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Science/nature/environment

Discarded plastic gets everywhere - even 2000 miles from the nearest continent.

(9 Posts)
Elegran Tue 19-Feb-13 16:33:40

Warning - this is not a cosy wildlife video.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbqJ6FLfaJc

broomsticks Wed 20-Feb-13 10:29:58

The music is a bit heavy! The image of what those chicks have eaten is horrific though. Why do humans have to make such a mess of everything?

Elegran Wed 20-Feb-13 11:04:56

Over-production, not reusing, multiple layers of packaging, exporting waste for someone else to dispose of once they have extracted anything valuable, it all contributes to a mass of immortal debris piling up somewhere for future generations to deal with.

Here are a couple more:-

www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5ZKk11R56o
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pRy88R-4BI

broomsticks Fri 22-Feb-13 10:58:45

This video is really shocking people. My son's an ecologist and he sent it to me on facebook as well.

Eloethan Wed 27-Feb-13 23:56:06

I'm wondering if cleaning up after your dog (which I do if he goes on the pavement) using a plastic poo bag is really more damaging for the environment than leaving it to degrade.

gillybob Thu 28-Feb-13 08:07:13

I walk on the beach most Sundays and am shocked by the amount of rubbish swept in by the tide. The beach is literally strewn with plastic of all kind and it amazes me where it all comes from. There are loads of plastic canisters and bottles and even occasionally the odd plastic garden chair. sad

Elegran Thu 28-Feb-13 09:34:45

Eloethan Slinging a plastic bag of dog poo into the undergrowth (which some dog-owners seem to think is the right way to dispose of it) certainly means that it takes longer to rot away than leaving it out in the open.

It also means that the plastic lies around until it is eaten by wild animals, and causes internal blockages and a prolonged, painful death.

If people can't be bothered putting the bag of poo into one of the bins provided, or taking it home to their own bin, the least they could do is to carry a trowel and lob the bare s***e away from the path.

broomsticks Thu 28-Feb-13 11:40:55

I agree Elegran. It's better just to flick dog mess into the bushes where no one will walk on it. It soon disappears. Those plastic bags lying around drive me mad. Preserving the poo for posterity?

Elegran Thu 28-Feb-13 12:07:35

They are useful if you walk the dog in a park where children play and are likely to be in and out the bushes, and bins are provided, but in the open countryside naked dog poo chucked under a hedge vanishes faster than dog poo in a plastic bag.