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Coca-Cola most common source of packaging pollution on UK beaches: study

theguardian.com

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Re: Coca-Cola most common source of packaging pollution on UK beaches: study

#121

Post by bandushrew »

SteveGerencser wrote: post #8

The survey found that 10 companies were responsible for more than half of the identifiably branded rubbish found on the UK’s beaches." But are they? Isn't this shifting the blame from the end user that improperly disposes of their trash to the company? Sure, they could do more to reduce packaging issues, but in the end, it is the consumer that is tossing these things out rather than recycling them.

As someone else has said above: companies are using a material that lasts 10,000 years for items that are single-use. That should be outright illegal unless there are literally no alternatives.

Its insanely wasteful when you view it like that.

Re: Coca-Cola most common source of packaging pollution on UK beaches: study

#122

Post by frosted-flakes »

neverartful wrote: post #34
RcouF1uZ4gsC wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So now instead of a single bottle, you have a plastic bag, a straw, and a rubber band as litter all the while destroying any guarantees of not getting food borne illnesses.

I'm old enough to clearly remember when Coca Cola was distributed in glass bottles. There was no plastic of any kind, except for maybe a gasket inside the metal cap. Individual serving size bottles had bottle caps and larger size had metal screw caps with metal safety-seal thingies that broke off when you opened it for the first time. All of them had deposits that were refunded when you turn them in. I don't know abo…

We do it for beer, so I don't see why not. At least in Ontario, I've seen people walking into the LCBO with cases of empty bottles (I don't drink alcohol myself, so can't confirm how prevalent this is).

But glass bottles are heavy, and I'm sure that makes shipping more expensive and increases CO2 emissions.

Re: Coca-Cola most common source of packaging pollution on UK beaches: study

#123

Post by new299 »

jdietrich wrote: post #64
liamkinne wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your design example doesn't apply because the end user in this case isn't directly effected by their negligence. There is clear evidence that littering is societal. See how clean Japanese cities are despite almost everything being wrapped in plastic.

You won't even see many cigarette butts in Japan, because smokers carry a pocket ashtray.

Smoking culture in Japan appears to discourage smoking outside. In many places smoking outside is illegal. However some trains, many shopping centers and most restaurants have designated smoking areas.

As such you’re somewhat less likely to see cigarette butts on the street in Japan in any case.

Re: Coca-Cola most common source of packaging pollution on UK beaches: study

#124

Post by RobertRoberts »

darkFunction wrote: post #112

A lot of discussion on this thread revolves around whose responsibility it is to ensure clean-up of plastic waste (producers or consumers) while ignoring the fact that companies are using a material that lasts 10,000 years for items that are single-use. That should be outright illegal unless there are literally no alternatives.

Is it really debatable about "who" left the garbage on the ground?

Even if something only lasts a couple years, do we still want biodegrading trash littering everything? (we have raw food products right now, I wouldn't want those on the beach either...)

Re: Coca-Cola most common source of packaging pollution on UK beaches: study

#125

Post by NeedMoreTea »

RobertRoberts wrote: post #124
darkFunction wrote: post #112

A lot of discussion on this thread revolves around whose responsibility it is to ensure clean-up of plastic waste (producers or consumers) while ignoring the fact that companies are using a material that lasts 10,000 years for items that are single-use. That should be outright illegal unless there are literally no alternatives.

Is it really debatable about "who" left the garbage on the ground? Even if something only lasts a couple years, do we still want biodegrading trash littering everything? (we have raw food products right now, I wouldn't want those on the beach either...)

Oh come on.

It's abundantly clear that placing blame and expectation entirely on the shoulders of consumers is bollocks. Humans drop litter - just look at any festival, concert, or sports match. When it was your granddad it was mostly paper bags, maybe wrapped in newspaper, maybe a few crown corks. The glass got carefully taken home as there was a hefty deposit on those beer bottles! Now it's knee-deep single use everywhere.

That hasn't changed as you look at poorer countries, or back into the past. What has changed is extensive industry lobbying pretending it's not fucking obvious and working to abolish deposit and return schemes, and use of far more benign materials - like glass. It's as bad as tobacco or asbestos all over again.

The same plastic industry that fucking lobbied the government against suggestions that plastic packaging should contain a third recycled plastic.

