Who is the biggest litterbug???

[CN Spots]

Re: Who is the biggest litterbug???

Plastic is choking our planet and the seas are brearing the worst of it. It's great that plastic is recycleable, but only if we put it in the recycle bin. Arrgh.

If a seawater sample is taken anywhere along America's coastline and analyzed, it will be found to contain numerous plastic particles which are in an extremely slow decay cycle. This fact has changed the way I handle plastic. Now, I recycle just about every stinking bit of it that comes into my posession. (And even some that doesn't.)

I recall seeing a commercial on TV when I was younger which was of an American Indian. He was looking over a bunch of litter that was dumped on the ground. The commercial ended with a tear forming in his eye. At the time I thought it was kind of a dumb commercial. Now I get it.

Again, Arrgh.

I remember that commercial. Man, now I feel old.
Here's a link to it for you whippersnappers...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_R-FZsysQNw

 

[lowkee]

Re: Who is the biggest litterbug???

How is it not possible to create a short-life plastic container? Or is it there is no incentive to create one and the uber-life plastics are just plain cheaper, since the infrastructure is already there? One would think something along the lines of wax coated paper products would hold up as well. I know, millions more trees getting cut, but at least the trash, even if litter, would become soil in short order. Better than two USAs floating around in the ocean for all eternity.

Man, the news stories on this site tonight are making me depressed.. is there anyone else who wonders how many years humans have before they kill this planet? An entire planet and we're managing to kill every living thing on it in trade for some printed paper, shiny stuff and the next feel good.

 

[skargo]

Re: Who is the biggest litterbug???

I remember that commercial. Man, now I feel old.
Here's a link to it for you whippersnappers...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_R-FZsysQNw

Funny thing is that guy is NOT an Indian, he was an Italian actor.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Who is the biggest litterbug???

Okay, so what's the alleged answer?

 

[Rocky_Road]

Re: Who is the biggest litterbug???

Okay, so what's the alleged answer?

I'll post the statistics tonight...or sooner, if we get up to 50 votes!

Hint: it isn't 'dirty diapers'!

 

[FBPirate95]

Re: Who is the biggest litterbug???

How is it not possible to create a short-life plastic container? Or is it there is no incentive to create one and the uber-life plastics are just plain cheaper, since the infrastructure is already there? One would think something along the lines of wax coated paper products would hold up as well. I know, millions more trees getting cut, but at least the trash, even if litter, would become soil in short order. Better than two USAs floating around in the ocean for all eternity.

Man, the news stories on this site tonight are making me depressed.. is there anyone else who wonders how many years humans have before they kill this planet? An entire planet and we're managing to kill every living thing on it in trade for some printed paper, shiny stuff and the next feel good.

Just to do some clarification.....I'm in the paper making business and due to a mis-informed public it gets a bad rap. Yes we cut down trees.....but trees are a crop to us....a renewable resource we work hard to maintain and improve. On average we replant 3 trees to every 1 cut down. Why in the word would we keep consuming our largest raw material without replentishing it? The biggest consumer of forest land is PEOPLE. Forests are being cut down to make way for strip malls and sub divisions.

Also, trees go into more than just the paper products you typically think of. For example, most of you are browing iboats through an LCD screen. All LCD screens contain at least 3 films in it that is made from wood fibers. Wood fibers also go into lots of products you use in your garage, ie. clear plastic screw driver handles, safety glasses, and other types of high impact plastic. They also go into things you injest, such as dietary supplements (insoluable fiber is wood based fibers!), sausage casings, and the coatings to most medicines. Pretty much everything you use is influenced some way by a wood based fiber.

The paper industry also utilizes wood as fuel source. The residual solids left from breaking the tree down is burned in boilers to produce the steam required for the manufacturing process. The bark is also used in other types of boilers along with yard waste and used tires to produce the steam we need. For example...where I work we recently replace our old 1939 vintage boilers that used some oil with one new Bio Fuel boiler. It took our daily oil usage from around 500 barrels of oil per day to 0 barrels.

Lastly, these renewable forests and paper industry hold the potential to reduce our demand on hydrocarbon based fuels. Many forest product based universities around the country are working to perfect the conversion of wood sugars to ethanol. And let me tell you, they are really close. The paper industry will be able to use this technology to produce ethanol in large quantities as a BI-PRODUCT to making paper with a NET ZERO change in engergy to produce it.

Sorry for the seeming thread jacking, but my point is this. The products and industries are not the largest cause of pollution in the world. It is each individual person on the planet. Their mis-use and mis-disposal of products is what is leading us to disaster. Public perception and knowledge is what needs to be changed. One of the biggest examples is landfills. Why do we landfill in the USA? Because people thinks that's better for the environment....they don't want to see smoke stacks. Is that right? NOPE. Chemically what is best for the environment is insineration of waste and then scrubbing the exhaust to produce a "clean stack".

