I know these types of comments are frowned upon here, but I find it really sad that posts about video game sales, for example, have many more upvotes than a post about positive efforts to reduce plastic waste. It shows where priorities and interests lie for the majority.
I comment like this because I understand that the struggle is not only to stop this kind of waste--and on a larger scale the environmental destruction of our planet--but also to engage and motivate the public at large to want to make these changes.
yvklxrcv · 11m ago
I believe leisure is the end goal of all technology, so it makes sense that something advertising a form of end result is more appealing than another contributor to realizing them. Consider advertising sweetrolls versus more effective less harmful pesticide. The latter will contribute to the former, but the former is much closer to what you're likely actually interested in.
keybored · 10m ago
> --but also to engage and motivate the public at large to want to make these changes.
Are you raising awareness?
userbinator · 51m ago
We've been exposd to enough "think of the environment" virtue-signaling bullshit by now that many of us have realised the truth.
InsideOutSanta · 6m ago
I always find it oddly unnerving when people use the term "virtue-signaling" because it indicates to me that they genuinely do not understand how other people could want to do good without any direct benefit to themselves.
padjo · 50m ago
Which is?
manojlds · 47m ago
That we are all doomed anyway, I guess.
userbinator · 49m ago
"Let's ban everything that could be remotely harmful" is the way to further rampant authoritarianism, not that we aren't already on that path...
padjo · 42m ago
What about “let’s ban things with demonstrated negative impacts and reasonable alternatives”?
Or should we just sacrifice everything on the alter of vaguely defined “freedom”?
shlant · 4m ago
lazy slippery slope and strawman argument is lazy. If you think banning plastic bags are significantly contributing to authoritarianism then your understanding of the term is probably skewed.
keybored · 14m ago
They investigated plastic bags specifically and found that plastic bag litter specifically went down (according to reading before the Conclusion).
Yeah why? Because you get the choice to take a plastic bag with you or not at the checkout. That’s why. That’s you choice. You have much less (just indirect) choice when it comes to how much plastic the stuff you buy is wrapped in. But wait. That’s a lot of it. Even most apparently cardboard wrapping makes me second guess if there is a microfilm of plastic over it.
So we have to hyperfocus on this type of plastic. The one that is the consumer’s choice. And plastic straws of course.
Even less of a choice is commercial fishing equipment being dumped in the ocean. Or things being dumped from other commercial activities.
They got data from citizen-scientists from plastic cleanup. Were those volunteers?[1] If so, plastic pollution propaganda is so important that the important work of plastic cleanup is given to concerned citizens as a bleeding heart hazing ritual. Is that how serious we are about the issue?
The nearest small sports arena is made of synthetic grass which is pellets of plastic. But that’s fine. Plastic bags.
[1] Or that might just be a stereotype by me
unlimit · 26m ago
I am all for complete and absolute ban on plastic bags.
yvklxrcv · 18m ago
I think plastic bags, like most things in life is more nuanced than is or isn't bad. We should look at the whole lifecycle costs and usage patterns of not only the bag itself, but it's effects on the people using them. Does a type of alternative make it hard to carry them by foot or by bike? It could be worse if a bag promotes car usage
I've seen some people start using those durable big bags as disposable ones instead of basic plastics in many areas where normal bags weren't available, causing potentially over a hundred times more energy to be consumed and thrown away, the opposite of what was wanted
I comment like this because I understand that the struggle is not only to stop this kind of waste--and on a larger scale the environmental destruction of our planet--but also to engage and motivate the public at large to want to make these changes.
Are you raising awareness?
Or should we just sacrifice everything on the alter of vaguely defined “freedom”?
Yeah why? Because you get the choice to take a plastic bag with you or not at the checkout. That’s why. That’s you choice. You have much less (just indirect) choice when it comes to how much plastic the stuff you buy is wrapped in. But wait. That’s a lot of it. Even most apparently cardboard wrapping makes me second guess if there is a microfilm of plastic over it.
So we have to hyperfocus on this type of plastic. The one that is the consumer’s choice. And plastic straws of course.
Even less of a choice is commercial fishing equipment being dumped in the ocean. Or things being dumped from other commercial activities.
They got data from citizen-scientists from plastic cleanup. Were those volunteers?[1] If so, plastic pollution propaganda is so important that the important work of plastic cleanup is given to concerned citizens as a bleeding heart hazing ritual. Is that how serious we are about the issue?
The nearest small sports arena is made of synthetic grass which is pellets of plastic. But that’s fine. Plastic bags.
[1] Or that might just be a stereotype by me
I've seen some people start using those durable big bags as disposable ones instead of basic plastics in many areas where normal bags weren't available, causing potentially over a hundred times more energy to be consumed and thrown away, the opposite of what was wanted