4 ms·

Hence it is always important to remember: reduce, reuse and recycle, in that order. You don't have to recycle if you can reuse.

protonimitate 8y ago
While I agree with that order of operations so to speak, I'm not sure why the responsibility is pushed onto consumers. It's hard to make a choice when it comes down to plastic, plastic, or plastic. What is being/can be done to get companies to stop using plastic in packaging? I understand that it is necessary for a lot of modern conveniences, but surely there is something that can be done to curb the production and use on the manufacturing side.
- gambiting 8y ago
  The problem is that companies use a stupidly ridiculous amount of plastic. The other week I bought some dessert which had a non-recyclable box, then each portion was in a non-recyclable plastic cup, held in place by a non-recyclable plastic tray with a non-recyclable plastic lid on each cup. Absolutely insane.
  - narag 8y ago
    That's the place for regulation. Let's forbid the damned thing or at least tax it heavily. Anything not reusable? Make them pay for externalities.
    - deleted 8y ago
      [deleted]
- idoh 8y ago
  It is completely possible to orient purchases away from plastic. In fact if someone believes that plastic is bad then they should have some stake in it by making those decisions themselves. I went through reducing my plastic use myself, it was not difficult to reduce my plastic use by 50% or more: A: look at my trash before I move it to the curb to see what plastic things were in there B: find substitute for the obvious things, like using water bottles, buying vegetables using reusable bags instead of buying them in packages, switching to a non-plastic dental floss, etc ... and that is all. Companies respond to consumer demand. You can play a part in it by orienting your demand to non plastic items.
  - protonimitate 8y ago
    I'm all for personal responsibility but I don't think that there is a critical mass to invoke production changes. (Anecdotally) for every one person I know taking the time to be conscious, I know two that couldn't care less. I believe most people fall into the 'not my problem' bucket.
    - idoh 8y ago
      If someone wants to reduce plastic in the world but doesn't change their own behavior then it is hard to take them seriously.
- thaumasiotes 8y ago
  > What is being/can be done to get companies to stop using plastic in packaging? On the "is being done" front, order stuff from the Amazon Basics line, which packages everything in (1) cardboard that is (2) easy to open without slicing your own fingers. Products sold at retail are purposefully put in huge plastic envelopes that are nearly impossible to open. This serves two goals related to preventing shoplifting - the thief can't get the tiny item out of its packaging while in the store, and the packaging is too large to carry out of the store without being obvious. It's all downside for customers. But selling goods by mail-order doesn't have shoplifting problems, so shippers are free to use packaging that's less likely to injure the customer. The catch is that you need to buy something that is never intended to be sold retail anywhere.
kevin_b_er 8y ago
Then we need to reduce the amount of garbage produced. "Plastics make it possible" to be wasteful.
peterwwillis 8y ago
Yes! And you can extend it to five R's: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, and Recycle. You don't have to buy or accept products that can harm you, your company or the environment. Vote with your dollar. Refuse non-recyclable giveaways/swag; plastic bags; toxic chemical solvents; items with unnecessary packaging; single use plastic; phone books. Use less. Think about what you use and buy. Reduce junk mail, mailed bills; acquisition of unnecessary toys and tools; the amount of energy you use; water and wastewater; waste in manufacturing processes; acquisition of cheap products that may not last long. Why buy something twice when you can buy it once and reuse it over and over again, such as cloth grocery and produce bags; water bottles/travel mugs; packable metal cutlery set; glass jars from pickles, jellies, and salsa; bring old takeout containers for restaurant doggy bags; a normal mop head rather than a disposable; washable dish cloths rather than paper towels; refurbished or used clothes, electronics, cars, etc; building materials from home improvement donation centers; rechargeable batteries; shoes and boots that can be resoled or re-glued; sewing for minor tears in clothes; borrow or rent rather than purchasing for one use; food scraps as flavoring for stocks and soups; food waste as composte; leftover plastic bags as waste containers or for organizing. Take something and use it for something else. Repurpose junk mail envelopes as scrap paper; cereal bag liners, for handling/storing foods or organizing home goods; torn or worn clothes as rags; donate unneeded items rather than throwing away; tires as wall insulation or boat fenders; glass bottles for glass walls; plastic drums as floats, feed troughs, compost bins, rain barrels. If the above 4 options won’t work (refer to this guide as well http://thegreeningofwestford.com/2012/02/how-to-recycle-everything.html http://thegreeningofwestford.com/2012/02/how-to-recycle-ever...) recycle paper, plastic, metal, and glass; fabrics and textiles, including ripped or stained; electronics, accepted at some electronics stores and special recycling centers; wine corks, accepted at some wine and food stores; home good and building materials, to re-stores and habitat for humanity; books, home goods, clothing, and other items to thrift stores.