Think globally, act locally.....starting with yourself.

I better shut up before I get the big stick from the mods! lol

 

[Rocky_Road]

Re: Who is the biggest litterbug???

Just to do some clarification.....I'm in the paper making business and due to a mis-informed public it gets a bad rap. Yes we cut down trees.....but trees are a crop to us....a renewable resource we work hard to maintain and improve. On average we replant 3 trees to every 1 cut down. Why in the word would we keep consuming our largest raw material without replentishing it? The biggest consumer of forest land is PEOPLE. Forests are being cut down to make way for strip malls and sub divisions.

Also, trees go into more than just the paper products you typically think of. For example, most of you are browing iboats through an LCD screen. All LCD screens contain at least 3 films in it that is made from wood fibers. Wood fibers also go into lots of products you use in your garage, ie. clear plastic screw driver handles, safety glasses, and other types of high impact plastic. They also go into things you injest, such as dietary supplements (insoluable fiber is wood based fibers!), sausage casings, and the coatings to most medicines. Pretty much everything you use is influenced some way by a wood based fiber.

The paper industry also utilizes wood as fuel source. The residual solids left from breaking the tree down is burned in boilers to produce the steam required for the manufacturing process. The bark is also used in other types of boilers along with yard waste and used tires to produce the steam we need. For example...where I work we recently replace our old 1939 vintage boilers that used some oil with one new Bio Fuel boiler. It took our daily oil usage from around 500 barrels of oil per day to 0 barrels.

Lastly, these renewable forests and paper industry hold the potential to reduce our demand on hydrocarbon based fuels. Many forest product based universities around the country are working to perfect the conversion of wood sugars to ethanol. And let me tell you, they are really close. The paper industry will be able to use this technology to produce ethanol in large quantities as a BI-PRODUCT to making paper with a NET ZERO change in engergy to produce it.

Sorry for the seeming thread jacking, but my point is this. The products and industries are not the largest cause of pollution in the world. It is each individual person on the planet. Their mis-use and mis-disposal of products is what is leading us to disaster. Public perception and knowledge is what needs to be changed. One of the biggest examples is landfills. Why do we landfill in the USA? Because people thinks that's better for the environment....they don't want to see smoke stacks. Is that right? NOPE. Chemically what is best for the environment is insineration of waste and then scrubbing the exhaust to produce a "clean stack".

Think globally, act locally.....starting with yourself.

I better shut up before I get the big stick from the mods! lol

Good information! I don't see anyone getting upset for your input....

You did forget to mention that we need trees for our instant mashed potatos, though!

As for me...I grew up when glass bottles were the norm. You paid a deposit on them, and got the refund when you returned them to the store. Me and my friends used to scour the roadside for the empties, to raise enough coin to buy an RC Cola (and Moon Pie)!

Today's plastic bottles are made from oil...and it boggles the mind to think how much oil we import to keep the store shelves stocked with plastic containers. Why hasn't anyone suggested that we start using glass again? Last time I checked, we weren't running out of sand....

Thanks for your post!

 

[CaptainKev]

Re: Who is the biggest litterbug???

I would say that it's a close tie between all of the beverage containers/wrappers and cigarette butts...................just because you can't see it doesn't mean it's not there. I scuba dive and I've seen all kinds of garbage Commercial & sport fishermen leave more than their share of trash and gear. (Rant) Throwing garbage in our Oceans & waterways is destroying the worlds largest food source. Kinda like throwing a can of poison into your fridge. Cigarette butts are not biodegradable and believe me, they do sink to the sea floor. You know who you are......! (rant over). Bottom line, the Earth is our only home.
Kev.

 

[Lightnig]

Re: Who is the biggest litterbug???

you asked 'who' was the biggest.

I was going to say greenpeace, ever seen video of that ship of their's? I would think they'd be ashamed of how much filth that thing spews into the environment...

 

[marlboro180]

Re: Who is the biggest litterbug???

We all are:

Look up/ google: Plastic Ocean are we?

It will blow your mind.

 

[skargo]

Re: Who is the biggest litterbug???

We all are:

Look up/ google: Plastic Ocean are we?

It will blow your mind.

Holy CRAP
http://www.bestlifeonline.com/cms/publish/health/Our_oceans_are_turning_into_plastic_are_we_2.php

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Who is the biggest litterbug???

