Planet or Plastic? Something to think about as Local Guides Clean the World

Google Maps contribution stories
1

Will you take the Pledge? As Local Guides, we can make impacts in our own communities Image: National Geographic Society
Will you take the Pledge? As Local Guides, we can make impacts in our own communities Image: National Geographic Society2048×2048 432 KB

@ErmesT @IlankovanT @DavidTito @br14n @Venance @NirajBhusal @KashifMisidia @RiverDefender @Julien44 l found this very interesting article from National Geographic Society, titled Planet or Plastic? We Made Plastic. We Depend On It. Now We’re Drowning in It, it’s part of NGS’s “multiyear effort to raise awareness about the global plastic waste crisis. Learn what you can do to reduce your own single-use plastics, and take your pledge.”

I remember @YK1001 started the “reduce our plastics” consumption discussion last April with his Local Guides Clean the World related media news BBC article: Companies sign up to pledge to cut plastic pollution.

With Ermes’ new initiative, Local Guides Clean The World-2.0 initiative, the National Geographic Society’s links I provided above gives us more “food for thought” and more background material and information of what is currently happening in the world.

What disturbs me the most is what happens when one tosses plastic. After seeing the photos, makes me think never to use a plastic straw, let alone a single-use water bottle, again.

What do you think? I can really see Ermes’ idea of using Google Maps to help to work with our local garbage companies to alert where we see garbage and to work on disposing of it safely.

If you find any articles that discuss or relate to the Planet or Plastic? debate, please add them here so we can read, share, and discuss.

Cheers,

Karen

91 Likes
2

Este es un gran artículo @KarenVChin , el tomar conciencia de que el plástico mata a la naturaleza es muy importante, en este sentido en Argentina la marca de cervezas Corona (en una actividad a nivel global), esta haciendo una intervención en el marco del eslogan “El plástico no pertenece al océano”, las actividades en las playas Argentinas se realizaron en el mes de enero pasado promocionando los Clean-Up por todos los medios de comunicación y solicitando a todos los voluntarios que deseaban participar, para recoger los plásticos de las playas, el éxito fue muy importante, he interesante ya que marca un grado de toma de conciencia del tema, por parte de los participantes.

El plástico en números en Argentina (fuente: articulo del portal info Negocios)

  • 36% de la superficie de nuestro país es mar.
  • El argentino consume en promedio 42 kg de plástico por año.
  • Solo se recicla un 25% del plástico que se produce.
  • Argentina se encuentra en el puesto 28 de contaminación marina de un total de 192 países.
  • El 82% de los residuos recolectados en la costa de la provincia de Buenos Aires en 2017 eran plástico: botellas, bolsas, tapitas y sorbetes son los protagonistas.

La limpieza de lugares tan grandes como las playas es un trabajo gigante, casi institucional o de alguna manera empresarial como el caso de esta cerveza que al margen de publicitar su marca hace un bien social, si mas marcas realizaran lo mismo, el impacto seria realmente notorio, en este sentido también es interesante indicar como la marca de hamburguesas de los arcos dorados, a su manera esta sacando algo del plástico que utiliza como los sorbetes.

Pero no hay dudas de que el platico y la basura y de como evitarla es un tema que comienza en casa y la escuela en una educación diaria y continua, sigue en el estado a nivel normas, que se cumplan en forma severa y sin permisividad sobre ellas. Y termina en las empresas que tienen que usar reemplazo viodegradables.

Farid.

10 Likes
3

This is awesome @FaridTDF . It really makes you think.

What shocks me is an Argentinian consumes 42 Kg (or 93 lbs) of plastic per person per year. Or your country equaling 44.9 million in total population x 93 lbs/person = 4.1757 Billion lbs or 1.894 billion kgs. Now if only 25% of this is recycled, that means 3 Billion lbs is still ended up in landfill or in the ocean! And this is only one country’s issues.

Cheers,

Karen

6 Likes
4

Hello @KarenVChin

Thanks for sharing the useful article with us.