protonimitate 8y ago

While I agree with that order of operations so to speak, I'm not sure why the responsibility is pushed onto consumers. It's hard to make a choice when it comes down to plastic, plastic, or plastic. What is being/can be done to get companies to stop using plastic in packaging? I understand that it is necessary for a lot of modern conveniences, but surely there is something that can be done to curb the production and use on the manufacturing side.

gambiting 8y ago
The problem is that companies use a stupidly ridiculous amount of plastic. The other week I bought some dessert which had a non-recyclable box, then each portion was in a non-recyclable plastic cup, held in place by a non-recyclable plastic tray with a non-recyclable plastic lid on each cup. Absolutely insane.
- narag 8y ago
  That's the place for regulation. Let's forbid the damned thing or at least tax it heavily. Anything not reusable? Make them pay for externalities.
  - deleted 8y ago
    [deleted]
idoh 8y ago
It is completely possible to orient purchases away from plastic. In fact if someone believes that plastic is bad then they should have some stake in it by making those decisions themselves. I went through reducing my plastic use myself, it was not difficult to reduce my plastic use by 50% or more: A: look at my trash before I move it to the curb to see what plastic things were in there B: find substitute for the obvious things, like using water bottles, buying vegetables using reusable bags instead of buying them in packages, switching to a non-plastic dental floss, etc ... and that is all. Companies respond to consumer demand. You can play a part in it by orienting your demand to non plastic items.
- protonimitate 8y ago
  I'm all for personal responsibility but I don't think that there is a critical mass to invoke production changes. (Anecdotally) for every one person I know taking the time to be conscious, I know two that couldn't care less. I believe most people fall into the 'not my problem' bucket.
  - idoh 8y ago
    If someone wants to reduce plastic in the world but doesn't change their own behavior then it is hard to take them seriously.
thaumasiotes 8y ago
> What is being/can be done to get companies to stop using plastic in packaging? On the "is being done" front, order stuff from the Amazon Basics line, which packages everything in (1) cardboard that is (2) easy to open without slicing your own fingers. Products sold at retail are purposefully put in huge plastic envelopes that are nearly impossible to open. This serves two goals related to preventing shoplifting - the thief can't get the tiny item out of its packaging while in the store, and the packaging is too large to carry out of the store without being obvious. It's all downside for customers. But selling goods by mail-order doesn't have shoplifting problems, so shippers are free to use packaging that's less likely to injure the customer. The catch is that you need to buy something that is never intended to be sold retail anywhere.

kevin_b_er 8y ago

Then we need to reduce the amount of garbage produced. "Plastics make it possible" to be wasteful.

peterwwillis 8y ago

Yes! And you can extend it to five R's: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, and Recycle. You don't have to buy or accept products that can harm you, your company or the environment. Vote with your dollar. Refuse non-recyclable giveaways/swag; plastic bags; toxic chemical solvents; items with unnecessary packaging; single use plastic; phone books. Use less. Think about what you use and buy. Reduce junk mail, mailed bills; acquisition of unnecessary toys and tools; the amount of energy you use; water and wastewater; waste in manufacturing processes; acquisition of cheap products that may not last long. Why buy something twice when you can buy it once and reuse it over and over again, such as cloth grocery and produce bags; water bottles/travel mugs; packable metal cutlery set; glass jars from pickles, jellies, and salsa; bring old takeout containers for restaurant doggy bags; a normal mop head rather than a disposable; washable dish cloths rather than paper towels; refurbished or used clothes, electronics, cars, etc; building materials from home improvement donation centers; rechargeable batteries; shoes and boots that can be resoled or re-glued; sewing for minor tears in clothes; borrow or rent rather than purchasing for one use; food scraps as flavoring for stocks and soups; food waste as composte; leftover plastic bags as waste containers or for organizing. Take something and use it for something else. Repurpose junk mail envelopes as scrap paper; cereal bag liners, for handling/storing foods or organizing home goods; torn or worn clothes as rags; donate unneeded items rather than throwing away; tires as wall insulation or boat fenders; glass bottles for glass walls; plastic drums as floats, feed troughs, compost bins, rain barrels. If the above 4 options won’t work (refer to this guide as well http://thegreeningofwestford.com/2012/02/how-to-recycle-everything.html http://thegreeningofwestford.com/2012/02/how-to-recycle-ever...) recycle paper, plastic, metal, and glass; fabrics and textiles, including ripped or stained; electronics, accepted at some electronics stores and special recycling centers; wine corks, accepted at some wine and food stores; home good and building materials, to re-stores and habitat for humanity; books, home goods, clothing, and other items to thrift stores.