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> took the West's plastic Does it have to be the west's? Why do so many people blame the west solely, because other countries can't help it, or because other

> took the West's plastic Does it have to be the west's? Why do so many people blame the west solely, because other countries can't help it, or because other countries export to the west, or because the west exports an amount of trash to other countries? Not even a Billion people in the west, those other 6 had nothing to do with it? It seems like many here are making excuses why only the west is at fault. While most trash going in the ocean happens not in the west.

bllguo 8y ago
1. western countries developed faster and started all this mad consumption and environmental abuse. Everyone else is copying us 2. the west is in the best position to start addressing this. Better educated, more prosperous, etc. 3. Much of the waste produced in other countries is for making things to ship to the western world We should not be playing the victim.
- Freestyler_3 8y ago
  It is not about who is victim. It is about who is doing it NOW, and what can be done about it. Some plastic program in the west has 0% impact on the polution on global scale. That doesn't mean that the west shouldn't be active in addressing the problem, but it means focussing on where the problem is and actually doing somethig about it. You can blame the west all you want, but please don't think that other countries only produce for the west. There is a much bigger market.
  - pbhjpbhj 8y ago
    How can a program anywhere that results in decreased resource usage have no impact? Can you explain further.
    - Freestyler_3 8y ago
      Statistically near 0%, it has impact but not much at all. Where in other countries there can be bigger gains with less effort.
njarboe 8y ago
I used that phrase because of a recent policy change by China where they will no longer be the place where the West "recycles" its plastic garbage. The plastic that people in the West clean diligently and sort into the recycle bin, in a kind of ritual of forgiveness for consumption, must now find another final resting place. I just did not believe other countries feel the need for the ritual of recycling yet. If they just get plastic into a landfill after use, that is all that is really necessary for the environment. It would be almost impossible to calculate, but I would guess 98% of plastic reuse is an environmental net negative. Reduce and reuse. Then bury it. Maybe burning it for electricity generation would help if it would offset coal burning power plants.
- njarboe 8y ago
  Edit: 98% of plastic recycling

bllguo 8y ago

1. western countries developed faster and started all this mad consumption and environmental abuse. Everyone else is copying us 2. the west is in the best position to start addressing this. Better educated, more prosperous, etc. 3. Much of the waste produced in other countries is for making things to ship to the western world We should not be playing the victim.

Freestyler_3 8y ago
It is not about who is victim. It is about who is doing it NOW, and what can be done about it. Some plastic program in the west has 0% impact on the polution on global scale. That doesn't mean that the west shouldn't be active in addressing the problem, but it means focussing on where the problem is and actually doing somethig about it. You can blame the west all you want, but please don't think that other countries only produce for the west. There is a much bigger market.
- pbhjpbhj 8y ago
  How can a program anywhere that results in decreased resource usage have no impact? Can you explain further.
  - Freestyler_3 8y ago
    Statistically near 0%, it has impact but not much at all. Where in other countries there can be bigger gains with less effort.

njarboe 8y ago

I used that phrase because of a recent policy change by China where they will no longer be the place where the West "recycles" its plastic garbage. The plastic that people in the West clean diligently and sort into the recycle bin, in a kind of ritual of forgiveness for consumption, must now find another final resting place. I just did not believe other countries feel the need for the ritual of recycling yet. If they just get plastic into a landfill after use, that is all that is really necessary for the environment. It would be almost impossible to calculate, but I would guess 98% of plastic reuse is an environmental net negative. Reduce and reuse. Then bury it. Maybe burning it for electricity generation would help if it would offset coal burning power plants.

njarboe 8y ago
Edit: 98% of plastic recycling