Not only should it be outright illegal, countless industry's execs are deserving of lengthy spells in prison or a law that says you can chuck used plastic in their mansion's garden. :)

Re: Coca-Cola most common source of packaging pollution on UK beaches: study

#126

Post by frosted-flakes »

flyGuyOnTheSly wrote: post #50

Thank goodness. Finally, somebody with some clout is pointing fingers at the largest contributor to garbage... the corporations who produce it. I live in Canada and Tim Horton's cups literally litter every street corner in every big city in our country. I have always thought that they should be responsible for the cleanup of those cups. It is absolutely their fault that their customers are throwing their products ont…

I've been thinking about this lately. How hard would it be for Tim Hortons to implement a deposit system for re-usable plastic cups? A deposit cup could cost two dollars, and every time you buy coffee you hand in your dirty cup and they give you a clean one. To encourage people to use the deposit cups, charge 10 cents each for disposable cups. If you want your two dollars back, just return the cup.

It wouldn't slow down drive throughs at all, because unlike using your own re-usable cups, deposit cups can be filled before you get to the window. They would need to develop some standard language to make ordering simple, but people would get used to it fast enough, especially if they make deposit cups the default after a while.

Tim Hortons is on every street corner, so it already has a strong network effect, making something like this feasible (I bet most Tims customers are regulars).

The cups would be standard, so an automated cup washer wouldn't be too difficult. They could also be semi-insulated, which would be a huge improvement over those flimsy cardboard sleeves or double cups (which is usually what happens).

Re: Coca-Cola most common source of packaging pollution on UK beaches: study

#127

Post by NeedMoreTea »

SteveGerencser wrote: post #8

The survey found that 10 companies were responsible for more than half of the identifiably branded rubbish found on the UK’s beaches." But are they? Isn't this shifting the blame from the end user that improperly disposes of their trash to the company? Sure, they could do more to reduce packaging issues, but in the end, it is the consumer that is tossing these things out rather than recycling them.

Industry shifted blame, and created "keep America Beautiful" as part of lobbying against common sense regulation.

Why shouldn't we shift blame back to the idiots what created it - for a bit more profit - once again?

Re: Coca-Cola most common source of packaging pollution on UK beaches: study

#128

Post by RobertRoberts »

NeedMoreTea wrote: post #125
RobertRoberts wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is it really debatable about "who" left the garbage on the ground? Even if something only lasts a couple years, do we still want biodegrading trash littering everything? (we have raw food products right now, I wouldn't want those on the beach either...)

Oh come on. It's abundantly clear that placing blame and expectation entirely on the shoulders of consumers is bollocks. Humans drop litter - just look at any festival, concert, or sports match. When it was your granddad it was mostly paper bags, maybe wrapped in newspaper, maybe a few crown corks. The glass got carefully taken home as there was a hefty deposit on those beer bottles! Now it's knee-deep single use eve…

There are plenty of places in the world where littering is not socially acceptable and happens less than other places.

What is the difference between these places? I think it's the people, not the material their garbage is made of.

Re: Coca-Cola most common source of packaging pollution on UK beaches: study

#129

Post by rorykoehler »

hombre_fatal wrote: post #15
maxxxxx wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That’s actually something I have been thinking about. How do they get so much sugar into a drink? You could never produce something drinkable with this amount of sugar.

A quick search shows that juices are at least as sugary if not moreso, especially grape juice. I live next to a shop that squeezes fresh juice, but I mix it with at least three parts carbonated water. Otherwise it's such an easy way to overconsume calories. And possibly the least fulfilling way, as well.

Fruit juice is actually nutritious though. What nutrients are you getting from a can of coke?

Re: Coca-Cola most common source of packaging pollution on UK beaches: study

#130

Post by NeedMoreTea »

RobertRoberts wrote: post #128
NeedMoreTea wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh come on. It's abundantly clear that placing blame and expectation entirely on the shoulders of consumers is bollocks. Humans drop litter - just look at any festival, concert, or sports match. When it was your granddad it was mostly paper bags, maybe wrapped in newspaper, maybe a few crown corks. The glass got carefully taken home as there was a hefty deposit on those beer bottles! Now it's knee-deep single use eve…

There are plenty of places in the world where littering is not socially acceptable and happens less than other places. What is the difference between these places? I think it's the people, not the material their garbage is made of.

Well, there's Singapore and...? That's about it.

Of course as well as extreme and draconian legislation, like banning gum, they're a tiny city-state. Yet Singapore employs vast numbers of cleaners and street sweepers clearing up - which surely shouldn't be necessary? Far more per-capita than any Western city. So even they seem to recognise it will happen anyway.

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