Category Archives: Microplastics

Plastic…The Latest News…Week 8…Our actions…The Consequences…

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Individual choices are important and if we all took a pledge to make a difference…it would as collectively we have the power…Consumer Power can be very powerful…

We are at the crisis point WE the consumer have choices...I know you are all busy and have lives BUT sometimes we also have to make a stand…To stand up and be counted…Because if you think that your inaction doesn’t matter because everyone else is doing it…Try multiplying that thought by everyone else who has the same thought as yours…

Individual consumer choices are important as is collective action which can really make a difference.

I can hear you groaning…haha…Like my smartwatch which reads my actions…But consider this scenario…

In England alone, the government figures tell us that 4.6 bn plastic straws, 316 m plastic stirrers ( yep) those itsy little bits of plastic to stir your drink and 1.8 bn plastic-stemmed cotton buds are used by us( YES) you/us are used each year…The government and the Queen have now announced an outright ban…

3 things that we could all do collectively which would make a huge difference…

  1. Check and buy only environmentally compostable cotton earbuds…
  2. Drink stirrers…
  3. Straws...Come in paper, bamboo, stainless steel and glass

N.B. The links are Amazon I am not affiliated to Amazon I just used these links as an example…These items should now be available locally to you and should be easy to source…

But what a difference that would make…How easy is that to action???

Now for the good news stories...or is it?

a stack of paper cups

Compostable cups… are they really recyclable? …Ummmmm well Biodegradable and compostable are actually 2 different things…sigh

biodegradable
adjective
1. A substance or object capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms

compostable
adjective
1. Something that can be used as compost when it decays.

This means that biodegradable items can break down within the environment with the help of bacteria or other living organisms. But this doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good for the planet. For example, some plastic bags can biodegrade into tiny pieces in around 20 years but they are still harmful to the environment.

However, if something is compostable, it means it is made of organic matter and it can completely break down to make nutrient-rich compost.

The Solution:

Stop using single-use items and choose reusable alternatives. There are so many reusable coffee cups and straws available now. Lots of coffee shops give you a discount when you take your own cup in too! Why not put a set of cutlery in your bag so you can say no to single-use forks/spoons?

I know it means making changes however step up and be counted we all need to do this…

Rivers…They flow into the sea...Do you have a river near you? Is it clean are the fish abundant or is it like this?

Image by Rafael_Neddermeyer from Pixabay

It may be like this as not everything reaches the sea much drops off on the way…SEE THE ABOVE REPORT.

Plastic bottles, the detritus of our throwaway water and soft drinks habits, are the most prevalent form of plastic pollution in European waterways, according to reports and particularly worse due to covid.

Food wrappers, including crisp and sweet packets, were the second biggest form of plastic pollution in rivers, followed by cigarette butts.

All of these forms of litter can cause problems for wildlife and fish and are hard to clean up once they have found their way into the water.

Glitter…“Some major supermarkets are moving to ban these harmful microplastics, but the British public is clear; supermarkets should be moving faster to tackle plastic waste.”

Vanuatu...Has one of the worlds strictest plastic bans…

Vanuatu local band

Vanuatu is an island country located in the southern Pacific Ocean.

The official name of the country is the Republic of Vanuatu.

Its closest neighbours are New Caledonia (France), Solomon Islands, Fiji, and Tuvalu.

The country is located some 1,750 kilometres (1,090 miles) east of northern Australia.

Vanuatu has 3 official languages: Bislama, English and French.

