Plastic fantastic! Carrier bags ‘not eco-villains after all’
Taken from: The Independent
Unpublished Government research suggests the plastic carrier may not be an eco villain after all – but, whisper it, an unsung hero. Hated by environmentalists and shunned by shoppers, the disposable plastic bag is piling up in a shame-filled corner of retail history.
But a draft report by the Environment Agency, obtained by the Independent on Sunday, has found that ordinary high density polythene (HDPE) bags used by shops are actually greener than supposedly low impact choices.
HDPE bags are, for each use, almost 200 times less damaging to the climate than cotton hold-alls favoured by environmentalists, and have less than one third of the Co2 emissions than paper bags which are given out by retailers such as Primark.
The findings suggest that, in order to balance out the tiny impact of each lightweight plastic bag, consumers would have to use the same cotton bag every working day for a year, or use paper bags at least thrice rather than sticking them in the bin or recycling.
>>> Please read the full article here
February 27, 2011
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UK plastic bag use on the rise
Taken from The Guardian Online
Plastic bag use in Britain is on the rise after the limited success of a voluntary agreement by retailers to cut the number of bags given to shoppers, according to figures compiled this week.
By contrast, in Ireland, which imposed a tax on plastic bags in 2002, the number of plastic bags has plummeted. Consumers in the UK now use nearly four times as many plastic bags as those in Ireland.
According to the figures by the New Statesman from official government sources, the number of bags used a month by each person in the UK dropped from 11 in 2002 to 7.2 in 2009, but then rose again to 7.7 last year – equivalent to 475m bags in total per month. In Ireland, the equivalent figure – compiled from plastic bag tax receipts – has dropped from 27 in 2002 to 2 in 2009, suggesting that the tax is having a strong impact on consumer behaviour.
“Ireland’s shoppers are enjoying freedom from the endless unnecessary plastic bags, as these figures show,” said Julian Kirby, resource use campaigner for Friends of the Earth. “A standard charge in England would help save resources and cut climate-changing gases.”
Four years ago, single-use plastic bags became an environmental issue in the UK, after the residents of Modbury, Devon, banned them from the village. Photographs of wild animals caught up in plastic bags drew attention to the damage the bags were causing, and the Daily Mail joined the campaign, with a call in 2008 to “Banish the bags”, so that “our streets, fields, parks, seas, rivers and beaches will be cleaner for our grandchildren to enjoy”.
But, despite support from many sides, Gordon Brown backed away from imposing either a ban or a levy on the bags, and instead allowed retailers to create a voluntary agreement. The New Statesman’s waste policy report suggests the agreement – although initially leading to a drop in bag use – has had only a limited success.
>>> Please read the full article here
January 25, 2011
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Dramatic fall in number of plastic bags given out by supermarkets
The number of “single-use” plastic bags given to customers by leading UK supermarkets has fallen for the 
fourth year in a row.
The total has dropped from 10.6 billion in 2006 to 6.1 billion in the year to May, a reduction of 43 per cent, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) said. That compares with a reduction of 37 per cent in the year to May 2009. Over the same period the total weight of material used has more than halved.
The BRC said the figures were “a ringing endorsement” of the voluntary approach taken by supermarkets at a time when sales volumes increased by more than 6 per cent.
To forestall the threat of legislation or a government-imposed bag charge at the checkout, seven of the big stores have made two successive agreements to cut back on plastic bag use. The stores involved are Asda, the Co-operative Group (now incorporating Somerfield), Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose.
There is no formally agreed new target, but bag use is still being monitored by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (Wrap). The figure for supermarket distribution of all carrier bags, including reusable bags, has also continued to decline, and the new numbers for 2009/10 show a decline of 41 per cent over 2006 against 35 per cent in 2008/9. But in one accounting measure, a spot-check analysis of bag use during the month of May, the number of single-use bags had increased compared with last year.
