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I disagree that individual action will ever move the needle on use of plastic. Policies set and enforced by governments is what is necessary. This can take the

I disagree that individual action will ever move the needle on use of plastic. Policies set and enforced by governments is what is necessary. This can take the form of rules and bans for packaging itself or taxes that drive up the cost of plastic. So we can all do our part by advocating for these rules.

noobermin 8y ago
Seriously. While certain local actions can help on a local level, serious solutions to global problems require more than individual action.
- seanp2k2 8y ago
  Also, making machines that do the work in bulk is IMO a much better use of time than e.g. organizing beach cleanup efforts where a dozen people come out with grabbers: https://youtu.be/A_ESkZmbL2c https://youtu.be/A_ESkZmbL2c What would also be neat would be something like an organization that operates these on beaches across a state / country. Even better: get the government to do it. Even better than that: outlaw production of the kinds of junk that ends up on beaches. Start doing takeaway food in glass lock containers and bags that are actually reusable (not paper or thicker plastic or cotton) and charge deposits for them. Sure, it creates other problems, but those are usually better problems to be solving.
  - DanBC 8y ago
    That machine looks like an excellent way to take in macro plastic and convert some of it into micro plastic, and then redistribute it onto the beach, where it'll be impossible to remove.
slg 8y ago
And it isn't as simple as banning plastic bags and then patting ourselves on the back for solving this issue. Society functions as an ecosystem like any you would find in nature and removing plastic bags has consequences that need to be addressed as part of any government action. For example, plastic bags are an important resource for homeless people. Banning plastic bags resulted in a large hepatitis outbreak in San Diego among the homeless population that quickly spread and resulted in over 20 deaths.
spodek 8y ago
1. Individual action and legislation are not exclusive. 2. Legislation will happen faster if people act. Politicians know that when people say one thing and do another, they'll vote consistently with their behavior. News of waste like this tells politicians not to legislate conservation because it doesn't represent the people. People conserving will tell politicians voters want it.
- jdblair 8y ago
  I never asserted that the two are exclusive. Individual action is satisfying and does demonstrate what is possible. However, I still assert that to make changes on a huge scale you need to make the economic choices and desired outcomes align. Using plastic for packaging and single use containers is just so ridiculously inexpensive right now that its often the cheapest, most convenient option. If we change that equation then collective behavior will change.
tonyedgecombe 8y ago
You need people like spodek to show that it is possible, that it doesn’t cost a lot and can even have a positive impact on you quality of life. Without that it will always be an uphill battle trying to get laws changed.

noobermin 8y ago

Seriously. While certain local actions can help on a local level, serious solutions to global problems require more than individual action.

seanp2k2 8y ago
Also, making machines that do the work in bulk is IMO a much better use of time than e.g. organizing beach cleanup efforts where a dozen people come out with grabbers: https://youtu.be/A_ESkZmbL2c https://youtu.be/A_ESkZmbL2c What would also be neat would be something like an organization that operates these on beaches across a state / country. Even better: get the government to do it. Even better than that: outlaw production of the kinds of junk that ends up on beaches. Start doing takeaway food in glass lock containers and bags that are actually reusable (not paper or thicker plastic or cotton) and charge deposits for them. Sure, it creates other problems, but those are usually better problems to be solving.
- DanBC 8y ago
  That machine looks like an excellent way to take in macro plastic and convert some of it into micro plastic, and then redistribute it onto the beach, where it'll be impossible to remove.

slg 8y ago

And it isn't as simple as banning plastic bags and then patting ourselves on the back for solving this issue. Society functions as an ecosystem like any you would find in nature and removing plastic bags has consequences that need to be addressed as part of any government action. For example, plastic bags are an important resource for homeless people. Banning plastic bags resulted in a large hepatitis outbreak in San Diego among the homeless population that quickly spread and resulted in over 20 deaths.

spodek 8y ago

1. Individual action and legislation are not exclusive. 2. Legislation will happen faster if people act. Politicians know that when people say one thing and do another, they'll vote consistently with their behavior. News of waste like this tells politicians not to legislate conservation because it doesn't represent the people. People conserving will tell politicians voters want it.

jdblair 8y ago
I never asserted that the two are exclusive. Individual action is satisfying and does demonstrate what is possible. However, I still assert that to make changes on a huge scale you need to make the economic choices and desired outcomes align. Using plastic for packaging and single use containers is just so ridiculously inexpensive right now that its often the cheapest, most convenient option. If we change that equation then collective behavior will change.

tonyedgecombe 8y ago

You need people like spodek to show that it is possible, that it doesn’t cost a lot and can even have a positive impact on you quality of life. Without that it will always be an uphill battle trying to get laws changed.