A beautiful country with pristine beaches and they aim to keep it that way 

The above link is a lovely read as to what can be achieved…it also includes damming info on how far behind the USA are on this…I always thought and looked up to the USA as they have led the world in many areas SADLY…Not by tackling Climate Change and waste…

Every other country and government take note…However big or small you are an outright ban…WORKS…

Another brilliant idea…I have just received my weekly “Meatless Monday email and this week the topic is “Fight Climate Change with your Fork”

Lots of great info on how to do just that..some of which I already know and I’m sure you do but there are also some other great ideas please over and have a read…

Even though I bring you the harsh stark facts  think about those 3 small actions and how united we can make a difference…xxx

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

 

 

Plastic…The Latest News…Week 6…Plastic releases Greenhouse Gases…

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Week 6…an update…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…

Update 2021…21st February 2021…

Sir David Attenborough joined the UK Prime Minister at the UN Security Council telling its 15 members that it is too late to avoid climate change.

Sir David Attenborough said: “There is no going back – no matter what we do now, it’s too late to avoid climate change and the poorest, the most vulnerable, those with the least security, are now certain to suffer.”

He continued: “If we bring emissions down with sufficient vigour we may yet avoid the tipping points that will make runaway climate change unstoppable. In November this year, at COP26 in Glasgow, we may have our last opportunity to make the necessary step-change.”

https://www.climateaction.org/news/sir-david-attenborough-tells-un-it-is-too-late-to-avoid-climate-change

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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.

Update 2021.

Single-use plastic is still being produced and if it is still being produced it WILL be used…

https://www.climateaction.org/news/sir-david-attenborough-tells-un-it-is-too-late-to-avoid-climate-change

Government Policies can help make a difference globally…

However, we have seen how many 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…

Update 2021…

Reading the latest news reports on the demonstrations in London…is this the right way to protest? Red Paint, super glue has been used over the last 3 years to make a statement…is it working? The latest news shows the police are stepping up their actions and cracking down…Are these actions working for the man in the street the man who has to get to work…Three years on are the demonstrations working ? Has XR lost momentum? Numbers on protests are fewer, The press is more critical… I don’t profess to know what the answer is…What are your thoughts? 

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/sep/03/extinction-rebellion-tactics-police-crack-down-on-protests

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…

Update 2021…

Dr Rowan Williams has spoken again…good for him…I, unfortunately, missed this broadcast yesterday…Did anybody watch it? If so what are your views?

https://www.intelligencesquared.com/events/poverty-natural-capital-and-the-climate-crisis-with-sir-partha-dasgupta-and-dr-rowan-williams/

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

Update 2021…

Young and full of hope…Having returned to school after a year out leading young people in school strikes for climate change, Ms Thunberg said the conference falls in her school holidays, and if she does attend she plans to travel by train.

https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/greta-thunberg-cop26-host-scotland-b1911599.html

My conclusion… we need action and after what will be the 26th COP meeting I tend to agree with Greta when she said “We know that change will not come from the Cop, from within these negotiations. The change will come when there are enough people outside on the streets demanding change.”

I think Raj Patel was correct when he said…”If governments won’t hear you, If corporations won’t hear you, if the philanthropists do not return your calls or do not think you deserve the dignity of a response then the theory of change won’t get off the ground”

Throwing facts at people rarely changes minds…it’s talk that changes people and creates changes that work…

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

 

 

Plastic…The latest News…Week 2… Microplastics and Glitter …

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After the success of Plastic Free July, I decided that I will carry on from Plastic Free July and repost some updated previous posts on plastic from 2019…the reason being sometimes I feel we are going round in circles and promises are made and not kept…

This means I will name and shame but also praise those who are and have been as good as their word and made a difference…

As you know because I tell you every week I am really heartened by the initiatives which I am discovering that are happening from all around the world…Your comments are also a revelation when I hear from you guys what is going on in your neck of the woods all good stuff…How you are reducing the carbon footprints and coming up with ideas to cut waste and protect the environment.

green foot prints eco system

I am now going to revisit this post from 2 years ago and just see what if anything has changed ..gone forward, stood still or just disappeared into the ether..a black hole…

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Microplastics…

Basically, microplastics are minuscule man-made plastic fragments or particles that are  5.0 mm to 100 nanometers in size. These tiny bits are filling oceans, seas, and waterways which in turn end up into the organisms who live in these waters …Now for the scary bit, we swim, we eat fish and shellfish hence they end up in our bodies.

