Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Plastics are poisoning us

newyorker.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 528 posts

Re: Plastics are poisoning us

#21

Post by perlgeek »

realshadow wrote: post #11

I became a minimist to save the planet as much as i could. Its easier than any one could think you know. Here is what i have been doing for a decade and would receommend 1. Reusing plastic bags (i love cotton bags but not ideal). Fold and keep one or two in your pocket before you leave home 2. Support and use light software so you dont need to upgrade your gadgets (12y laptop i use) 3. Prepare and eat home cooked mea…

I'm curious, where do you plan trees?

Do you have land on your own, or is there some public land where you can plant trees?

Re: Plastics are poisoning us

#22

Post by dustypotato »

civilitty wrote: post #16
vladvasiliu wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 8. Carry a water bottle (copper ideal). Why is copper better than stainless steel?

Copper has anti-microbial properties and acts as a spermicide in a pinch.

Wait, what use do you see for it as a spermicide? How would you use it?

Re: Plastics are poisoning us

#23

Post by swalling »

light_hue_1 wrote: post #12
swalling wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most people have microplastics in their body, and even babies in the womb are being exposed ( https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S016041202... ). The most remote, otherwise pristine environments have microplastics due to atmospheric transport ( https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36868287/ ). It is too late.

And of course if it doesn't help people who are currently alive only our children we should never do it and it's too late to bother?

Plastic replacement isn’t like leaded gasoline or ozone-depleting substances where you had just a few applications to design alternatives for. It’s in fucking everything. Even just finding a realistic replacement for plastic in shoes is not being productized seriously.

It’s going to take generations for it to be fixed, and it probably won’t happen until humans and other animals get much much sicker.

Re: Plastics are poisoning us

#24

Post by perlgeek »

ateng wrote: post #18
realshadow wrote: post #11

I became a minimist to save the planet as much as i could. Its easier than any one could think you know. Here is what i have been doing for a decade and would receommend 1. Reusing plastic bags (i love cotton bags but not ideal). Fold and keep one or two in your pocket before you leave home 2. Support and use light software so you dont need to upgrade your gadgets (12y laptop i use) 3. Prepare and eat home cooked mea…

> 5. Collect rain water and/or use less water Not sure about that -- With modern pollution rain water is not likely to be safe to drink (depends on your location) > 9. fuck sugary drinks Massive yes! Amazing for your own health too.

> With modern pollution rain water is not likely to be safe to drink (depends on your location)

There are lots of "grey water" uses that don't require drinkable water, like watering plants, flushing toilets.

Re: Plastics are poisoning us

#25

Post by Maxion »

ateng wrote: post #18
realshadow wrote: post #11

I became a minimist to save the planet as much as i could. Its easier than any one could think you know. Here is what i have been doing for a decade and would receommend 1. Reusing plastic bags (i love cotton bags but not ideal). Fold and keep one or two in your pocket before you leave home 2. Support and use light software so you dont need to upgrade your gadgets (12y laptop i use) 3. Prepare and eat home cooked mea…

> 5. Collect rain water and/or use less water Not sure about that -- With modern pollution rain water is not likely to be safe to drink (depends on your location) > 9. fuck sugary drinks Massive yes! Amazing for your own health too.

>> 5. Collect rain water and/or use less water > > Not sure about that -- With modern pollution rain water is not likely to be safe to drink (depends on your location)

Water availability is also very different from country to country, region to region, and even town to town. How your water usage affects the environment depends on so many things.

Re: Plastics are poisoning us

#28

Post by fodkodrasz »

ateng wrote: post #18
realshadow wrote: post #11

I became a minimist to save the planet as much as i could. Its easier than any one could think you know. Here is what i have been doing for a decade and would receommend 1. Reusing plastic bags (i love cotton bags but not ideal). Fold and keep one or two in your pocket before you leave home 2. Support and use light software so you dont need to upgrade your gadgets (12y laptop i use) 3. Prepare and eat home cooked mea…

> 5. Collect rain water and/or use less water Not sure about that -- With modern pollution rain water is not likely to be safe to drink (depends on your location) > 9. fuck sugary drinks Massive yes! Amazing for your own health too.

I guess not for drinking. OP is planting trees, so assumably has land where some kind of forestry/agriculture is in being carried out. That needs quite some water. (eg. freshly planted trees need irrigation to have a fair chance of survival)

Also washing, showering can be done with rainwater if you are really a minimalist.

Re: Plastics are poisoning us

#29

Post by CalRobert »

perlgeek wrote: post #21
realshadow wrote: post #11

I became a minimist to save the planet as much as i could. Its easier than any one could think you know. Here is what i have been doing for a decade and would receommend 1. Reusing plastic bags (i love cotton bags but not ideal). Fold and keep one or two in your pocket before you leave home 2. Support and use light software so you dont need to upgrade your gadgets (12y laptop i use) 3. Prepare and eat home cooked mea…

I'm curious, where do you plan trees? Do you have land on your own, or is there some public land where you can plant trees?

Not OP, but ag land can be under €10,000 an acre (well under in some places) which puts it in the "pricey but not unobtainable for the serious tree-planting enthusiast" category.

Re: Plastics are poisoning us

#30

Post by NovaDudely »

11235813213455 wrote: post #17
realshadow wrote: post #11

I became a minimist to save the planet as much as i could. Its easier than any one could think you know. Here is what i have been doing for a decade and would receommend 1. Reusing plastic bags (i love cotton bags but not ideal). Fold and keep one or two in your pocket before you leave home 2. Support and use light software so you dont need to upgrade your gadgets (12y laptop i use) 3. Prepare and eat home cooked mea…

I'm like you, just adding a bike (found in garbage), foraging (figs, medlars persimmons, oranges, lemons), collecting food at the end of garbage (lots of waste), no fridge, no hot water, no A/C or heating, €10/mo electricity bill

I think my two pieces of luxury technology I use are my laptop and by Fridge. Being able to preserve food without 'preservation techniques' is just so dang handy!
Post reply on HN