Will that be Paper or Plastic?

How depressing. I can't watch because it makes me so angry.

---------- Post added 02-18-2010 at 11:39 AM ----------

Well I watched it and am disgusted, people just dont care which I can't fathom.

I saw on the telly the other day that in Hawai there are actually plastic beaches because the plastic is worn down to tiny nuggets it makes it harder to clear off the beach, this is such a shame and it will end up polluting the beaches beyond repair.

I think it is cool... And we all use plastic, so we are all guilty and we should all off ourselves, or others without the sense to off themselves..There is no way, given the economic systems we live under, that we can avoid this rape of the environment... no profit would be possible unless products were sold below their true cost, which reflects the environmental impact... If you put a fifty dollar deposit on every plastic bottle for example, then people would not drink, or they would be more careful...

Fido brings up a really important point here. We can rant, rave and gnash teeth at the state of such things. But in this case particularly, truly accepting our individual responsibility (as consumers) is not only responsible, I think it gives us a clue as to the only real solution: That this mess that was created one purchase at a time was done so by individuals, and that its only through actions of the individual that such a thing might be prevented or curbed.

... as to the likelihood of this happening, I'd agree its problematic - at best.

In any case, it's this very sentiment that I was trying to communicate in the thread "Confess your Hypocracy".

Thanks

As Zarathustra once proclaimed: Remain true to the earth.

Although in a different context, this motto seems especially appropriate as we begin to understand the ecological effects of industrialised society upon the planet, just as we began understand the social effects in the last quarter of the Victorian period and took remedial action (child labour laws, Dickens's "dark satanic mills" and so on).

In the present age, we tend to rely on political entities to take action about everything. But in an immediate sense, only by taking action ourselves can very real dangers to the natural world be prevented. And it is having the individual discipline and will to guide our actions, however small and "inconsequential" with that in mind that can make a difference.

I don't know about you but I put my trash in trashcans. I have nothing to do with it winding up in the middle of the ocean.

Is plastic the real problem or is it humans improperly disposing of plastic?

Arristipus left his daughter with the advice to never put a value on anything she could live without... If it is free, we trash it... It used to be that sunshine was free, and we trashed it so now we all have to wear sun screen... Water was pretty cheap around here, but now it is dangerous to drink out of any fresh water source in America, so buy water... Fresh air is free for the diesels to breath, but too filthy for asthmeatic children to endure, so buy a mask, or medicine, or oxigen...

For my part, I have joined the others side... I bought a piece of Ivory... It is the pointed end of an elephants tusk, and it is quite beautiful... I thought: If humanity will destroy these magnificant beasts I am not going to stand by shaking my head, or wagging my tongue, and suffering dispair over my inability to stop the slaughter... Why not join it so I can say proudly and boldly: I Helped destroy that species, and run them into extinction... And we can be next... Let us destroy our environment and our food supply, fight over who will eat who, and destroy humanity... The animals, the angels and God will rejoice...It is better to be will fully and fully guilty than half guilty out of total ignorance...

That is quite a reality show, thanks for the links.

It should not be that hard to collect those tiny plastic pieces on the beach. Yes it is tedious work but it can be done. If the tiny pieces are at least collected then they won't break down further into a chemical sludge in the sea. If they come back the next day then we pay workers to clean the beach every day. Or assign beach areas to residents that live near them. Have inspections. Create volunteer clean up crews and also public service. When a beach is completely covered like that then it is time to clean it... It is right on the beach not like thousands of miles away. Also we desperately need to find a way to transform and recycle these chemicals into a bio friendly substance. The chemical science is there we just have to spend the money to figure it out. Then, we introduce more ocean life into the sea and have a moratorium on certain fishing. The fish maybe the best means to over time purify the waters again. I am sure nature will work with us to solve this problem but we have to learn to work with nature...

Very strict anti-littering laws need to be made and enforced. I don't litter myself and never really have. Even when i smoked cigarettes I would hold onto to the butts until I was near a trash can. I can't imagine how that much trash gets into the sea. Zoning should keep industries that have possible plastic particulates away from the coastal reach.

I agree it is berserkly depressing. Paper bags have their own no-nos.

I did buy some supermarket sturdy bags, but have trouble, as many do, putting them in the right place at the right time. I'm working on it, and I'm an eco freak.
What does that tell you - we are looking at difficulty.

I've been aware of this problem for some time, there are a few documentaries covering this and the area of Hawaii where a lot of plastic washes up on the beach.
This is sad indeed, although, it is only one of many such cases of our impact on our environment. As a fisherman, I see much evidence of mankind's impact on the world around us. The really sad thing about it is that so much of the effect is created by our inherent laziness. You wouldn't believe the trash that people carry into the most remote places yet haven't the moxie to carry out again when they leave.
In spite of his ego, man is just another animal. Ignorantly riding the wave of his success to his own destruction. Any species that has become too successful has always outstriped it's environment in the end. We too will be the creators of our own destruction. In the end will come famine and disease, violent competitions for the few remaining resources in an environment that can no longer support our species.
Oh well, Bummer.

We should use hemp in any case where it can substitute plastic.

the consumerism economy of old is not working for us anymore. the trend, no matter how near or far, is going to kill us. that means it's time to turn.