What have you done for Our Blue Planet today? (1 Viewer)

[Don Quixote]

'Never before have we had such an awareness of what we are doing to the planet and never before have we had the power to do something about that. Surely we have a responsibility to care for our blue planet.' - Sir David Attenborough

Just watched the final episode tonight and was really moved by how much we are killing "Mother Earth" and thought perhaps a new thread that would remind us what we can do to help those that are coming along behind us could benefit from.

So I hope this thread takes off and members post here what they have done to care for our blue plant.

Fingers crossed.

 

[Don Quixote]

So starting it off we are not going to get/ask for/ use plastic bags and will try and carry a cloth or equivalent bag ready to carry stuff come.

 

[Anthea M]

'Never before have we had such an awareness of what we are doing to the planet and never before have we had the power to do something about that. Surely we have a responsibility to care for our blue planet.' - Sir David Attenborough

Just watched the final episode tonight and was really moved by how much we are killing "Mother Earth" and thought perhaps a new thread that would remind us what we can do to help those that are coming along behind us could benefit from.

So I hope this thread takes off and members post here what they have done to care for our blue plant.

Fingers crossed.

Thrown away all my plastic straws and bought cardboard ones . They are very harmful and don’t disintegrate , I refuse them if offered one in a pub.

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[bigtree]

Stop fa***ng so much.

 

[rosalan]

I removed some of the built-up snow outside my front door, to save the planet from caring for my wife should her two sticks slip on the ice that might form overnight.

 

[sylvester1954]

Everytime we take our dog for a walk particularly on the beach we take a black plastic bag and litter pick as we go, especially for plastics and take it home with us for disposal. For Christmas I have even ordered us both a pair of litter picking sticks to help.

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[mushy]

Whilst in Dorset we visited a sea life reserve. The visitor centre had all types of marine wildlife and information about sea pollutants and how we could all help. Whilst walking along their sea shore I was surprised at the amount of plastic caught up on the the reclaimed beach. There was also two slabs of concrete, two and a half feet square with a three inch thick slab of deteriorating polystyrene bonded to it. This must have been there since the beach was reclaimed some years ago. When I notified the staff in the visitor centre they knew nothing about it. Seems ironic that they preach to the public about not contaminating the environment when they are doing nothing practical themselves but this is typical of most or these organisations. They were quick to offer me a membership or make a donation.

 

[RowleyBirkinQC]

Can’t say we have done anything as yet based on the messsaging from the Blue Planet series. We already try to use bags for life rather than plastic bags, but not always as disciplined as we could/should be. Domestic Management gets fruit & vegetables delivered in cardboard boxes thus avoiding plastics there, she’s now thinking of finding out about local milk delivery services to reduce plastic by using the recycled glass bottles. I’m sure we could do more without having to put ourselves out, so many things contain minute stealth plastics these days (e.g. such as toothpaste apparently)

 

[Wildbill]

every day we do sum thing
bill

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[Figaro]

apparently our waste plastic is transported around the globe for "recycling", who`s to say rogue operators aren`t just dumping it in the oceans ? especially if the price they get drops.
I read China are no longer going to accept it, maybe a good thing if its recycled here. But it is global so thing so all nations needs to take responsibility. No doubt Russia will see things differently as they are prone to do.

 

[Cat53]

AM much more aware of plastics and the problems it causes, and I wish manufacturers would do more. Just buying a doll for a child is an eye opener on the plastic front. So Imake sure my facial scrubs etc are made with fruit stones not microbeads of plastic.

 

[Mikey RV]

Being a surfer for over forty years now, I have seen so much plastic on the beaches, not just in the UK but all over the world. I have always tried to do my bit about not buying anything with plastic on, not having carrier bags at the supermarket etc but it is very hard when everything you buy seems to have so much packaging. I also worked for the local council driving a recycling lorry and it was surprising how much plastic they could not recycle. It has got better now but still has a long way to go. Everyone thinks by doing there little bit it won’t make a difference but it makes you feel better for doing that little bit.

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[DBK]

Everytime we take our dog for a walk particularly on the beach we take a black plastic bag and litter pick as we go, especially for plastics and take it home with us for disposal. For Christmas I have even ordered us both a pair of litter picking sticks to help.

Which ones are you getting? I pick the rubbish up in our lane by hand but a sticky thing might be more hygienic.

 

[chaser]

There is only one thing that can stop it , a reduction in breeding, more and more people all the time are just going to put an end to all wildlife and countryside, and we are multiplying at a horrific rate , it's not just small bits like plastic and a bit of smoke , the world just can't stand any more population, every time it increases something has to give somewhere.