Where do they originate from .…microfibers from clothing, microbeads, plastic pellets (also known as nurdles), Glitter…Now what child doesn’t play with glitter, have their faces painted with it… so many uses and it doesn’t stop with the kids…Partytime…Almost everyone I know loves a bit of glitter…

My personal solution …is that I have changed my washing detergent to a plant-based one so far no one has complained that their clothes don’t seem the same in fact my son said his polo shirts were softer and easier to iron which is a plus and he invented fussy!

Microbeads.

Microbeads, a type of microplastic, are small plastic particles that are less than 5 mm in diameter. They are used in a number of ways, including as cleansing or exfoliating agents in cosmetics, soaps or toothpaste. …Microbeads are just one type of microplastic that can be found in lakes and streams …

There is no getting away from the fact that they are in most everyday products we use and either throw away or wash down our waste systems…

This article will tell you where the microplastics come from and where they can end up…

https://www.azocleantech.com/news.aspx?newsID=27095

My Findings…the above video and article are still relevant in terms of how we can “Be The Change“…However Covid has made some differences in some areas where the figures tell us we are back to 2006 levels BUT early on, there was hope that a silver lining of the COVID-19 quarantines would be a reduced impact on the environment while cars stayed off the road and planes were grounded.

The oceans tell a different story about the pandemic’s environmental footprint.

Last year, a new type of garbage—face masks—started washing ashore. The very same plastic products that helped keep people safe during the pandemic also caused a surge in plastic pollution.

A February 2021 study estimated that globally, the amount of plastic waste generated during the pandemic is 1.6 million metric tons per day. That includes 3.4 billion single-use face masks and shields—every single day.

I just don’t get why people think that carelessly tossing away a used facemask is ok…or any other rubbish to be precise…those of you who do are part of the 3.4 billion single facemasks and shields discarded every single day…How does fit with you and why don’t you care? Just asking ???

Glitter… I love anything sparkly and I WAS the first one to buy Lily glitter. Partytime we go for anything which glitters don’t we? Christmas all those sparkly decorations and the paper with glitter …I mean how much glitter do we find attached to our clothes… how much glitter do we sweep up ???

I really didn’t give it a thought when I saw media pictures and articles of sea life… I didn’t connect the dots…I truly didn’t…

tubes of various glitters.

So pretty and so deadly…

I also found out that…

  • Some research has also found that PET, the plastic most glitter is made from, can break down and release chemicals that can disrupt human and animal hormones.
  • As a result, some scientists and campaigners are calling for a total ban on glitter.
  • Festivals in the UK and some companies have already committed to banning glitter.

I was dreading having to tell Lily no more glitter and I won’t have to…

Never fear…

This UK company uses plant-based materials rather than plastic PROVEN through ISO14851 freshwater testing to biodegrade into harmless substances in the natural environment.

https://www.discoverbioglitter.com/

This video is very interesting …it picks apart the tests or lack of..a very clear speaking and conscientious young lady ..we do need more tests…she talks sense in a language that I understand…

I think if you read the article and then listen to her you will see how deep the deception actually goes…Who do we believe?

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Given that yesterday was ” International Day of the Worlds Indigenous People’s” I feel it needs a mention…

“Leaving no one behind indigenous [eoples and the call for a new social contract”

The treatment and going forward for indigenous and native people who have traditions and rely on certain herbs and roots to carry on those traditions or indeed rely on those to feed their families …It truly touched a nerve or a chord with me … and in future, I will be asking the questions and be mindful of what I buy and its origins.

But also going forward we must be more inclusive we can learn so very much about life, traditions, different foods…farming practises… our lives would be so must richer…I love learning about foraging for example which is very much practised here it opens up a whole new world of different foods and medicines if you are into natural medicines…It fascinates me…

I will leave you with the words of Dr Jane Goodhall…for International Day of the World’s Indigenous People’s.

