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elvis_loves_pink

Listed below are comments made by elvis_loves_pink between Saturday, 9th August 2008 and Wednesday, 13th August 2008.

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I'm starting to miss plastic... 11:03pm on 13 Aug 2008 I think this is evidence enough of how much we (and by we I mean most of us) depend on plastic, it is after all (as has been stated many times) a very versatile and important material. I think you posting, being so honest about how your finding this challenge helps demonstrate that while this is a fantastic way to raise awareness it is not necessary for combatting problems such as landfil space, instead what is important is recycling and cutting down on how many plastic products we use and cutting down (even more!) how much we waste, rather than cutting it out all together (which is really obviously quite a challenge and quite unnecessary in todays world).
Instead we should be looking at the way we treat it rather than the actual product its self.
Well done on getting this far (and by the way I dont use a bin bag in my kitchen bin I just have one of the ones with a good sealing lid (plastic obviously!) and wash it out very regularly...I also dont find it necessary to wrap things before I throw them away as this in my opinion defeats the object of cutting down on waste!
Toothy grin? 1:16pm on 13 Aug 2008 42 - idontmunchbut -

Thank you for your reply and it sounds as though you have thought about your answer well which is very much appriciated.

I just want to say to start with that I in no way ment to direct anything personally at you but they way you speak in your other comments gave the impression that you had a very one track view point (i.e. climate change the be all and end all) and the problem I had with that is the fact that you make a very educated argument that portrays your views very well, however I think that (as you agreed) there are further important issues that can be tackled too, such as the problem of waste. When some one is (sounding as though they are) disregarding these problems in place of just one factor, it is quite disheartening as I previously mentioned people generally like to grab hold of a snippet of info and then ignore anything else even with evidence.

I can now see (as you have explained your points more clearly) that we are both on the same lines really i.e. climate change being very important but other problems also existing that can be tackled such as landfil and waste. I however was a little confused at some of your other posts as it sounds as though you are dismissing any efforts for controlling waste (including plastic) as worthless and futile, while I on the other hand believe that, obviously there are other issues that need our efforts, but that anything put into trying to do something for the planet is a good thing and should be encouraged, including this little project.

I'd also like to say that the problem with climate change is that it cant be stopped and the warming of the earth is a natral process that has been whitnessed many times in the history of the earth (as plenty evidence shows) and in fact we are relatively cold when compared to historical temperatures (i.e. we are still actually in an iceage as we have ice caps!). The problem is that the rise in temperatures is much faster than seen, and is sped up by our activities, THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON not halting climate change as this cant be done in human life times. (I understand that this is probably known by you, but it is common misconception that needs to be righted).

It is also a misconception (that leads people to want to dismiss everything scientists say), that we are saying that human activity "caused" climate change...no science with any creditable evidence has ever said this, what is actually argued is that we are speeding it up, a lot quicker than anything can cope with, and due to our other activities, such as land use, pollution, habitat destruction etc. things that usually would have changed its behaviour to survive (e.g. evolving) cant do that. A great example is the polar bear, ice caps melting means it has to come on to land more to hunt/forage etc which would probably work and it would survive if it were not for humans engrossing on the land it would naturally use, and killing it, or in some better cases removing it alive, thus leaving it and so many other examples with no where to go. Hence why I feel it is also important to control the amount of land we use unecessarily.

Again non of this is directed at you personally (idontmuchbut) as from your previous explanation I understand that you probably know all this anyway! but in general to those who may have these misconceptions.
Toothy grin? 11:31am on 12 Aug 2008 13 - idontmunhcbut -

Can I just ask where your getting your information from and also say I hope it wasnt general education!
You seem to me to be the misinformed party, clinging on to a single factor and not fully understanding it but still patting your self on the back for so being clever.

Our carbon footprint is important yes, but in terms of production, distribution and waste a wooden tooth brush is far far better than a plastic one. I completely agree with you that the media in particular grabs a snippet of info and calls it science and then dismisses anything else, but you have fallen into this trap also. As a scientist I know how frustrating it is to try and explain a point in lay terms when the greater population has decided your wrong based on false or exagerated evidence. I'll put it simply, our carbon footprint is important, but is just a way of trying to get people to wise up to the situation of the ever increasing carbon emmissions, giving simple products "number of carbons" is rediculous and not helping the matter at all. The over all aim of any climate change, biodiversity or other "save the planet" science is to do just that, but what the general public dont understand is that these areas have to work together, all areas of science are interlinked. And so to your comment about the plastic toothbrush being better than the wooden because it is "less carbons" and that being the be all and end all...your wrong very wrong. While carbon emmissions is a major problem and needs to be fought against, landfil and waste is also very important and an unsung pressing issue. for example, landfil = land space = less for natural land = less biodiversity = also less space for crops = less food production...etc etc
everyone goes on about recycling being important and how this will help your carbon footprint etc...when actually it is a huge energy consuming process, but we do it anyway for other reasons...i.e. landfils being very bad, and even the possibility of running out of certain resources....metals etc have limited deposits the same as oil....which leads us back to the need to recycle plastics.
So overall I think you and this is by no means personal because you represent a greater proportion of the population that seriously needs educating in the need for all these different "save the planet" methods to be worked together, not one being more important than the other.
Toothy grin? 11:07am on 12 Aug 2008 Can I just ask, did you manage to find the ingredients for your own toothpaste in non-plastic containers? I have had trouble finding things like oils with out plastic lids, also, it may sound silly but salt!....always in a box (cardboard) but then in a plastic sealed bag, or in a cardboard tube with a plastic lid I did find this place were you could serve your self...but into a plastic bag!
somewhere like Lush might have a toothpaste alternative, I know that they have solid shampoos, soaps, bath stuff etc, which you can buy by the block (and ask to have it in paper) so maybe they have a toothpaste alternative also.
Sunday reading 12:32pm on 11 Aug 2008 9# - idontmunchbut -

I think if the media stopped using newspapers and mags people would complain that the news is not accessable/available etc to everyone. Also I think your picking at a minor point...the media is there to (mostly) bring news of the most up to date and important issues, the waste problem being one of them, I dont see how nespapers using their mediums of paper and plastic coated mags is hypocritical at all its just important to promote the issues of waste, and if it has to be done on paper then all the better as they can say..."recycling is much needed etc etc....dont forget to recycle this paper"... I haven't come across any news source whether a station, paper or tabloid that says "we are doing much more than anyone else in the war on waste so you should all too"...its more a case of "here is what should be done, this is how you can help and this is what we are doing to help"
I think the over all goal of any news/media station is to bring about more awareness of issues, if that means using all meduims including recyclable paper then it is a good thing...its up to the public who what and are entitled to these rights to actually recycle them etc, and with out the media promoting these issues who's to know that recycling etc is needed and waste is a problem??
One week in 11:38am on 09 Aug 2008 #65 - Hubertgrove- I think this one of the most acceptable thing to put my licence fee toward, its very informative, useful and promotes something that everyone should at least take note of if not try for themselves. I would happily pay more for good informative and helpful services such as this rather than the mundane quiz show or old film know one has ever heard of.
One week in 11:29am on 09 Aug 2008 I am a hude fan of what your doing and am even trying it myself.
Also in terms of finding toilet roll sold in no plastic, I have come across 3 shops, just little corner shops that sell them as singles, just as they are, just try little family run corner shops it might be a common theme!

However these may have come in the normal packets and just been separated by the shop.

Also you could try cleaning supplies as I know the places I work have refills for the toilets that come in paper packets.

Keep up the good work!

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