In May 2009 the one-month figure was 48 per cent below that of 2006 – just missing the 50 per cent target the supermarkets had set themselves, and so prominently publicised. But this year the “snapshot” May figure for single-use bags was only 45 per cent below that for 2006, suggesting that momentum may be falling.
In general, though, the figures are very positive. “This is a tremendous achievement by supermarkets, customers and staff, especially as between 2006 and 2009 the amount of goods sold by participating retailers grew by over 6 per cent,” the BRC Director-General, Stephen Robertson said.
Wrap said yesterday that the decrease by 4.5 billion per year in 2006 to 6.5 billion in 2009/10 had reduced the amount of material used by 39,700 tonnes annually.
First introduced by the US in 1957, and into the rest of the world by the late 1960s, plastic bags are now one of the biggest scourges of the throw-away society. Worldwide, the annual total manufactured now probably exceeds a trillion. Billions find their way into the environment, especially the marine environment, where their lack of rapid degradability makes them a persistent and serious threat to marine life. They can now be found in the oceans almost everywhere, from Spitsbergen at latitude 78 degrees North, to the Falkland Islands at 51 degrees South.
>>> Please read the full article here
September 25, 2010
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Top 10 August Eco Pictures
Below we have listed the Eco Pic of The Day August Top 10 Eco Pic’s.
Click the link to see the picture;
1 - NO KINDA SURPRISE – PLASTIC POLLUTION
2 - PLASTIC MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE
3 - PLASTIC BEACH RUBBISH IN LE TOUQUET
4 - THE GREAT PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH
6 - PLASTIC BOTTLES IN SAINT MALO
7 - FRENCH SUPERMARKET MINI RECYCLING CENTER
8 - HEATHROW TERMINAL 1 RECYCLING BINS
9 - RUBBISH TIDE AT LE MONT SAINT MICHEL
10 - PORSCHE 918 SPYDER HYBRID SUPERCAR
September 8, 2010
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Eco Picture of The Day – July 2010 Top 10 Eco Pic’s
Below we have listed the Eco Pic of The Day July Top 10 Eco Pic’s.
Click the link to see the picture;
1 - The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
2 - Plastic bottle catamaran crosses Australian finish line
4 - Ecover factory recycle bins
5 - Dead whale found pinned to alaska cruise ship
6 - Creating art out of plastic debris
7 - Heathrow Terminal 1 recycling bins
8 - Fight for your right to clean air emissions equality
August 2, 2010
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Scotland launches zero waste campaign
The Scottish government has launched a new campaign encouraging households to recycle more of their waste.
Its new report into recycling rates in Scotland has shown that 67 percent of newspapers and magazines and 60 percent of glass is being reused.
However, Scottish households are still throwing around 260 kilograms of recyclable waste away each year.
The Zero Waste campaign will aim to tackle this by educating consumers about the materials they can recycle and where.
It will feature television, radio and outdoor advertisements, as well as a nationwide road show featuring the campaign’s mascot – a ten-foot tall blue elephant.
Scottish environment secretary Richard Lochhead said: “We should all constantly challenge ourselves to recycle more items, more often.
“Most waste sent to landfill should be viewed as a resource and put to good use,” he remarked.
The Zero Waste report shows that overall recycling rates in Scotland have increased from five percent of household waste ten years ago to almost 36 percent today.
>>> Please read the full article here
April 29, 2010
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Top Ten Eco-Lifestyle Changes
1. Get in the Garden – get outside and have some fun gardening! There are plenty of fantastic green products around and growing your own fruit and veg helps reduce your carbon footprint and persuades you to keep healthy!
2. Compost Compost Compost! – Make sure you keep a compost bin and make the most of your left over food scraps. Just place all peelings and left over biodegradable vegetables in your compost bin and then watch your home-grown vegetables thrive.
3. Walk – walk your kids to school, walk to work, walk to town. Reduce your carbon footprint and tone up by ditching the car keys and grabbing your walking shoes.
4. Watch that water level – Only boil the amount of water you need, fill your dishwasher to the brim, time your showers, limit the number of baths you have and watch your water bills (and carbon footprint) decrease.