I have enjoyed updating this post from over two years ago..it does highlight though that in many areas things haven’t moved on so much…

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 ???

Just once I would love to pick something up off a supermarket shelf be it labelled healthy or just junk food and know with absolute certainty that it contained no harmful chemicals or preservatives and that the package was fully decomposable…I can but dream…

See you tomorrow for my culinary  A-Z  with the letter L.

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

The Story Of Plastic …Part 3

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The story of Plastic continued…

Plastic was initially a waste product…a word that originally meant ” pliable and easily shaped” in recent years it became a name for a category of materials called polymers. The word polymer means “of many parts,”

Although there are natural polymers made from plants synthetic polymers have been found to be very useful…

cotton-2807360_640

It started in 1869 when an American Inventor namely John Wesley Hyatt saw an opportunity when a New York company made an offer of 10,000 dollars for anyone who could come up with a substitute for ivory.

Hyatt found that if he treated cellulose derived from cotton fibres with camphor a plastic was created which could be moulded into various shapes and made to imitate tortoiseshell, ivory, horn and linen….the plastic revolution took shape…

Manufacturers were now no longer limited by the availability of natural products…

This was just the beginning…

We now come to today where the chemicals needed to make plastic come predominantly from shale products…Collecting shale products causes pollution at the point of extraction…Shale gas manufacturing has devastating effects on communities.

Sunoco Pipeline, Formosa Plastic, Dow Chemical, Exxon Mobile Chemical, Sabic, Chevron, Shell…just typing these names fills me with horror and looking at the names there is a common theme…

Formosa Plastic was found guilty of dumping 50 million gallons a day into estuaries…pellets were everywhere…

This is a common occurrence wherever there are pipelines, factories…waterways are polluted, there are blowouts, lower life expectancies in these areas, a higher incidence of breathing problems, cancers the risks to public health and wildlife are enormous…

Those plastic pellets, micro and nano plastics that are being dumped in our waterways are being increasingly found in our food and water around the world..fish ingest them and bingo ..no you haven’t won the jackpot you are eating or drinking them…

Although researchers are exploring ways to make bioplastics a more viable option the production of them presents sustainability challenges and of course that includes effective biodegradability…

These companies often ride over peoples rights and often you don’t have the rights you think you have as a homeowner. Check it out before it is too late.

There is so much to think about with plastic as in some areas it is a necessity a lifesaver e.g babies incubators and other medical equipment is often made of plastic…However, we need to make our voices heard and be asking the questions as to what is happening with the waste we put out for collection and also we need to make our voices heard and demand that manufacturers do not produce anything which is not biodegradable…

To me, 83 kinds of separation depending on the plastic product means that some products require separating and different machinery is required in order to recycle it… I understand if it is white goods or electrical but packaging…That has to stop I mean when a little single-use sachet is made from at least 5 different components and maybe 7 which means it cannot be recycled as no one has the equipment… it also isn’t worth it…However if you count the human cost of that waste…That isn’t worth it either!

Production of those should be stopped and replaced by a fully biodegradable product … the manufacturers need to be taking some responsibility.

That’s all for today…Be well and stay safe don’t forego those precautions too quickly as many areas are seeing an increase in Covid-19 cases…It ain’t over yet folks…Better to be safe than sorry…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.

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!

Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all have a fabulous week and stay safe these are troubling times xx

The Story of Plastic…27th July…

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Hello and welcome to my environmental posts…it has been two weeks since I watched the film “The story of Plastic” and attended the virtual Q & A session shortly afterward…

Both worthwhile as there was much I learned and it left me not only with answers but questions and concerns…

The story of plastic charts how the gas and oil industries have been very successful in manipulating the narrative…Who are the heroes and villains?