 

[eddie]

I have been a diver since my early 20’s and in fact bought my first camper as a result of trying to persuade Lyn my wife thatdiving in the UK in the Winter needn’t be cold lol

We’ve had all sorts of boats over the same period as well. In essence my family think I am only truely happy when I am on, in, under or by the Sea so thought I was aware of the extent of the pollution problem

Three weeks ago I got back from sailing around the Thai and Malay islands on a four masted sailing boat, visiting pristine uninhabited rain forest islands

I was absolutely shocked at the amount of plastic bags and bottles, littering the shoreline and caught up in the mangrove swamps

it was genuinely a epiphany for me

I now absolutely refuse to buy a throwaway plastic bag, and I refuse ever again to buy the slabs of bottled water that we take to the Motorhome shows, and lazily grab when going out in the car.

Watching the Blue Planet last night reinforced what I’d recently decided. I cannot complain about something when I am part of the problem, and, the solution

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[Southdowners]

I always take my own jute bags when shopping. I'm another rubbish gatherer - when walking my dog I pick up plastic bottles and packaging left by people who couldn't care less.

I can't understand why some people seem to think they'll expire unless they carry a plastic water bottle and then chuck it when finished!

 

[robnchris]

We stopped using plastic bags years ago, always said why don`t you supply paper bags simple then no worries for the environment, supermarket reply was thats why we don`t give them away anymore, my response was yes that`s true but you will sell them to me, if you really cared about the planet you would ban them altogether.

It`s about time the powers that be banned all that plastic packaging, half the time you struugle to get at the contents because it`s enclosed in heavy plastic.

 

[SpeedyDux]

We try to avoid buying stuff encased in plastic packaging, but that is nearly impossible, and always bring our own shopping bags. We are paying more attention to recycling as much as possible and also creating less waste to throw away in the first place. There is very little now inside our fortnightly wheelybin unlike some of our neighbours whose wheelybins are so full they can't close the lids.

We try to make do and mend instead of buying new replacements.

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[busby]

We walk everywhere except for our one big shop a week..Dont know really why we have a car,,,Try and leave silly packaging on the check out at supermarkets,and why does everyone walk around with a plastic bottle of water,,,it never happened 10 years ago ,,BUSBY,,

 

[Jim]

 

[movan]

Can't do moŕe than I already do ... except sell the mh ... have been aware for years of the problem but we were called tree huggers if we dared post about it. Thank you thank you thank you Blue Planet for making people aware ...

Really hope this thread continues for a very long time ... good on you @Don Quixote . Xx

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[Makingtrax]

The planet can't sustain the shocking mess humans are making. Intensive agriculture, burning fossil fuels, plastic everywhere. It will die eventually.

Saw a Ben Fogle programme, New Lives in the Wild, about a 60 year old woman living sustainably in Wales, completely off grid in her Iron Age hut. I have incredible respect for people like that, growing their own food, enjoying life without Sky TV, microwave, central heating, or a car.

I'm too weak willed.

 

[chaser]

All the stuff on there was just ordinary life 50 years or well less , ago.
And as @busby says a couple of posts ago, what is it with all these bottles of water, it seems folks can't go out of the house without one.

 

[chaser]

The planet can't sustain the shocking mess humans are making. Intensive agriculture, burning fossil fuels, plastic everywhere. It will die eventually.

Saw a Ben Fogle programme, New Lives in the Wild, about a 60 year old woman living sustainably in Wales, completely off grid in her Iron Age hut. I have incredible respect for people like that, growing their own food, enjoying life without Sky TV, microwave, central heating, or a car.

I'm too weak willed.

Yes but it comes down to what I said a few posts ago with more people to feed all the time and less ground to feed them with it's just a downward spiral that can't continue.

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[joka250]

My opinion is that we bin far too much plastic and obscene amounts of food. Not using plastic bags is a good first step but as several have said plastic packaging has reached a ridiculous level and exporting the waste to distant countries is a complete waste of resources. What's the answer? I don't know, I try to buy products not in plastic, not easy, what plastic I do get I try to recycle or re-use but much plastic is either non recyclable is not marked or not recycled in my area.
Food waste is another matter, that has reached epidemic proportions and I believe we the public are often to blame. We like our fruit and veg in nice clean plastic packs and when we get home we use some and waste some for the most stupid of reasons, in the bin and off to the landfill. Some sources suggest that on average we waste £1,000 of food per year. I wish I could afford to do that.
Our attempts to save waste include no plastic carrier bags, where possible no packaging, meal planning so that a shopping list is created and adhered to. Our food waste is currently almost zero, achieved through good planning and sticking to the plan.
Non of this is rocket science and it means we have more money to put towards travel. I could go on for pages on this subject and would say I am no Angel, I also suspect that amongst Funsters I am, to a great extent, preaching to the converted but we all need to do at least a little bit. Perhaps as OP suggests we should have a dedicated thread, but no popcorn.