5. Turn it off – turn off those appliances. Turn off the lights you aren’t using. Switch the TV off at the plug each night and don’t leave your laptops and mobiles plugged in all day everyday. Not only will you be helping the environment but you will notice a difference to your energy bill.
6. Recycling can be fun! – Get the kids involved. Check with your local council what can be recycled and make sure to adhere to their rules. And get creative! Old clothes can be given new life, old containers can be used to make toys (think Blue Peter!) and wrapping paper and gift cards can always be personalised and re-used.
7. Find eco-alternatives – Going on holiday? Take a train, not a plane. Try and stay local or take an eco-route where possible. Or looking to buy a new book? Head to your local charity shop, they will have plenty!
8. Get eco-fit – don’t stay at home watching television. Grab the kids, turn off those lights and get active! Take a walk to your local park, have fun and get fit. Learning to enjoy the outdoors will help you appreciate the importance of keeping our environment healthy and getting active will make you feel more energised and less like sitting in front of the TV or computer.
9. Teach those around you – Make sure your family, your children and your friends know the importance of making small changes in their lives that can considerably reduce their carbon footprint.
10. Get involved – stick to your eco-resolutions and find out about any local charities or organisations that need help with their green agenda. If you can spare some money look to giving a monthly sum to a non-profit organisation that concentrates on ecological issues and, if you have the time, campaign your local MP and local companies to make green promises (and stick to them!).
April 5, 2010
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Battery Recycling
30,000 tonnes of portable batteries enter the UK market each year.
New EU rules have come into force that require some stores selling batteries to provide in-store recycling bins. Anyone selling more than 32kg a year – equivalent to one pack of four AA batteries a day – must comply as part of targets on cutting landfill.
The UK currently recycles only 3% of portable batteries, but the aim is to raise that figure to 45% by 2016. Battery maker Varta warned that a lack of awareness among consumers could hamper the scheme’s success.
An estimated 30,000 tonnes of batteries – from those in electrical goods like torches, to rechargeable ones in mobile phones – enter the UK market each year.
At present, 97% eventually end up in landfill sites, where they can leak toxic chemicals into the soil.
The EU Batteries Directive aims to tackle that problem and cut carbon emissions by reducing the need for new batteries to be made from scratch.
All the evidence shows home collections of recyclables produce the best results
Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said: “This new legislation will make it easier for consumers to do the right thing whilst ensuring retailers fulfil their part of the bargain.”
But Vince Armitage, divisional vice-president of Varta, said he was concerned. ”The directive places the responsibility of meeting its stringent collection and recycling targets on the manufacturer, but it relies on the co-operation of consumers and retailers to make it work,” he said. ”However, a lack of promotion means that awareness of the directive among these key groups is low.
“This gives us great concern that, as a nation, we are setting ourselves up to fail before we even begin.” Varta estimates that just meeting the 10% target will cost manufacturers £3m.
Bob Gordon, from the British Retail Consortium, said retailers were ready for the new requirements, but called for a “comprehensive and continuing” government information campaign to raise awareness among consumers. He also said shops should not be the only route for collection, adding: “We need an infrastructure to develop which includes workplaces, schools, community centres and kerbside collection.
Read the full article at: bbc.co.uk/news
February 4, 2010
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Top 10 Eco Tips
1. Recycle
Find out what your local council recycles and make sure to adhere to their rules. Clean out your cans and jars and take your paper (newspapers, cardboard, old letters etc) to your local dump. Recycling is one of the best ways we can cut down on our unnecessary consumption!
2. Simplify
Your life – cut down on any unnecessary expenditure. Take any un-used clothes to your local charity shop and try not to buy too many things you don’t need! Getting rid of things you don’t use and cutting down on things you don’t need helps reduce unnecessary waste in the future!
Try to budget and plan your weekly shop so you don’t throw away food. Keep a small compost heap so any raw vegetables that you might have thrown away get put to better use. If you enjoy gardening then grow your own instead of buying your fruit and vegetables down the shop!