Not the consumer as manufacturers and packaging companies have always had us believing…they would like us to continue believing we are not doing enough or not doing it correctly..they are always urging governments to run community-funded re-cycling initiatives when there is no responsibility on them to sort the problem…

The industry has to be responsible… if something cannot be easily compostable or recycled it should not be made…the industry needs to produce packaging which can all be recycled or THEY should take the used packaging back or PAY and support the government to provide the correct recycling facilities.

For too long cash strapped communities and governments have had to pay…

The solution should be manufacturer led and not consumer-led…

Cleanups are all well and good but the problem does not go away they are NOT the solution…

Of the annual plastic production…

  • 32% is litter
  • 40% landfill
  • 14% incinerated
  • 14 % recycled
  • 2% effectively recycled

These figures are always changing...much has changed now that Asia as a whole has stopped taking the trash of the western world.

If you really look into those figures or more to the point the next step…

Landfill…as plastic degrades it releases toxic gases into the atmosphere…which means waste and climate change are all part of the same problem.

Incinerated plastic ...releases CO2 into the atmosphere…as well as toxins…

This is a better solution...

Recycled…some are part of the circular economy which is good but if it is downcycled it is made into something much worse…Can it be I ask…

When recycling is cleaned where does that water go?… Ask yourself as you diligently recycle DO you actually know what happens to your recycling? More to the point even those who collect your recycling don’t even know what happens to it when it leaves their depot…

Did you know and this is what shocked me…biscuit wrappers, crisp packets and those little single-use sachets which are sold everywhere in Asia and creeping into the western world which contain ketchup, spices, chilli, hair shampoo conditioner, powdered milk, coffee…you name and you can buy in a single portion…

I order in a pizza maybe twice a year...a treat for the grandkids…They give us enough ketchup, spices, and chilli to last the year with the order…

smart

These little sachets are multi-layer and these layers include paper, plastic, aluminum, (EPS), Polyvinyl-chloride, Polypropylene (PP); THEY are non-recyclable…

Currently, there are around 83 kinds of separation for plastic...That is crazy…as I said in the beginning manufacturers and packaging plants should not be allowed to produce anything which cannot easily be reused or recycled and not in thousands of years in a landfill…Years ago I saw the disaster for two homes which were built on or close to a landfill site…when an explosion occurred there was nothing left just a burnt gaping space…

What am I going to do?… I will not buy any more single portion sachets or accept any if I order pizza…

The effect on my household... it just means if I go away I will buy shampoo etc and then leave it for the next person …the same with suntan lotions no more single sachets for a weekend away…or I will take my own small containers if allowed by the airlines…there are many lovely little bamboo containers for sale here just right for shampoo and shower gel…Which means whatever the circumstances I can do without those small sachets as for biscuit wrappers and crisp packets…

I think many of us over the last few months have been making our own cookies and although crisps…may be harder for some to give up it can be done and think of the difference it will make to your waistline…SAY NO TO ANYTHING WHICH CANNOT BE RECYCLED.

Little Luke did…

Or write to the manufacturer…crisps used to have little blue paper bags of salt…it may have been damp sometimes but we coped…they also came in paper bags… we need to be more proactive especially if it is a product we like to buy…

Over the next few weeks, I will look at the consequences of fracking, plastic, and especially micro and nano plastics which are now being found increasingly in our food and water throughout the world.

Recent studies found plastic particles in 83% of tap water samples taken globally and 93% of bottled water.

I am not saying we don’t need plastic we do BUT..definitely no single-use plastic at all around the world and reuse wherever you can…The remainder of plastic needs to be fully recyclable within a reasonable timescale and not thousands of years…

Thank you for reading be well and stay safe 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.

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!

Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all stay safe and healthy xx

 

 

 

 

Recycling and Climate Change… 20th July 2020…

24 Replies

Hello and welcome to this week’s edition of recycling and climate change news from around the world…

Since last Monday I have watched “The Story of Plastic“…Did any of you register and watch it?

