PLASTIC BAGS and our WATER WORLD

[Small Wally]

Here in Ireland, a "Plastic Bag Tax" was introduced a year or two ago. If you want a plastic bag at the shop you pay (€0.15) for it. Most shops now use paper bags. The result? Not so many plastic bags flying around, caught on trees and bushes, clogging drains etc.

The polluter pays principle. People care about their pockets, so hit them there.

SW

[the1much]

maine has a "redemption" "deposit" on ALL aluminum cans, glass bottles, and plastic jugs ( everything except milk),, you pay .05 cents on every container,,,,if you want your deposit back, you bring back to a redemption center and they pay you back for it,,,,,the idiots that do throw them out loose money,,,then the smart people go and pick them up,,,,,,,20 cans is a dollar,,,,theres almost none ( yes ALMOST) of the cans and crap littering the land.

[charmc]

Thanks, Brian, for bringing up an important topic. John, keep on fighting, friend. The world needs the good guys.

Butch, you're right that everyone should live better and make responsible choices; preventing massive trashing of the planet shouldn't depend on idiot politicians ... but ... obviously, the vast majority of us 6 billion humans aren't being responsible, or the plastic items floating around the world wouldn't be there. Most people need a shove or a boot in the backside to stop doing the easy thing and do the right thing. Stores love the plastic bags because they're cheaper, easy to dispense, and encourage buying more. Legal bans are probably the only way to stop their production, which would at least eliminate the supply. Might have a chance at removing them from the planet if the supply doesn't keep growing.

[longliner45]

I do remember ,,in the 80s we used plastic bags to save trees ,,now we use paper to save the enviornment ,,ok by me ,,as lazy says ,,I use cardboard boxes ,,over and over to haul my grocerys ,,and when I buy beer ,,I never take a bag ,,,always ..lead by example,,longliner

[FAST FRED]

"Legal bans are probably the only way to stop their production, which would at least eliminate the supply."

No reason to ban them , the ability to create plastic bags that dissolve rapidly in sunshine has been here for 3 or 4 decades.

All thats needed is for a couple if stores to hammer their competition with how "green" they are. Buy Here , "save the world".

No need for the dead hand of Government and unlimited Force and Fraud.

FF

[the1much]

they dissolve in sunshine?,,,i know they make the ones that "break down" fast,,,,,but,, that means its like a plastic bag that been in the sun for 10 years,,,they crumble into pieces once ya touch em,,,,,but thats it,,,they break or rip into MANY pieces,,,,,,they shouldnt even be made,,, there is NO real use for them other then convenience and cost.,,,,,which we all KNOW is more important then some dam littering problem,,hehe

[Loveofsea]

Here are some really good people trying to bring some attention to the issue of plastics in the ocean. These guys are on their way to Hawaii in a raft made out of plastic bottles right now. You can follow their trip and watch their videos here:

http://www.junkraft.blogspot.com/

[freesail]

I always leave a bag in the car for shopping. All these plastic bags at home just end up clogging the cupboards!

[the1much]

i wonder how many bottles they lost on the way,,,,hehe

[Maxim Projet]

Originally Posted by longliner45

I think this is on topic ,,before many have suggested .fisherman only exploit the sea,,but a true fisherman knows about as much as a marine biologist,,if not more ,,

What a load of ridiculous, stupidly punctuated, rubbish!

[the1much]

Originally Posted by Maxim Projet

What a load of ridiculous, stupidly punctuated, rubbish!

now WHY would you think that was rubbish?,,,, i would LOVE to hear this one,,hehe,,specially since i grew up a fisherman,,family has done it for over 100 years,,,,hehehe

[plankton]

I have to agree, why do you think that is rubbish ? I've come across some biologists in my time who knew next to nothing about their intended subject and yet seen some commercial fishermen called as professional witnesses on many an occasion.

While it could be true that some well-theorised fishermen do not understand the exact mechanisms of their thinkings, there is no doubt that their observations and short-range reasoning is often spot on.

People who are not commercial fishermen seem to have misconcepetions about those that do fish. While often portrayed as villains out for a cheap buck with a dory-load of gill-nets, or as loudmouthed drunks in a waterside bar in a fishing port, it may surprise some people to discover that there are some fishermen out there who are well educated, some with higher education, running vessels bought with money handed down from generation to generation. Some of these families are corporate businesses, and some of them really do care about their environment and a sustainable resource. Families like that, with decades of hands-on experience in specific fisheries or specific locations, can provide vast amounts of information on an hour by hour basis via their logs that a biologist can never hope to emulate.

And just as a marin biologist often becomes a commercial fisherman, so the reverse can happen too - I know of more than one guy who has taken the plunge into academia and brought much needed life and experience to what can often be a mainly terrestrial way of life.

[longliner45]

dont call names and run dude ,,im waiting,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[the1much]

you might have to "play" with him longerz,,,i dont think i can and still be allowed on this forum,,i dont think anyone on here has seen me freakin PISSED,,,but,,,puttin down fishermen,,,well,,,you'd be better off slappin my ole lady. every time i see this thread come up now i start grittin my teeth,,,,,,,,,,,,and to me personally,,,,im pretty sure there isnt nothing in this world worse then a pissed off yankee fisherman.

[longliner45]

yea much ,Ive seen em come and go like this one ,,make one or two post ,,attacking someone,for something ,,he has no creedance,,feather in the wind ,,im not or ever have said I know it all,but if he wants to talk,,let me have first crack ,,if he wants to query about fish ,,,,hes mine ,,,longliner