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Fish are eating lots of plastic

washingtonpost.com

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Re: Fish are eating lots of plastic

#61

Post by code_duck »

pdog wrote: post #40
userbinator wrote: post #32

I really wish plastics were recycled/reused a lot more, because they are such ideal materials --- being rather unreactive, flexible, resilient, and (in the case of thermoplastics, which make up the bulk of this waste) easily reprocessed. Although the throwaway culture and low cost means that a lot of it doesn't, I wonder if in the future, if the prices go up in following petroleum trends, "mining" for plastics would…

If mining for plastics were ever to become profitable without emissions trading, artificial subsidies, or some sort of a carbon tax, it would essentially mean the end of civilization had already occurred.

It would just mean that manufacturers were expected to account for the entire lifecycle of their product. Currently you can flood the world with cheap, disposable junk, profit handsomely, and leave everyone else with the waste disposal problem. If use of new plastics vs recycled plastic were penalized or taxed it could have this effect, as a result of a more rigidly regulated civilization, rather than a collapse.

Re: Fish are eating lots of plastic

#62

Post by amigoingtodie »

I recently began bodybuilding and have been relying on canned tuna for protein. I eat other sources, but eat at least 1 to 2 cans daily.

Is the plastic worse than the mercury?

What would be a healthy, affordable, and easy to prepare (this is very important) alternative?

Also, is canned tuna a US thing? How often do you consume canned tuna?

Re: Fish are eating lots of plastic

#63

Post by throwaway613834 »

Ninjalicious wrote: post #37
userbinator wrote: post #32

I really wish plastics were recycled/reused a lot more, because they are such ideal materials --- being rather unreactive, flexible, resilient, and (in the case of thermoplastics, which make up the bulk of this waste) easily reprocessed. Although the throwaway culture and low cost means that a lot of it doesn't, I wonder if in the future, if the prices go up in following petroleum trends, "mining" for plastics would…

I'm sort of banking on that. I expect our landfills will be mined by junkers. There is a lot of rare earth elements, metals, and plastics that won't biodegrade very quickly. Little snake bots tunneling through could pick them all up. It's all a matter of need, we'll deplete the finite resources soon.

> I'm sort of banking on that. I expect our landfills will be mined by junkers.

I'm sorry, but all you're doing in reality (whether you realize it or not) is finding some vague resemblance of a justification for our irresponsible culture. I would either try to do something to address the problem or just avoid trying to keep up hopes like this. It only makes people feel better about not helping without actually solving anything.

Re: Fish are eating lots of plastic

#64

Post by pitaj »

amigoingtodie wrote: post #62

I recently began bodybuilding and have been relying on canned tuna for protein. I eat other sources, but eat at least 1 to 2 cans daily. Is the plastic worse than the mercury? What would be a healthy, affordable, and easy to prepare (this is very important) alternative? Also, is canned tuna a US thing? How often do you consume canned tuna?

Canned tuna is fairly common in the US but it certainly isn't seen as a luxury. I haven't consumed canned tuna in quite some time but as a kid I ate it weekly.

Re: Fish are eating lots of plastic

#65

Post by corporateslave2 »

amigoingtodie wrote: post #62

I recently began bodybuilding and have been relying on canned tuna for protein. I eat other sources, but eat at least 1 to 2 cans daily. Is the plastic worse than the mercury? What would be a healthy, affordable, and easy to prepare (this is very important) alternative? Also, is canned tuna a US thing? How often do you consume canned tuna?

Two cans of tuna a day is dangerous, did you google it?

Re: Fish are eating lots of plastic

#66

Post by tomkinstinch »

amigoingtodie wrote: post #62

I recently began bodybuilding and have been relying on canned tuna for protein. I eat other sources, but eat at least 1 to 2 cans daily. Is the plastic worse than the mercury? What would be a healthy, affordable, and easy to prepare (this is very important) alternative? Also, is canned tuna a US thing? How often do you consume canned tuna?

Consider the humble sardine: rich in protein, omega-3s, and (with bones) calcium. They're much lower in the food chain than tuna, so there's less bioaccumulation of mercury, etc. And they taste good. I like the ones in harissa (pepper) paste.

http://m.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=1+can+sardines

Re: Fish are eating lots of plastic

#67

Post by toomuchtodo »

amigoingtodie wrote: post #62

I recently began bodybuilding and have been relying on canned tuna for protein. I eat other sources, but eat at least 1 to 2 cans daily. Is the plastic worse than the mercury? What would be a healthy, affordable, and easy to prepare (this is very important) alternative? Also, is canned tuna a US thing? How often do you consume canned tuna?

Have you considered whey protein instead?

Re: Fish are eating lots of plastic

#68

Post by somberi »

Two relevant articles - one about the amount of plastic in the Ocean, and the other about plastic-eating caterpillars (seems like they don't eat that much to be of use).

1- https://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2012/05/daily-...

2- https://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/217213...

Re: Fish are eating lots of plastic

#69

Post by armenarmen »

dheera wrote: post #54
Ninjalicious wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm sort of banking on that. I expect our landfills will be mined by junkers. There is a lot of rare earth elements, metals, and plastics that won't biodegrade very quickly. Little snake bots tunneling through could pick them all up. It's all a matter of need, we'll deplete the finite resources soon.

They don't biodegrade quickly, but they quickly become brittle and turn into a bunch of flakes mixed with dirt and everything else in the junk pile. Also, "mined by junkers" isn't a very sustainable approach. There are only so many junkers and that number is reducing as society standards increase and they have better ways of making a living than hauling bottles to recycling centers.

> There are only so many junkers and that number is reducing as society standards increase and they have better ways of making a living than hauling bottles to recycling centers.

I think that the parent commenter meant Mining Companies when saying junkers. So large industrial mineral extraction operation from landfills and dumps, as opposed to 3rd world style picking through rubbish.

I'd imagine that a ton of landfill waste would be comparable to relatively rich ore, and that harvesting it is perhaps less destructive/invasive than opening a new mine.

Re: Fish are eating lots of plastic

#70

Post by nyolfen »

throwaway613834 wrote: post #63
Ninjalicious wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm sort of banking on that. I expect our landfills will be mined by junkers. There is a lot of rare earth elements, metals, and plastics that won't biodegrade very quickly. Little snake bots tunneling through could pick them all up. It's all a matter of need, we'll deplete the finite resources soon.

> I'm sort of banking on that. I expect our landfills will be mined by junkers. I'm sorry, but all you're doing in reality (whether you realize it or not) is finding some vague resemblance of a justification for our irresponsible culture. I would either try to do something to address the problem or just avoid trying to keep up hopes like this. It only makes people feel better about not helping without actually solvin…

if only we were all as wise and ethical as you
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