The Pacific Garbage Patch

[Mendalla]

I imagine everyone has heard of this at some point, but here's the Wiki on it for a quicky primer;

Great Pacific garbage patch - Wikipedia

Some brave souls are setting out to try to start cleaning up the mess.

Giant floating boom aims to clean up Great Pacific Garbage Patch | CBC News

I just hope enough is being done to stop the flow of trash into the Pacific or their work will be pointless.

 

[ninj]

TWICE THE SIZE OF TEXAS!
It'll take decades for that boom to make a dent.
Plastic bags seem to be the worst culprit. I think it's enough reason to give them up even though they are less impactful than cloth bags at the resource end. You would have to use a cloth bag weekly for two years to equal plastic bags for lower impact manufacture according to a recent Danish study.Not straightforward at all.

Are cotton totes better for the Earth than plastic bags? It depends on what you care about

 

[Mendalla]

It'll take decades for that boom to make a dent.

I don't think that's the intent. This is a proof of concept. If it works, I imagine the plan would be to build more.

 

[Mrs.Anteater]

TWICE THE SIZE OF TEXAS!
It'll take decades for that boom to make a dent.
Plastic bags seem to be the worst culprit. I think it's enough reason to give them up even though they are less impactful than cloth bags at the resource end. You would have to use a cloth bag weekly for two years to equal plastic bags for lower impact manufacture according to a recent Danish study.Not straightforward at all.

Are cotton totes better for the Earth than plastic bags? It depends on what you care about

I have a cloth bag I bought in a fair trade shop 36 years ago. Had to reattach the handles a couple of times and it looks old, but it is still going strong.

 

[Tabitha]

I hate the fakey very thin "fabric" bags that tear easily. You can make a fabric bag out of an used t-shirt or even a tea towel.

As for Mendalla hoping enough is done I ask- What are you doing? Personally? Daily?

As a child my sandwiches for school were wrapped in wax paper not ziploc bags. My mother recalls taking the garbage out before plastic garbage bags. We have a lot of the knowledge we just need to use it. I was one of the cloth diaper mom-for all 3 kidlets.

 

[Mendalla]

As for Mendalla hoping enough is done I ask- What are you doing? Personally? Daily?

We use reusable containers for lunches for the most part. Plastic bags get reused as much as possible and end up being used as garbage bags rather than just tossed out. We take our own bags with us when we shop, reusing ones from previous trips (Mrs. M doesn't trust the fabric ones from a cleanliness standpoint and I am not going to argue the point). We probably put out half as much as garbage as some neighbors with the same size household due to minimizing use of prepared foods and similar. Really, we don't focus on specific waste, just try to reduce waste overall.

Same with energy conservation. We often have windows open long after most are running AC fulltime. We only use outdoor lights when they are needed. We only buy as much car as we need, not buy some huge gas-swilling beast just because we can.

And so on. We don't have a plan or set goals or anything, just try to be conservative in our use of all resources.

 

[Luce NDs]

Gas swilling beasts are believed to impress neighbours and friends ... avoid impressions or they'll shove your face into a mold!

You could be run over ...

 

[Mendalla]

Gas swilling beasts are believed to impress neighbours and friends ..

I am generally unimpressed, especially today when a good engineer can squeeze V8 power out of a turbo four which uses less gas and produces less CO2. My CRV is almost as thrifty as my Civic due to the engine and transmission used.

 

[Luce NDs]

I am generally unimpressed, especially today when a good engineer can squeeze V8 power out of a turbo four which uses less gas and produces less CO2. My CRV is almost as thrifty as my Civic due to the engine and transmission used.

You and I seem to be aware of this ... but indications a lot more aren't!

Gives rise to the concept of a large dark area! The occult ... or just unknown?

 

[Mendalla]

You and I seem to be aware of this ... but indications a lot more aren't!

Indeed. SUVs have become so popular that two of the Big Three (Ford and Chrysler) don't even make a mid-sized sedan anymore. No skin off my teeth since I would rather buy a Honda Accord or Toyota Camry than a Ford Fusion if I was shopping in that segment, but it illustrates just how much the SUV has become the family car of choice.

 

[Tabitha]

Yes with plastic it is really up to all of us to reduce it as much as we can.

 

[JRT]

I am generally unimpressed, especially today when a good engineer can squeeze V8 power out of a turbo four which uses less gas and produces less CO2. My CRV is almost as thrifty as my Civic due to the engine and transmission used.

Last year we traded our 17 year old Honda Civic for a new CRV. Both were wonderful choices. I've become a Honda snob.

 

[Mendalla]

Last year we traded our 17 year old Honda Civic for a new CRV. Both were wonderful choices. I've become a Honda snob.

Welcome to the club. I'm on my third and fourth Hondas right now.

 

[KayTheCurler]

Last year we traded our 17 year old Honda Civic for a new CRV. Both were wonderful choices. I've become a Honda snob.

Earlier this year we had to replace our Honda Element. We reluctantly chose a CRV as the most desirable of the poor choices available. It is loaded with multiple useless gadgets and yet lacks convenient places to store the things we normally keep handy in our vehicle - bug spray, bear spray, sunblock, etc.

 

[Mendalla]

Earlier this year we had to replace our Honda Element. We reluctantly chose a CRV as the most desirable of the poor choices available. It is loaded with multiple useless gadgets and yet lacks convenient places to store the things we normally keep handy in our vehicle - bug spray, bear spray, sunblock, etc.

Armrest and cup holders do it fine for us. Not sure which gadgets you find useless, but there is not much on mine that I have not used. YMMV as always, I guess.

 

[paradox3]

YMMV as always, I guess.

Had to look this one up! Got it now.

 

[KayTheCurler]

Armrest and cup holders do it fine for us. Not sure which gadgets you find useless, but there is not much on mine that I have not used. YMMV as always, I guess.

That is probably why there are so many types and configurations of vehicles. Don't need the heated seats but would like them to give better back support. Don't like the big, heavy rear door, would prefer a split one like the Element that gave us a place to sit. It also kept the interior dryer during a bit of rain.

 

[Mendalla]

Don't need the heated seats but would like them to give better back support.

My wife loves heated seats. My 2015 Civic, which is the LX trim (the lowest trim that you could get with a CVT in that year), has them, too so I think Honda is putting them on everything but the most basic models (e.g. the Civic DX). Agreed on the back support. We use the CR-V for long drives a lot and my back generally doesn't take well to those drives anymore regardless of the seat.

would prefer a split one like the Element

Those split rear door are a rarity, though. I think the Element was the only car in the Honda lineup that ever had them. It was a nice vehicle but didn't sell well enough to keep making it, IIRC. Whereas the CR-V is one of the bestselling vehicles in its class.

 

[KayTheCurler]

Our wants aren't typical - in almost everything!