I am no eco warrior but

[Seastoke]

We have decided to do something on the boat ,first we have get rid of plastic source bottles and vinegar bottles,beer is always in glass ,and we have decided when on anchor and go ashore on remote beaches ,just bring something back that’s plastic and bin it ,we are not going to become beach rats but just a token What could you do

 

[Sneds]

That's a very good idea and given some publicity I'm sure would catch on

 

[Bouba]

I’ve noticed people doing that here in the SoF
But surely our strength is that we can gather plastic at sea

 

[Seastoke]

I’ve noticed people doing that here in the SoF
But surely our strength is that we can gather plastic at sea

I tried throwing swimbo overboard at twenty knots but she came back with no plastic

 

[rubberduck]

I’ve noticed people doing that here in the SoF
But surely our strength is that we can gather plastic at sea

Agreed.

 

[Cheery]

We have decided to do something on the boat ,first we have get rid of plastic source bottles and vinegar bottles,beer is always in glass ,and we have decided when on anchor and go ashore on remote beaches ,just bring something back that’s plastic and bin it ,we are not going to become beach rats but just a token What could you do

I did a similar thing in Lindos earlier this summer. I had a net with me and went snorkelling in the bay where the current dragged all the rubbish to. I made a theatrical gesture, when I exited onto the beach, of picking up plastic close to the waterline and dumping the whole lot in a bin.

 

[MrB]

We have decided to do something on the boat ,first we have get rid of plastic source bottles and vinegar bottles,beer is always in glass ,and we have decided when on anchor and go ashore on remote beaches ,just bring something back that’s plastic and bin it ,we are not going to become beach rats but just a token What could you do

The biggest thing is to clean up after you what ever you use, be it on the boat, on the beach or at home. Recycle responsibly. One thing I do when restocking the beer fridge is to remove the plastic can holders and cut every one of the "Circles" so if it did find it's way into the system an animal wouldnt be trapped/strangled by it. Just takes seconds to do before recycling them. Do it before they get on the boat and recycle beforehand too. Good topic though SS. :encouragement:

 

[CLB]

I once came across quite a large clump of netting floating mid channel. Thinking I would do the right thing, I brought in onboard with a view of disposing of it ashore.

When I dragged it onboard, my deck was alive with fish and a mixture of invertebrates that had made it home. I chucked every live thing I could find back overboard, but I don't imagine they survived long without the protection of their 'home'. Was what I did good, or bad thing on an environmental level?

 

[Uricanejack]

I am no Ecco warrior ither.
But I do appreciate the wild and wonderful places I visit. I enjoy spotting wild life. I enjoy the outdoors.
When I was young, you could probably track my movements with a metal detector. Following my trail of empty beer cans.
Today. I try and practice take only pictures and leave only foot prints. Except when I go fishing.
So starting with bringing my own garbage back. Was a start.

I have picked up old plastic garbage and old rope. From beaches or out of lochs, rivers, lakes, beaches or the sea.
Does it make a difrence?
I like to think so.

I find it annoying, when I stopped at the boat the other day. Some a hole had pumped his oily bilges OB. Probably not a lot of oil but the scum was right round the whole pontoon. Plastic or discarded rubbish is just as annoying.

Try find a remote beech without a fairy liquid bottle every few meters? Or old polly.

I think if we all do a little it will help. Just a bit.

 

[BruceK]

I once came across quite a large clump of netting floating mid channel. Thinking I would do the right thing, I brought in onboard with a view of disposing of it ashore.

When I dragged it onboard, my deck was alive with fish and a mixture of invertebrates that had made it home. I chucked every live thing I could find back overboard, but I don't imagine they survived long without the protection of their 'home'. Was what I did good, or bad thing on an environmental level?

I was quite surprised during a BBC wild life documentary that a scrap of netting in the water can have a very significant benefit on the fish population for something like 100 square miles. Ideally it should be a bit of floating kelp of course but netting seems to do just fine. Go figure.

... Roy, the boaty clans around here have been practising that around for some time. Especially for hard hit areas like Llandwyn and Abermenai that pick up all the flotsam dumped by tides and currents. You should come anchor with us more. A big boat like yours could manage a good skipful we usually have to pack on one side for the wardens to pick up.

 

[PalmaTarga]

I always scoop up what I can, hanging a bag on the bathing platform when at anchor and fill it with what comes past and then dispose of it back at port. If everyone did their bit it can only help.

I live in Stockholm where waste is separated and recycled and I will always limit as much as I can the amount of waste plastic I use. In Mallorca, bottled water is a necessary evil, with unimaginable amounts consumed and not recycled. It seems that no one cares there, the amount of waste is astonishing. Marina's need to provide the right facilities to entice people recycle. Every aspect of the marine industry relies on the oceans, I don't understand why more people directly involved are not taking such simple actions to help protect it.

I recommend watching Boyan Slat - The leader in the Ocean Cleanup. If this doesn't inspire people to do their bit, nothing will. https://youtu.be/du5d5PUrH0I

https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/w...lean-ocean-plastic-hes-back-and-its-happening

 

[Assassin]

Personally, I think that if everyone did a little bit then a lot could be achieved, for several years we have avoided plastic as much as possible and used glass or tins where possible, as replacements for plastic. I also do a lot of off roading and some of the crap we see dumped can be horrific; and if everyone picked a little up and bought it to the nearest bin then it could be a lot cleaner.

