sir David Attenborough was moved to give an update as the situation regarding Climate change is worsening by the day…

The first thing we need to do is to stop using single-use plastic, especially products made of LDPE (for example, grocery bags, 6-pack rings, sandwich and snack bags, strawberry containers, and plastic wrap).

We already know that greenhouse gases are released during the production of these materials, and now we have learned that greenhouse gases continue to be released while in use and as they degrade. We need to begin to phase them out entirely. In addition, we need better laws and policies to guide consumers to make better choices. If single-use plastics are banned, consumers will adapt and find alternative ways of bagging their groceries or filling a bottle, these being reusable items rather than items used for a few minutes and then discarded.

Many of us myself included take the easy option because it is there, easy and often free. Although now I realise the urgency I take my own bags and refuse all plastic bags/straws and cups…

Government Policies can help make a difference globally…

However, we have seen how man governments are either paying lip service or blatantly doing nothing…

People Power has spoken…Well and truly in the UK over the last week…I am immensely proud of each and every one of those protesters and it was a peaceful protest which caused much inconvenience as from Monday 15th April: Extinction Rebellion blocked Marble Arch, Oxford Circus, Waterloo Bridge and Parliament Square…The aim was to man these sites around the clock until the government acts on Climate Emergency…

The London actions are part of a wider rebellion taking place across the Uk and around the world…Extinction Rebellion has 331 groups in 49 different countries…

We saw…Actor and writer Dame Emma Thomson give a speech she flew all the way from the Us to give this speech…

Actress and activist Dame Emma Thompson said: “Our Government has signed agreement after agreement and broken every single promise they made with staggering regularity. It is time to stand up and Save Our Home. 

“On April the 15th of this year, the international rebellion will begin, all over this country, [and at] four iconic [London] locations, creative non-violent direct action will start to take place. Come down, be with us. There will be talks, politics, music, arts. It’s gonna be a lot of fun, but be prepared to stay. Because now’s the time to save the planet, as we all know there is no planet B. Be there.”

Dr Rowan Williams…joined fellow worshipers and others as St Pauls Cathedral People of all faiths, everyday people, eminence church figures, celebrities are all concerned enough to take a public stance…

The traffic on all designated sites was peacefully blocked there was even a big bright pink boat…

 

There were people’s assemblies, art actions, stage performances, talks, workshops, food and family spaces. People brought plants, shrubs and picnics to share.

In fact, quite a festive atmosphere but with a serious message to the government…

For more news and information and how to get involved, please visit Extinction Rebellion’s new website at https://rebellion.earth/

This protest was very well planned and thought through to read all about click here

I have also been told by people who attended these protests that the police handled the situation very well and although arrests were made the police were respectful and everyone had nothing but praise…

It really has been a countrywide protest by the people supported by the clergy,  businessmen and celebrities and has spread around the world…The people are speaking and taking action…

In France, the protesters were met with aggression…Brave protesters in Paris have been sprayed with teargas directly in the face!

Children from around the world are responding to young Greta Thornburg and her calls for action…

My conclusion if the people are doing what they are doing as they are concerned about the future why are the governments of the world making empty promises and not acting quickly to prevent worldwide catastrophe…..It boils down to the same old same old …Profit and greed…

Thank you for reading this post and please if you are concerned about the future of our world and the effect of Climate change …Action is needed now….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 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

Lastly, the Bloggers Bash annual award voting is live...But only until the 24th so please if you haven’t already voted for your favourites then please do as there are some great blogs who writers have been nominated…

Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all are having a great Easter weekend xx