Tonight I am attending a zoom panel discussion and Q&A...I am looking forward to that as this film has raised many questions which I would like the answers to or know what the way forward is…

Briefly, it was the story of the birth of plastic and how far it has come…Did you know that plastic was once a waste product?

plastic-3577044_640

It is the story of how the oil & gas industry has been successful in manipulating the narrative…The story of how some plastics just cannot be recycled…It is the story of sachets which are multi-layers of different substances, plastic, aluminum, paper these 1 serving convenient little sachets cannot be recycled…

smart

These Sachets cannot be recycled

It is the story of the fact that recent studies found plastic particles in 83% of tap water samples globally and 93% of bottled water.

It is the story of crisp and biscuit wrappers that are also non-recyclable they are single-use and disposed of immediately…

For too long manufacturers have put the blame on consumers and the fact we don’t recycle enough…It is time that manufacturers were made to be responsible if it cannot be recycled then they should not be making it they should be responsible for the packaging of all goods and for that packaging to be fully recyclable.

For the next few weeks, I will be discussing all the aspects of this film and the Q & A session…

Now let’s look at what I have for you this week…

Glass bottles…I buy liquids in glass bottles under the assumption that glass is best…However, despite the cons, I am not saying you should ditch the glass…glass does not leach toxic chemicals, making it a great option for you to continually use and repurpose it. Use it to fill up a soy wax candle, for your bulk food shopping, keep leftovers in the fridge or to store your DIY cleaning products/beauty/skincare creams. I love glass …However…

Reuse as much as possible what you already have rather than buying new and if you have to dispose of glass, clean it properly, and ensure it is being properly recycled.

The cons could be behind the industry move to create a bottle that is made out of entirely sustainably-sourced pulp to meet food-safe standards and will be fully recyclable in standard waste streams.

The technology is going to open doors to a lot of other drinks companies, who up until now have only had glass bottle options for their packaging.

First out of the blocks is Johnnie Walker Whiskey…

My son’s first comment when I showed him the bottle was…That’s good if you drop it maybe it won’t break…I think the bottle looks really good …classy looking …

Children’s clothes and school uniforms are often items that are as good as new when the kids outgrow them…The department store John Lewis has hit on a great idea…

In a bid to encourage parents not to buy all new clothes, the department store is introducing new organic cotton labeling to its own-brand children’s coats.

This will allow parents to cross out names and write new ones.

John Lewis wanted to test the initiative with coats because these are usually the longest-wearing and most costly item for a parent to buy…What a good idea!

It seems that UK stores are coming up with some great ideas… Lidl has become the first supermarket in the UK to launch new packaging made from “ocean-bound plastic”.

The plastic will be collected from beaches in South East Asia, which – according to the retailer’s research – is where 80-90% of plastic packaging enters the ocean.

The plan will see discarded plastic picked up, recycled, and turned into a resin.

The plastic the retailer collects would have otherwise ended up in the ocean.

Now for some great animal news last week it was bees this week it is Beavers who are renowned for their dam building.

Beavers reintroduced to tackle flooding in Essex have given birth to two kits – the first time the animals have been born in the county since the Middle Ages that’s over 400 years.

Beavers were hunted to extinction in the UK…They have now been reintroduced and have had two adorable little kits…it is all part of a river management project and they became the first pair to be brought to Essex in around 400 years.

A spokesman said:

The adult beaver pair, Woody and Willow, have been building dams since their arrival as part of a partnership project with the Environment Agency and others.

Spains Hall Estate manager Archie Ruggles-Brise described news of the beaver babies as “fantastic”.

“If they are anything like their parents, the two kits will become phenomenal dam builders, and we will be watching closely as they expand the wetland and provide even more protection against flood and drought, and provide homes for loads of other wildlife,” he said.

A public vote on Twitter is being held to help pick names for the kits.

How cute is that and such good news…Thank you, Tori, for providing this little gem.

On that note that is all for today…

Thank you for reading be well and stay safe 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.

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!

Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all stay safe and healthy xx