Saving the environment

[Dodger]

Using re-usable containers would even be cheaper, and the money saved could buy more food instead of ending up as plastic waste.

I couldn't agree with you more about the environmental stuff.

Jai and I are entrenched in "THINKING GREEN" and have been for years, but when we're talking about food-line charities, none of this matters. With something as critical as "people going hungry" is on the agenda, this takes priority over all these other nice things we would like to improve on our planet, including the environment.

[cdnmatt]

Speaking about all this, so when you guys goto a local mom & pop shop, or even a 7/11, or grocery shopping, or whatever, do you bring reusable shopping bags with you?

I always did in Khon Kaen. Had a bunch of small bags which were great for beer, small things for dinner that night, and just small trips to the mom & pop shops around. Then for groceries at the mall, had my duffel bag which worked great. It even caught on in my community, and after a while a bunch of the locals were using reusable bags too. A couple of the shops there even gave me free bags a couple times, because they knew I liked them.

Damn, do I ever miss living in a community like that. This Canada shit with self serve checkouts is at warehouse sized grocery stores owned by multi nationals is pretty mundane.

[arsenal]

I'm enjoying the confession that you are "particularly entranced" by Goji. Such mind powers Goji has.

[StevieWonders]

I'm enjoying the confession that you are "particularly entranced" by Goji. Such mind powers Goji has.As my #1 fan wrote only recently:
Irony not your forte?

[christianpfc]

Speaking about all this, so when you guys goto a local mom & pop shop, or even a 7/11, or grocery shopping, or whatever, do you bring reusable shopping bags with you?
I don't bring reusable shopping bags, but I have several plastic bags that were intended for single use with me. I use them 5 to 10 times, then they become dirty or rip, and their last use is as bin bag.

I try to educate my local friends, and even Farang friends, to follow my actions.

[Nirish guy]

I have several plastic bags that were intended for single use with me. I use them 5 to 10 times .

So you're still contributing to killing the planet with plastic, but just you're now doing it 5 to 10 times slower than before now is that it ....ok, got it.

[goji]

So you're still contributing to killing the planet with plastic, but just you're now doing it 5 to 10 times slower than before now is that it ....ok, got it.

An 80 to 90% reduction in pollution. Is that not much better than the people who make no effort at all ?

[Nirish guy]

Of course it is goji.

However when someone tells us that environmental issues have " been on their mind for a long time" and "Using re-usable containers would be cheaper, and the money saved could buy more food instead of ending up as plastic waste" and that they "have more compassion for animals and for the environment than for humans." then I automatically would just have assumed just that they would have carried on and gone the whole way in using a "bag for life" which we're told seems to be the optimum thing to do for maximum planet saving effect etc.

I'm not judging btw, merely pointing out the (to me) obvious flaw in their thinking, solely after them making such strong environmental statements as they did above perhaps.

[goji]

I automatically would just have assumed just that they would have carried on and gone the whole way in using a "bag for life" which we're told seems to be the optimum thing to do for maximum planet saving effect etc.

Correct, but:
1 A bag for life tends not to actually last for life
2 Whilst many of us try to re-use plastics, we might still forget to bring a water bottle or plastic bag. So when occasionally getting a new one, it makes sense to keep re-using it until it wears out.

All of this is better than the middle easterner who was having a go at the till staff in Tops Tuk Com because they didn't have any free plastic bags.
Being next in line, I intervened and told this sack of sh*t that it's standard practice in all civilized countries to reduce waste & pollution.

[Ruthrieston]

I feel so guilty that it took me nine years before I finally had a water filtration system fitted to my kitchen sink and I could stop buying all those plastic bottles of water. Finally done and it makes life a whole lot easier too not having to carry those heavy packs of water bottles.

[StevieWonders]

Why do Europeans scoop up their dog’s poo - which is biogradable - and wrap it in single-use plastic which is not biodegradable? I understand the scooping; why use non-biodegradable plastic?

[Dodger]

I love it when I go to the food store and 90% of everything I purchased is wrapped in plastic. And then I get to the cash register and they won't put my groceries in a bag. What's wrong with this picture?

If a retail store is that conscious about protecting the environment by not using plastic, then why do they continue stocking their shelves with items wrapped in plastic? Shouldn't the responsibility be focused on the supply-chain where 90% of the plastic is coming from?

Jai and I use biodegradable bags which we store under the seat in the motorbike, and in the glove box in our pickup truck. We use these continually and it's never a problem. BUT...filling them constantly with items that are wrapped in plastic defeats the purpose.

As far as these charitable food lines go, they're using the same Styrofoam containers that every restaurant in Thailand uses for take out meals. Expecting them to spend time searching for alternative environmental-friendly packaging methods when they're trying to feed hungry people is ridiculous. That's like asking a fireman to stop wasting water when he's trying to fight a blaze.

[cdnmatt]

To lighten the mood, if you're up for a chuckle:

https://youtu.be/7W33HRc1A6c?t=88s

[Kenny]

To lighten the mood, if you're up for a chuckle:

https://youtu.be/7W33HRc1A6c?t=88s

That is both funny and scary all at the same time.

Remember when takeaway fish and chips were served wrapped in yesterday's newspaper?

All very biodegradable.

Not sure what genius came up with the styrofoam alternative.

[StevieWonders]

That is both funny and scary all at the same time. Remember when takeaway fish and chips were served wrapped in yesterday's newspaper? All very biodegradable. Not sure what genius came up with the styrofoam alternative.As is so often the case, a simple Search readily found the answer: http://www.childofthe1980s.com/2009/03/12/fish-and-chips-wrapped-in-newspaper/

[StevieWonders]

To lighten the mood, if you're up for a chuckle:

https://youtu.be/7W33HRc1A6c?t=88sPerhaps you could introduce him to Saint Greta of Thunberg.

[goji]

I love it when I go to the food store and 90% of everything I purchased is wrapped in plastic. And then I get to the cash register and they won't put my groceries in a bag. What's wrong with this picture?

I see what you are saying, but it's a work in progress. Start with the easy stuff like carrier bags and then move onto other plastic product packaging, which sometimes needs more thought. That's how it's working in UK supermarkets.

The Thai 7-Eleven chains have some wasteful practices, such as packaging individual bananas or individual hard boiled eggs in plastic. Whilst it might be difficult to sell drinks without packaging, bananas and eggs already come with natural packaging.

Of course, if Thailand required a deposit to be charged on all plastic drinks bottles, I suspect the recycling would work particularly well, as collecting the empties would be an income stream for the poorest people.

Also, I see some of the riff raff in the UK eat at the drive in McDonalds, then throw the packaging out of the window on the way home. I'd like to either see the retailer made responsible for clearing this up, or ensure every single packaging item has a unique serial number traceable to the purchaser. Then levy heavy fines on the offenders. £1000 for the first offence, £5000 for the second and so on.

[cdnmatt]

Of course, if Thailand required a deposit to be charged on all plastic drinks bottles, I suspect the recycling would work particularly well, as collecting the empties would be an income stream for the poorest people.

It is. Pays something like 3 baht per kilogram of bottles.

[latintopxxx]

I'm so glad I'm doing my bit for the planet by not using condoms...

[mr giggles]

I'm so glad I'm doing my bit for the planet by not using condoms...

or toilet paper...

[gerefan2]

or toilet paper...

Nobody uses plastic toilet paper any more....you probably remember that awful stuff from the 1950s don’t you Steven?

[arsenal]

I should think in his formative years mrgiggles and stevieW would have to get past the sheep to use the dunny constantly worried about being sent to Burma to face the Japs.

[StevieWonders]

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