 

[chaser]

My opinion is that we bin far too much plastic and obscene amounts of food. Not using plastic bags is a good first step but as several have said plastic packaging has reached a ridiculous level and exporting the waste to distant countries is a complete waste of resources. What's the answer? I don't know, I try to buy products not in plastic, not easy, what plastic I do get I try to recycle or re-use but much plastic is either non recyclable is not marked or not recycled in my area.
Food waste is another matter, that has reached epidemic proportions and I believe we the public are often to blame. We like our fruit and veg in nice clean plastic packs and when we get home we use some and waste some for the most stupid of reasons, in the bin and off to the landfill. Some sources suggest that on average we waste £1,000 of food per year. I wish I could afford to do that.
Our attempts to save waste include no plastic carrier bags, where possible no packaging, meal planning so that a shopping list is created and adhered to. Our food waste is currently almost zero, achieved through good planning and sticking to the plan.
Non of this is rocket science and it means we have more money to put towards travel. I could go on for pages on this subject and would say I am no Angel, I also suspect that amongst Funsters I am, to a great extent, preaching to the converted but we all need to do at least a little bit. Perhaps as OP suggests we should have a dedicated thread, but no popcorn.

Always escapes me why there is so much waste food without even considering the planet, why waste money for no reason, it's not hard to work out how much you are going to eat, can't understand it.

 

[busby]

Its plastic packaging that is the biggest problem..Have you noticed,,you pull up on site,,have a meal and your rubbish bag/bin is full,,but its full of just packaging,,Must be a huge problem for sites,,BUSBY,,

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[PeteH]

The issue IMV is not what YOU can do, But how Government controls how business performs. Take Food, perfectly good stuff is being disposed of because some "oik" has decided that they can make more profit if Brainwashed consumers are persuaded that "sell by" is "use by". And only recently has anyone thought of distributing it to those who cannot afford it!.

Plastic Packaging, WE have been denied the option to recycle "one shot", (already in most cases biodegradable anyway), bags, which where disposable. In my case we used them as rubbish bags in the Motor-home and at Home "waste as Useful Waste". So now we need to purchase "proper" bags, which are manufactured (from the same, probably Oil based, source). Where is the "sense" in that!. Again, IMV, woolly thinking by the green lobby.



Packaging of perishables, Necessary, for hygiene reasons, (seen too many people use Supermarket Toilets, never wash hands, and then go handle the fruit and veg!). But the type and volume could be reduced, and changed for degradable types. Recycled paper for one.

Reintroduction of (Heavy?) deposits on Bottles, and or the use of Refillable Drink containers?. Might be a way forward, But again, without "incentives" (or tax penalties) the manufacturers/suppliers wont comply.

We as end consumers, already finish up picking up the tab for Corporate greed, in most aspects of daily life.

Another thought. GO down the Pub and drink Freshly Pulled beers. Instead of stocking up on Cheap supermarket cans and drinking in front of the "One eyed monster". You might also get to actually Talk to people who live in your community!

 

[chaser]

The issue IMV is not what YOU can do, But how Government controls how business performs. Take Food, perfectly good stuff is being disposed of because some "oik" has decided that they can make more profit if Brainwashed consumers are persuaded that "sell by" is "use by". And only recently has anyone thought of distributing it to those who cannot afford it!.

Plastic Packaging, WE have been denied the option to recycle "one shot", (already in most cases biodegradable anyway), bags, which where disposable. In my case we used them as rubbish bags in the Motor-home and at Home "waste as Useful Waste". So now we need to purchase "proper" bags, which are manufactured (from the same, probably Oil based, source). Where is the "sense" in that!. Again, IMV, woolly thinking by the green lobby.



Packaging of perishables, Necessary, for hygiene reasons, (seen too many people use Supermarket Toilets, never wash hands, and then go handle the fruit and veg!). But the type and volume could be reduced, and changed for degradable types. Recycled paper for one.

Reintroduction of (Heavy?) deposits on Bottles, and or the use of Refillable Drink containers?. Might be a way forward, But again, without "incentives" (or tax penalties) the manufacturers/suppliers wont comply.

We as end consumers, already finish up picking up the tab for Corporate greed, in most aspects of daily life.

Another thought. GO down the Pub and drink Freshly Pulled beers. Instead of stocking up on Cheap supermarket cans and drinking in front of the "One eyed monster". You might also get to actually Talk to people who live in your community!

Five pounds a pint to talk to people you only meet once a year, about what rubbish there is on the tv, don't think so

 

[Foxy1956]

Everytime we take our dog for a walk particularly on the beach we take a black plastic bag and litter pick as we go, especially for plastics and take it home with us for disposal. For Christmas I have even ordered us both a pair of litter picking sticks to help.

We do the same. Always a depressing harvest of other peoples rubbish.

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