The proper caption for the photo: "a scavenger paddles a canoe through the garbage vortex near a Manila waterway in the Philipines"

Here is a link for the photo...scroll down to see it

"drifting 'trash vortex' contains about 100 million tons of flotsam":

Great link - thanks. This is a very interesting story and it makes me think that someone, somewhere will take advantage of this floating island of plastic. I hate seeing it, but I wonder if someone is about to make 100s of millions of dollars harvesting the stuff!

 

[marlboro180]

Re: Who is the biggest litterbug???

Great link - thanks. This is a very interesting story and it makes me think that someone, somewhere will take advantage of this floating island of plastic. I hate seeing it, but I wonder if someone is about to make 100s of millions of dollars harvesting the stuff!

Yeah, pretty scary, hey? Even though we try to put our trash where it belongs, how can we know where it goes after that???

As far as harvesting, they have looked into it and so far have not been able to come up with an effective way to do it so that it is financially feasable. It sits not only on the surface, but quite a few meters down as well and is a tangled up mess in some spots, and in others is a loose affiliation with the flotilla of trash. I sure hope someone does figure it out and make a fortune.

Every time I see something plastic, I think of that blob.

 

[xxturbowesxx]

Re: Who is the biggest litterbug???

put/force inmates to work cleaning up counties.. I think as boaters we need to band together better for clean ups.. I find most local forums dont really participate in trash clean up.

 

[marlboro180]

Re: Who is the biggest litterbug???

put/force inmates to work cleaning up counties.. I think as boaters we need to band together better for clean ups.. I find most local forums dont really participate in trash clean up.

In Milwaukee we have an organization called The Milwaukee RIver Keepers that do their best to help clean up. I live on this same river but 20 miles north of where they do their work. I live, paddle and fire up the powerboat on this same river and am constantly amazed at the amount of trash that arrives on my shores. Well, I call them mine, but they belong to the earth....

Every time we go out on the water it is an adventure to find stuff in the water, on the water or half buried in the bottom. To date we have pulled 100's of pounds of trash out,(oil barrels, tires, cans, conduit, bottles, fishing line, steel stuff, golf balls, benches, buoys, and on and on and on) and upriver is not used heavily at all.
It is a matter of respect to this great planet, don't get me wrong I do my share of things that probably are a detriment, I just hope to help in my little ways.
I've tried to get folks along our stretch/neighborhood on the river to help, but it is so hard to galvanize people in general


As far as plastic, corn based polymers are becoming better, but that feedstock is another debate....


check this out for fun eco-links

the-mrea.org

 

[Rocky_Road]

Re: Who is the biggest litterbug???

OK, fellow boaters!

I promised to post the statistics when 50 votes were recorded...and I always keep my promises!

You 'guys' did good...I was totally fooled when I took my guess...good job!

Here it is:

(Debris Items) (Count) (Percent)

1. Cigarettes/cigarette filters............21,808,656....30.9%
2. Caps/lids.....................................6,712,202......9.5%
3. Food wrappers/containers...............5,557,947......7.9%
4. Bags (paper and plastic).................5,315,343......7.5%
5. Cups, plates, forks, knives, spoons...5,068,663......7.2%
6. Beverage bottles (glass).................3,611,859......5.1%
7. Beverage cans..............................3,570,974......5.1%
8. Beverage bottles (plastic)...............3,313,158......4.7%
9. Straws, stirrers.............................3,233,284......4.6%
10. Rope.........................................1,344,004......1.9%

 

[Tubingluvr]

Re: Who is the biggest litterbug???

I am a smoker and would never throw one in the water...or on the ground for that matter.
Anyone litters while on my boat I will kick their ***.
One time my son-in law threw out a chip bag and I went directly back to the launch and told him to get out.

 

[ShaneCarroll]

Re: Who is the biggest litterbug???

I am a smoker, however, I do NOT throw cigarette butts in the water. I keep a garbage can on my boat, and I like to bring a garbage bag also, so if I see things floating or in the vicinity of my boat, I will pick them up and dispose of them at the garbage cans at the ramp. It is one thing if an empty chip bag blows off the boat, I can forgive someone easier, but when I see people chucking stuff off the boat, it makes me furious!! Like previously mentioned, we had a beautiful portion of our river closed down due to people littering. More than once I have witnessed someone throw something in the water, and I have not so kindly retrieved said item, and tossed it right back in their boat. There is also a small lecture that goes along with this, basically saying how would they like it if their impeller sucked up this garbage and ruined the boat engine. Most people tend to agree. I cannot stand the way people take things for granted and just pollute the water ways.

 

[Zeeter]

Re: Who is the biggest litterbug???

Every state that put deposits on containers immediately saw a drastic decrease in trash. You think twice before you toss a dime.

 

[muskyone]

Re: Who is the biggest litterbug???

i always come home with a pocket full of cig butts i field strip them and put them in my pocket.