Get rid of all your disposable products and replace them with reusable products. This might include plates, cups, cutlery, razors, bathroom products, towels, bags, pens etc.
5. Use the Library!
The library is a great local free service. Instead of buying all your books new go down to your local library and borrow for free! Great for the environment and your purse strings.
6. Buy Organic, Local and Free Range Where You Can
One of the best ways to be sustainable is to keep your local businesses thriving. Instead of tescos head down to your local butchers or grocers and try to support your local Farmer’s Market. Try to avoid food which uses unnecessary packaging and has been processed. It’s better for your health and the eco-system! Only purchase ‘dolphin-safe’ Tuna and try to buy fair trade wherever possible. Helping other people is the first step to helping the world.
Buying an energy-meter can be one of the best ways to measure and cut down on your energy use. Turn off your TV at the socket and try to keep your computers off-charge when they don’t need it. Turn off lights when you’re not in the room – it is these little changes that can make a massive impact on energy consumption in your community! Try these changes in your office as well!
Try to commit to cutting down your water consumption. Place a water-saving product in your shower such a timer and try to avoid having too many baths! Only fill up your kettle to the level which is needed and consider buying a low-flow flush toilet. Always run your laundry and dishwashers on full – they should be packed before you turn them on! Use a dishwasher instead of hand washing and don’t rinse your dishes before putting them in the wash! Fix your leaks and try to use a recycling-water car wash!
Don’t throw your trash on the floor and try to pick up any you see left along the roadside. Get involved in a local clean-up project and think of planting some trees in your local park. Helping to support local parks is an important part of keeping your community green.
10. Natural Products
Try to use natural products whenever possible. This includes make up, cosmetics, body lotions, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner etc. Make sure they’re cruelty free. Good for your body and the world! Try to use natural products for the home as well (such as Ecover)
December 13, 2009
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Recycling is UK’s favourite activity!
70 per cent of households always separate their rubbish for recycling, but only 2 per cent buy their energy on a green tariff, according to the early findings of a major new annual household Survey, called Understanding Society, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).
Preliminary results from 1500 respondents show that those who own their own home are more likely to separate their rubbish (83 per cent) than those in rented accommodation (59 per cent), whilst less than one in a hundred households have solar water heating (0.5 per cent) or solar energy panels (0.5 per cent). Initial findings also show that switching off the lights in unused rooms (82 per cent) and not leaving the television on standby (67 per cent) are significantly more popular than taking fewer flights (16 per cent), car sharing (15 per cent) and not buying items because they have too much packaging (8 per cent).
Green behaviours costing the least money and effort are currently the most popular with the British public, despite the fact that 59 per cent of people think that if things continue on their current course we will soon experience a major environmental disaster.
A fuller picture of environmental and other behaviours and attitudes based on the first annual survey of 100,000 individuals from 40,000 households for Understanding Society will be published at a later date.
With Copenhagen Climate Change Conference just a couple of weeks away, the environment is likely to remain a hot topic amongst the British public, says Professor Nick Buck of the Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER) at the University of Essex, which is leading the new research: “One of the unique features of Understanding Society is that we speak to the same people each year, which means we can see how people’s behaviours and attitudes change over time. The information we collect about how ‘green’ people are will play a key role in informing the ongoing debate about environmental issues.”
The UK’s favourite green behaviours…
- Switching off lights in unused room – 82%
- Not leaving TV on standby - 67%
- Take own bag when shopping – 55%
- Don’t keep tap on when brushing teeth – 55%
- Putting more clothes on when cold – 45%
- Walk or cycle on short journeys – 40%
- Use public transport rather than car – 29%
- Buying recycled paper products – 28%
- Taking fewer flights where possible – 16%
- Car sharing – 15%
- Not buying items due to too much packaging – 8%
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
ESRC Press Office:
Zoë Stevens (Tel: 01793 413218, Email: zoe.stevens@esrc.ac.uk)
November 24, 2009
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