Human Slobs

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by JonathanSail

Though I doubt many cruisers use disposable food service items.

Jonathan

OH! Paper plates are WONDERFUL on a long passaage!
Confine the cleaning up to a few knives and forks and a pan and sailing can be a dream


Mark

[JonathanSail]

Ha ha,, I've been thinking it was all of the other tasks on my boat which were keeping me so busy. All I need to do is skip the dishwashing!

Maybe a bunch of compostable plates, cups and such have a place onboard after all? I wonder how long they float around in saltwater? I've played around with the cups and they are pretty resilient but I assume they would dissolve eventually? If nothing else they could degrade after they wash up on Lido beach.

Jonathan

[sarafina]

I confess... while I never use disposable as a matter of course... aboard I leave a stack of the cheapest plainest thin paper plates for Himself to use... They biodegrade and compost and make keeping the galley clean while I am not there manageable...

And to his credit he has learned to keep his damned butts collected and in the trash... He collects them back up in the carton till he gets to a trash can... As I pointed out to him (and numerous other smokers over the years) there IS no cigarette fairy to follow along pickin the things up...

[hellosailor]

Oh heck, Gord, what ever happened to field stripping and policing a butt? Military patrols used to be taught how to make 'em disappear, but neither field stripping nor "wait for it to burn out" will work with the modern filter-tipped cigarettes, no one is going to bother shredding the tarred filter and it isn't going to burn up, either. In fact, some of the new cigarettes simply won't burn up if they are not being smoked. They're designed to self-extinguish if you drop one while asleep in bed.

Bottom line...if you packed it in, you can pack it out. Or man up and swallow it. <VBG>

I'm guilty too, I'll throw chicken bones overboard in isolated waters. I call it "feeding the crabs" because I know it will get eaten. And on the beach? I used to think seagulls were useless flying rats. Now I know better, they're useFUL flying rats. Toss a spare rib bone or chicken bone up at the gulls, and what goes up never comes down! Until it has been digested, at least. Way easier than packing out the trash.

There are solutions. The problem isn't trash, it is just the two-legged trash that's the problem.

[JusDreaming]

Well I know I will be bashed for this, but I shall proceed
I am adamant about trash and littering first of all. I certainly consider myself a good steward of the environment. BUT I am also a smoker and to be honest, I never considered the total amount of butts that were out there. Pretty naive, but true, and even worse is I do toss a butt over- board more often that I like to admit.
BUTT due to this post I promise I will stop doing this. It just never dawned on me
AND MY APOLOGIES TO EVERYONE WHO MAY HAVE BEEN OFFENDED BY MY BUTTS!!!!!!!!!!
This post is serious and I am not being a wise ass!!!!!!!

[sarafina]

Well Cool ; -)

I imagine it's easy to not *see* it...

It wasn't until I began pointing out how MANY butts were laying on the ground EVERY DAY that Himself began to see the point!

There are pretty small little fire proof pouches that you can keep in your pocket to stuff the snuffed butts in for later disposal. Do NOT develop the habit of field stripping them and sticking them in your jeans pocket... they do BAD things to the washing machine... and do NOT ask how I know that!

[JusDreaming]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

OH! Paper plates are WONDERFUL on a long passaage!
Confine the cleaning up to a few knives and forks and a pan and sailing can be a dream
Mark

In the islands while cruising, it is a weekly get together for a trash burn on shore. It becomes a social event. Then clean up the ashes and no sign that any fire was ever there. Of course no cans or bottles!!!!!!! We have been known to grab any other trash that is laying about. And a cold refreshing beverage is usually consumed while this "JOB" is performed by the men. I tell Diane just because it is fun, does not take it off of the chores to do list

[MarkJ]

I think we do a pretty good job at keeping the place clean and getting better at it, and more educated.

Perhaps we need to congratulate ourselves occasionally, even if we do make mistakes. People are still learning about small bits of trash like butts and bottle caps.

The photo belows shows some countries just don't give a damn. We sat in this revolting indonesian Marina for about a week!

[Johnathon123]

In OZ there is a bloke called "Ian Kiernan", you might have heard of him, sailed around the world or some such thing.

Anyway, he was pretty horrified what he saw floating around out there and started "clean up Australia day", it has become a bit of a publicity thing, but when it started it was quite amazing to see how many people got involved, amazing things were found, I think even the odd body.

He has tried a clean up the world day. Maybe CF could become ambassadors for it, organizers in whatever port you happen to be in?

Just a thought. I have no connection to Ian or his organization.

[S/V Antares]

Cigarette butts seem to have a half life near that of plutonium. I am sure the cigarette companies could come up with something better than what they use now. Banning filters would help my additude towards butts and the butt heads that discard them as if it was their god given right to toss them anywhere they like.

[GordMay]

Clean Up the World
➥ Welcome to Clean Up the World

Being part of Clean Up the World is easy; your group simply joins as a Member and conducts an environmental activity.

Activities can be in support of a key day on the environmental calendar and/or to address a local environmental issue. Issues can be addressed through a range of initiatives from clean ups and tree planting activities to recycling, water management and energy conservation projects.

While the campaign’s flagship event, Clean Up the World Weekend, is held over the 3rd weekend in September. Members are encouraged to undertake activities throughout the year.

Learn more about the benefits and responsibilities of being a Member
➥ About Membership

[CaptJim53]

I tried to write a letter to the local paper about leaving the plastic in the stores last week and the editor would not print it

[Johnathon123]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Clean Up the World
➥ Welcome to Clean Up the World

Being part of Clean Up the World is easy; your group simply joins as a Member and conducts an environmental activity.

Activities can be in support of a key day on the environmental calendar and/or to address a local environmental issue. Issues can be addressed through a range of initiatives from clean ups and tree planting activities to recycling, water management and energy conservation projects.

While the campaign’s flagship event, Clean Up the World Weekend, is held over the 3rd weekend in September. Members are encouraged to undertake activities throughout the year.

Learn more about the benefits and responsibilities of being a Member
➥ About Membership

Thanks Gord


Come on - how about it everyone- lets have a CF clean up the world day?

Where ever you are - organise a clean up.

Photograph the rubbish and send it to the moderator of choice

The most full bags might even win a prize - Maybe a free burgee?????? (can the budget hold it?)

Imagine if all of us did it every year, not sure how many members we have but I know it isnt just me

[Rhapsody-NS27]

Yesterday, I just flew from Germany to the US. I didn't think much of it before, but during the lunch service, I was surprised about how much plastic there is for one meal. Almost everything was plastic, the Tray, container for salad and lid, container for main meal, plastic wrapping for bread, snack, butter, cheese, salad dressing, utensils, and plastic utensils themselves.

It would be nice if the US as a whole did more to promote recycling. I was in DC today and happy to see that beside most trash cans, there was one next to it to recycle bottles and cans.

[Whimsy]

Originally Posted by SabreKai

I do what I can, but I'm hoping Gaia will give her head a shake and seriously deplete the pestilence known as mankind

Please correct me if I'm wrong. You just called all mankind, including Gord, me and everyone in this forum, a "pestilence" and said you are "hoping" that significant portions of us should be "depleted", as in dead?

If so, that doesn't seem very "nice".