 

[Tink]

Eco stuff drives me mad
The message we need to get out is ‘reduce consumption’

I think because recycling was the first issue people where told about they feel that is the best thing to do, I am very sceptical as the how much positive benefit much recycling actually has be the time segregation, transport and reprocessing has been done.

I am not naive and we need economic activity but when I see the rubbish that serves no purpose that people buy, especially at this time of year, I lose all hope.

 

[Seastoke]

Eco stuff drives me mad
The message we need to get out is ‘reduce consumption’

I think because recycling was the first issue people where told about they feel that is the best thing to do, I am very sceptical as the how much positive benefit much recycling actually has be the time segregation, transport and reprocessing has been done.

I am not naive and we need economic activity but when I see the rubbish that serves no purpose that people buy, especially at this time of year, I lose all hope.

I tend to agree but for me I want to make the sea and beaches cleaner

 

[Tink]

I tend to agree but for me I want to make the sea and beaches cleaner

I fully applaud you for that and it is a great message to get across, sorry if I appeared to be negative to your efforts.

 

[Assassin]

Eco stuff drives me mad
The message we need to get out is ‘reduce consumption’

I think because recycling was the first issue people where told about they feel that is the best thing to do, I am very sceptical as the how much positive benefit much recycling actually has be the time segregation, transport and reprocessing has been done.

I am not naive and we need economic activity but when I see the rubbish that serves no purpose that people buy, especially at this time of year, I lose all hope.

Reducing consumption is merely another facet of the same issue and is just as viable as collecting rubbish, and as for the rubbish people buy? there is no accounting for taste, or the lack of.

 

[Tink]

Reducing consumption is merely another facet of the same issue and is just as viable as collecting rubbish, and as for the rubbish people buy? there is no accounting for taste, or the lack of.

To my mind it is the very most important part of the green agenda, if people make sensible choices many of the other parts of the 6 Rs become redundant. (Recycle, Rethink, Refuse, Reuse, Repair and Reduce)
Buy a water bottle and refill it and there won’t be water bottles on the beach
Buy quality products that last and you won’t be throwing it away some time soon
On and on etc

There are some really rubbish ideas out there that go under the banner of sustainability that are bad for the environment. I have seen on an sustainablity web site a model of a traditional windmill that was solar powered, advertised as eco friendly. No, no one needs such a thing.
My daughter’s school this year said don’t buy poppies they are bad for the environment. The kids had to bring in a particular design of plastic bottle, (most would have gone and bought it, something they didn’t normally do) the bottom was cut off the bottom and then spray painted red, they then added something else to be the centre. That makes no sense at all.

Regardless of my rant the idea of being proactive and when in nature taking home someone else’s rubbish is a fantastic idea and should be celebrated, encouraged and become part of our lives, if one generation did it the problem would disappear.

 

[Momac]

My daughter’s school this year said don’t buy poppies they are bad for the environment. The kids had to bring in a particular design of plastic bottle, (most would have gone and bought it, something they didn’t normally do) the bottom was cut off the bottom and then spray painted red, they then added something else to be the centre. That makes no sense at all.

This year my wife knitted poppies. We have kept them for next year. Made a donation but didn't take anything.

I guess we could do more to avoid wasteful packaging. But we do dispose of it appropriately.

People who discard rubbish into watercourses and hederows should be shot.

 

[Assassin]

To my mind it is the very most important part of the green agenda, if people make sensible choices many of the other parts of the 6 Rs become redundant. (Recycle, Rethink, Refuse, Reuse, Repair and Reduce)
Buy a water bottle and refill it and there won’t be water bottles on the beach
Buy quality products that last and you won’t be throwing it away some time soon
On and on etc

There are some really rubbish ideas out there that go under the banner of sustainability that are bad for the environment. I have seen on an sustainablity web site a model of a traditional windmill that was solar powered, advertised as eco friendly. No, no one needs such a thing.
My daughter’s school this year said don’t buy poppies they are bad for the environment. The kids had to bring in a particular design of plastic bottle, (most would have gone and bought it, something they didn’t normally do) the bottom was cut off the bottom and then spray painted red, they then added something else to be the centre. That makes no sense at all.

Regardless of my rant the idea of being proactive and when in nature taking home someone else’s rubbish is a fantastic idea and should be celebrated, encouraged and become part of our lives, if one generation did it the problem would disappear.

Wholeheartedly agree, but remember the green agenda is totally at odds with a throw away society and this is a major problem with consumerism along with profits, in many cases buying quality is the best way forwards and this bucks the trend of the throw away society and consumerism along with profits.
I also collect and restore classic cars and lorries and many of the parts cannot be bought new and you have to use engineering ingenuity to repair them and it is this type of ingenuity which can be applied to many aspects of life generally, but many people simply cannot be bothered.

 

[jordanbasset]

Agree with much of the posts above, we also have reusable water bottles and also use re-usable bags for veg/fruit etc at the supermarket. The charge for plastic bags has helped (we used our own bag before it anyway but few others seemed to before the charge)
It may only make a small difference but it takes little effort and something is better than nothing
I would hope the Government goes further than it has already, by looking at stopping/taxing excessive plastic packing on some goods and a tax on disposable cups at coffee shops etc