3 Likes
5

Lamentablemente los cálculos que realizas son terriblemente correctos @KarenVChin , no hay una disposición del gobierno nacional o provincial de atacar este problema seriamente y con medidas incentivando realmente el reciclaje, no solamente como una moda en TV o porque es suena bien para el publico, una verdad que muchas veces pasa a segundo plano en estos temas es que el reciclar cuesta plata no es gratis, hacer utensilios reciclables cuestan caro para el consumidor o para el fabricante de productos al tener luego que hacerse cargo del reciclado de los mismos. montar una recicladora a gran escala requiere ingentes cantidades de dinero como para comenzar, luego esta adaptar todo los hábitos de recolección de basura para que esa recicladora utilice esos materiales, no es solo decirlo, es mucha, mucha plata, y son pocos los gobiernos que lo quieren poner, por algo USA se retiro del Protocolo de Kyoto o China no firmo todos los acuerdos para ser mas limpios, creo que nosotros con estos pequeños granitos de arena como lo que viene realizando @ErmesT ayuda a tomar conciencia y sentar las bases para movimientos mayores. Pero si estoy seguro que la limpieza del planeta es a nivel gubernamental especialmente.

Farid.

3 Likes
6

@FaridTDF , it is embarrassing what my country has done in terms of not joining and participating in the Kyoto Protocol and dropping out of the Paris Agreement for internal US political reasons.

Coincidentally, this BBC News YouTube video showed up on my feed. This Swedish shopping “mall” is right next to the city’s recycling center. So everything that is sold here is someone else’s cast offs, or items that were taken to this recycling center to discard or dump.

Here in the U.S. we have Goodwill, Salvation Army, and Habit for Humanity ReStore, which are non-profits that take items that people don’t want anymore. This helps reduce the amount of stuff that can end in landfill (garbage dump), gives new life to items that can still be used or worn, and creates jobs (and job training) in local communities. So something similar to this BBC News video I attached.

These stores are located throughout the US and can easily be found on Google Maps as “thrift stores.”

Cheers,

Karen

9 Likes
7

Gracias por compartir el video @KarenVChin , es muy ilustrativo de lo que si se puede hacer sin tener que gastar mucho, el planeta hay que salvarlo ya que sino el nos dejara a nosotros.

Farid.

6 Likes
8

Hi @KarenVChin ,

Thank you for starting this post and raising the awareness that every single human being on this world should consider as one of this century’s greatest problems.

Earth is just our home, if we destroy it every day, bit by bit, at the end it will all turn back to us. I hope it is not too late and there is enough time that all of us start thinking globally.

I know that @JavieraAu is a very strong supporter of the fight against the use of plastic and she might want to share her opinion and way of thinking as well.

5 Likes
9

Thank you for this post @KarenVChin , that raise up the awareness about “the plastic issue”.

I am re-reading just now the introduction of the initial post of our “clean the world project”, finding a lot of analogies with the National Geographic articles.

I am trying to imagine the data shared by @FaridTDF , but the total amount is something that is difficult to visually imagine.

I am a visual person, what I see is impacting my feeling much more than an abstract number, so I try to associate a number to what I see.

A few numbers: Looking at the recycling data, I am living in one of the best place in Europe (Treviso).

84.5% of the collected waste is recycled, and my province is one of the European excellence: (https://zerowasteeurope.eu/2015/02/new-case-study-the-story-of-contarina-85-recycling-is-possible/). You can also see this article from the European Union Website: Good practices: integrated waste management model: ‘Door to Door’, ‘Pay As You Throw’

BTW, if I walk around, I can see (I am visual, I already told you) abandoned waste all around me, on rivers and even in natural oasis. If this happens here, in a place that is one of the European excellence for waste collection and for recycle, what can I see in other areas?

Can we continue to choose plastic? Probably we have to, for some aspect of our life but, for sure, we do not need objects to throw away, after having used them only once. What we are throwing away, in this inconsiderate way, is our life on the planet. The planet itself will survive to us but, if we want to stay, we have to choose the planet.

For this reason, reporting is important. Will Local Guides Clean The World-2.0 clean the planet? Probably the answer is no but, if we start to report, if we start to push every single local Authority, we will help to increase the awareness. Every walk starts from a first step. We have a long way in front of us, but we also have one year already spent in cleaning the world.

