Hawaii: Message in the Waves (Plastic Waste)

[Guest]

Here is a Local Website that might interest people.

http://www.messageinthewaves.com/

There are many messages in the waves but the one we learned in Hawai‘i that we feel requires immediate attention is that of global plastic pollution

It is time to ban plastic bags in Hawaii?
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Damons Digest

Acceptance will take you further in life then Denial ever will

[DrJ]

I'm for any type of conservation that makes the planet a better place. The problem is that we don't find cheap alternatives to the problem, so people will keep on using what we have. I wish everyone was noble enough to make the change despite the inconvenience.

Cool video though! Very enlightening. We use canvas bags that we bought and then just re-use and we shop at a whole foods store that only uses paper bags.

[cynmkolohe]

I completely support this. My last drives from Hilo to Waikoloa convinced me beyond doubt. There were so many plastic bags blowing in the wind, stuck on branches, littering the sides of the roads. I have never seen it so bad.

We got our "re-Bags" from KTA several months ago. It's taken us a while to get into the habit of remembering to use them, but if they were all the stores offered and we had to pay for them each time if we forgot, I bet we would shape up pretty quickly!! I also like taking cardboard boxes from stores that offer them. We always reuse these at least once more...for taking glass bottles to the transfer station.

Banning plastic bags gets my vote!!

Someone shared this article with me a few months ago...I think it serves as an example of how it could work here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/2205419.stm

With aloha,





Cynthia

Cynthia Hoskins, R(S)
Cell: 808 443-6564

Clark Realty Corporation
99 Aupuni St Hilo, HI
Office: 808 961-6015

[Cali Hi]

San Francisco has gotten rid of plastic bags at a lot of stores, with more to come. I have noticed less of them blowing down the streets, and that is very nice. The laws here wont cover small independent stores though. I guess they think it could be too much of a financial burden for them. My Walgreens has started asking if I need a bag, It's nice because I always had to tell them more than once that I didn't need a bag (just to carry my half and half across the street)
I too forget my re useable bags sometimes, change is hard, but I'm learning, and soon it will just be another habit.

Aloha,

Jen
California/Hawaii

[Carey]

Damon, the contents of "Shed Bird"'s stomach is in a display at Mokupapapa Ocean Dicovery Center on Kamehameha in downtown Hilo. I have a DVD copy of the albatross chick necropsy at Kure Atoll, if anyone wants to borrow it.
Almost all of the plastic in the bird are shoreline recreational plastic debris from everyday activities...

Oh, and this is open to everyone! Neighborhood, street and beach clean ups are some of the ways each of us can reduce the litter wasting our earth. If you haven't ever volunteered for a clean up, I can always coordinate one.... or you can volunteer to help at any of the ones that the Sierra Club, 'Keep Hawaii Beautiful', parks & rec dept, and many others offer.... this isn't a "just in Hawaii" thing, everyone can help where they are, right now!

Proper recycling of all plastics are critical in reducing the global problems of plastics - a miracle product that has turned into a huge debris problem only because of humans lack of attention to proper recycling. This is our generations' legacy to the earth. We are truly the 'Plastic Generation', and the earth is sending us a message on the care we have taken with this material.

[mgeary]

Yeah, I've seen disgusting stuff on PBS and the Discovery Channel about albatross chicks starving to death because their bellies are full of disposable plastic lighters. And I don't want to derail your thread about plastic shopping bags, but if the topic is slightly broadened to include plastic water bottles, then I think the greater good will be served.

Not that they fit in albatross bellies, but I have never understood the idea of disposable plastic bottles for drinking water, i.e. the 1/2 liter Aquafina or Evian, or whatever. My stepdaughter says, "I want a water" and gets an Evian, when I was raised in the era of "I want some water", and drank out of the faucet or garden hose. There is a tremendous amount of plastic which goes into those billions of little water bottles, and very few of them, I believe, wind up anywhere other than in the landfill.

Here are some facts about the ridiculous waste of resources involved in the production and distribution of billions of gallons of bottled water, by the National Geographic Society's Green Guide, which I hope would be accepted as a reputable source. There is a complete 'nother rant to be had about the toxins in plastic which leach out into the water that you drink in a bottle of water.

Aloha! ;-)

[Bullwinkle]

Plastic ... and the ciminalization of grocery bags ....

I have spent a lot of time on the ocean. Seen first hand how far plastic makes it out to sea and what it does to wildlife.

Bottom line ... when plastic leaves my hand it is secure and either recycled or trash ... it is not allowed into the environment .... will another law make me a better steward?

My solution is to be a good steward and teacher - I tell my stories to the kids (and adults) that will listen and try to get them to practice simple things, like cutting the rings that hold a six pack together so it will never strangle a sea bird or marine mammal...

there is already an international treaty covering trash and plastic (marpol) what we need to do is bring it home to the kids


Six pack rings and monofilament line are what i see most .... imagine a sea lion that has 10 or so yards of 20 lb monfililament wrapped around his neck for a week or three, by that time there is a half inch deep cut that encircles the neck., or a sea turtle , similar scenario, only his mistake was to swim to close to a six pack ring and now will wear one as a necktie till he drowns from fatigue

I see one or two a week like this near any urban area - and as far as 500 miles out at times. Plastic is every where a consumer society is, once in the oceanic currents , collecting in the sargasso sea. all the laws in the world isn't keeping this stuff out of the ocean, think a few more will help?.

what we really need is fewer laws that arent enforced and a little bit more personal responsibility, awareness and empathy for the others that share our space, human or otherwise - and to teach that philosophy .

ok Ill get off my soapbox now

[Rob L]

Sea Turtles are one of the few creatures that eat jelly fish. Unfortunatly, they tend to mistake plastic garbage for jelly fish, eat them and then die as their the plastic blocks their digestive tract.

Aloha,
Rob L

[Guest]

quote:

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Originally posted by Rob L

Sea Turtles are one of the few creatures that eat jelly fish. Unfortunatly, they tend to mistake plastic garbage for jelly fish, eat them and then die as their the plastic blocks their digestive tract.

Aloha,
Rob L

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After an animal is killed by plastic bags, its body decomposes and the plastic is released back into the environment where it can kill again.

-------
Damons Digest

Acceptance will take you further in life then Denial ever will

[gtill]

Some group brought all paper and wood to the Honokaa side, up to waimea and at least past Papaiko! That was for bags, plates forks& all from drive inns and roadside stores! Is that still happening? No plastics!

Real Question, if plastic is from oil, could it be returned to an oil or petroleum form?