My hope for the future? The answer is here

Caption: a Local Guide taking photos of abandoned waste, for reporting them - photos: Local Guide @ermest
Caption: a Local Guide taking photos of abandoned waste, for reporting them - photos: Local Guide @ermest1250×1250 562 KB

8 Likes
10

@KarenVChin WOw this big commitment here I have all so taken upon myself to start My map awareness in my first narration video Here

2 Likes
11

@ErmesT My Video narration Clean The World How To My maps 2.0 is a Go

@FaridTDF @KarenVChin @TsekoV @IshantHP_ig

7 Likes
12

Thank you @DavidTito

I am going to check it in a few minutes.

5 Likes
13

@KarenVChin hi, it’s a good initiative by google. I think it’s our duty to keep our earth green and clean.

But I never use any plastic bag for marketing or buying groceries,

to keep environment clean.

I am nature lover that’s why I planted many trees so floura and fauna grow there…

I am going to post picture of planted tree soon on local guide connect…

5 Likes
14

@TsekoV , yes, we need and must start thinking about our planet if we want to keep living on it. Every little bit helps in terms of conservation and not to be such a wasteful consumer.

Did you know the clothing and textile industry waste is 2nd to oil as the largest polluter in the world? And that we each throw out 70 lbs of clothing into garbage cans? These fashion industry statistics will shock and educate you. And with clothing not made of 100% natural, biodegradable fibers, throwing clothes away is even worst for the environment because it does not breakdown.

It’s NOT just about plastics that we need to worry about. We need to rethink how we use consume in general if we want our planet to survive.

Cheers,

Karen

4 Likes
15

@KarenVChin thank you for this great post. always I support for this and this month planned to do some activities in my area. definitely, this post will make awareness about “the plastic issue and pollution”.

4 Likes
16

@ErmesT , thanks for sharing more interesting reads. It is wonderful that you are living in an area that is a case study in zero waste for Europe.

What I found fascinating is that in your area each person is still producing 58 kg or 127 lbs (me in weight - how is that for a visual = ) ) of non-recyclable waste per year! Every plastic straw does add up in a year’s time!

As for plastic, there is good plastic (can biodegrade) vs bad plastic (made out of fossil oil by product that will not breakdown in multiple lifetimes). We, as consumers, have the power to say “no” with our wallets or at times choose not use that item. Some businesses are listening. Some governments too.

Your Local Guides Clean The World initiative is great because we can all make a difference as individuals and as groups, to make it a part of our lives. I voted for your Waste Reporting on Google Maps idea because it makes sense.

As you know, changing the behavior of adults is one thing. Starting kids when they are young and impressionable will make the greatest impact because they only want clean air, water, and healthy, safe things to eat and drink if this is the world they only know.

I’ve mine trained to ask what is garbage and what is recyclable. I’ve made it a game to who gets to go to the trash can (have one for their height and reach) and the recyclable box. It would bring you great joy to watch!

Cheers,

Karen

3 Likes
17

@Priyanshusingh , that is wonderful! Does your city have a recycling program? Or a ban in the use of plastic bags? More and more cities are going this route. We have had it now for 3 to 4 years (it’s been so long) and it feels funny to visit another area that doesn’t have this law. I am always carry a tote bag with me.

Look forward to seeing your planted trees. Is this part of a Local Guides meetup? Or something you wanted to do for yourself?

Cheers,

Karen

2 Likes
18

@KarenVChin In my city there is no recycling program.

But yes there is ban on polythene.

It’s my hobby to plant trees so I didn’t organise any local guide Meetup.I planted trees 3- 4 year ago now they are grown longer!!

I am continuously adding plants…

I think it’s our responsibility to plant trees does planting trees need any type of Meetup??

3 Likes
19

@FaridTDF Yes Australia is playing Coronas add on air regularly about there part in recycling I’ve seen something similar

3 Likes
20

@KarenVChin I totally agree with your way of thinking.

We, the global citizens, must learn how to keep and preserve, how to reuse and care for the nature. As you mentioned, it is shocking the amount of clothes that people throw away. And on top of that can you image there are out there that millions of people who still need those clothes, need to eat and feel equal person as all the rest.

I guess the idea of minimalism - to live with fewer material possession and have greater live values is a good lesson that people should from.

The good think is that we are the change. Everyone plays equally an important role to preserving the our world and this role starts from “your own home”, the way we live and what our habits are.

@DavidTito Thank you for sharing this post with me, I am just reading it.

3 Likes