Off Topic Doing our bit for the environment

Camillus

Camillus

Joined
Jun 3, 2015
Messages
2,119
Hi all,

We have had recent changes to our recycling rules, and it made me think harder about plastic waste.

Given the number of knives that are bought and sold on these forums, I would encourage people to try and avoid packaging knives in non-recyclable plastic, such as bubble wrap. The knives don’t need all the protection. I have seen some huge bundles of the stuff wrapped around knives sent to me.

There are plenty of better alternatives - this site gives a list https://sustainability.energy/eco-friendly-alternatives-bubble-wrap/ but plain old newspaper would be a great alternative.

Just a small change that we could make to improve the environmental impact of our hobby.
 
Camillus said:
Hi all,

We have had recent changes to our recycling rules, and it made me think harder about plastic waste.

Given the number of knives that are bought and sold on these forums, I would encourage people to try and avoid packaging knives in non-recyclable plastic, such as bubble wrap. The knives don’t need all the protection. I have seen some huge bundles of the stuff wrapped around knives sent to me.

There are plenty of better alternatives - this site gives a list https://sustainability.energy/eco-friendly-alternatives-bubble-wrap/ but plain old newspaper would be a great alternative.

Just a small change that we could make to improve the environmental impact of our hobby.
Click to expand...
Seems to me that bubble wrap is MUCH better than just newspaper. To each his own....
 
If I get some bubble wrap around a knife, I send it on, around the next knife I sell or give!!:D
All newspaper gets recycled here in this house!!
Our environment is the only one we get!!:cool:
 
I also reuse bubble wrap from packages I receive. It very rarely gets thrown away, unless the scraps are too small to use.
 
I find packing peanuts worse and they make a lightweight mess around the house that's difficult to clear up:eek::D Shredded paper is good packing material and it burns well.
 
I never buy bubble wrap or any other packing material, but I never run out so I send it on when it seems like a good idea. I use newspaper and suchlike as well. If I send out my used bubble wrap maybe the guy down the line will use it too, so in a way it may occasionally keep someone from buying some. Meanwhile, I recycle everything that I possibly can, and do plenty of other things as well to keep my conscience clean. One of the most hideous atrocities that many are guilty of is growing and nurturing lawns, a sick holdover from Merrie Olde England estates.
 
tongueriver said:
I never buy bubble wrap or any other packing material, but I never run out so I send it on when it seems like a good idea. I use newspaper and suchlike as well. If I send out my used bubble wrap maybe the guy down the line will use it too, so in a way it may occasionally keep someone from buying some. Meanwhile, I recycle everything that I possibly can, and do plenty of other things as well to keep my conscience clean. One of the most hideous atrocities that many are guilty of is growing and nurturing lawns, a sick holdover from Merrie Olde England estates.
Click to expand...
I love a beautiful lawn, and English gardens. What does this thread have to do with traditional knives?
 
We here in New Zealand have made it illegal for a shop to use Plastic bags now- when shopping in the Super markets, you need to bring your own bags.
I had many Plastic Bags stashed away as I did not want to throw them away because of this, I agree whole heartedly with what you say Camillus, I get extremely upset when seeing the Ocean absolutely full of this, and the stunning different array of beautiful sea life tortured so slowly until death because of plastic bags ( and drifting nylon- netting )
I too recycle bubble wrap and air filled plastic poops for packaging- never ever thrown, and used in the next knife package.

Here is a picture of a Knife on a beach found dead after swallowing plastic.... ( in other words Knife content )
ZdLbChL.jpg
 
The last knife I received in the mail was the wonderful Parker lockback from @chuck4570 give away. He had wrapped it quite thoroughly in heavy duty paper shop towels. They all went into my knife maintenance box to use as oil rags and such. I actually appreciated that it was wrapped in them as they are useful to me :cool::thumbsup: Nothing wrong to reuse bubble wrap imho, I remember it used to be "reuse and recycle". I have 2 boxes I keep quite a few of my knives in that was salvaged from the trash:D one an old wood silverware box and another that a pampered chef carving knife and fork was in, just took out the precut foam liner (which I've reused:p)
 
Let me get this right now : We buy groceries that are in some cardboard and some glass and some metal but mostly in some form of plastic with at least half of it being non-recyclable . But the store can not give you a plastic bag . Our household has been re-cycling Paper , Cardboard , 3 Types of Plastic , Aluminum , Steel , and Brass since 1990 . Plus we have probably 20 Bags in our cars so that we do not have to use Plastic Bags . Thanks to Camillus Camillus for bringing our attention to the need again .

Harry
 
Yes you are right Harry, the sooner we invent something greener than Plastic - the better - for everyone and everything, but its the Plastic Bottles and Plastic bags that make up that massive percentage of Ocean Plastic, the biggest percentage of Plastic bags are just used once then thrown away, so its a very good step in the right direction.

When calculated in New Zealand through extensive investigation the use of the Shopping Plastic bag was mainly once, and the numbers of Plastic bags ran into tens of Millions per year - just for little Ol' New Zealand alone! It was horrendous the terrible and unnecessary waste and ever-lasting damage to Earth and it's inhabitants just for a little wee bit of convenience for the ever lazy and wasteful Human being, now they are made to use re-usable bags that will last for years and years, often the greater percentage of these reusable bags are from Green Companies - recycled and no one notices any difference at all- a simple change in mindset.

So the simple Plastic Bag equated to terrible damage to mass amounts for just small New Zealand alone- imagine if the rest of the World alone followed suit- the simple Plastic bag would have a MAJOR contribution to the decline in this out of control pollution and animal killer, be a different story if Humans were to be washed up on a Beach with a Plastic bag over their head from Swimming- we would look at it differently then.
If anyone thinks they are saving the World by recycling Plastic - do some research and see where most of it goes! Some of it gets recycled and a great cost to the atmosphere, then have a look at the Dumping ground of "Recycled" Plastic, we have NO idea just how bad it is.

Remember this one thing- often we hear that Plastic may take over 100 years to biodegrade- it actually doesn't, it merely breaks down to smaller pieces - it will never disappear.

Just a tiny taste of what is out there....

https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/great-pacific-garbage-patch/

 
tongueriver said:
I never buy bubble wrap or any other packing material, but I never run out so I send it on when it seems like a good idea. I use newspaper and suchlike as well. If I send out my used bubble wrap maybe the guy down the line will use it too, so in a way it may occasionally keep someone from buying some. Meanwhile, I recycle everything that I possibly can, and do plenty of other things as well to keep my conscience clean. One of the most hideous atrocities that many are guilty of is growing and nurturing lawns, a sick holdover from Merrie Olde England estates.
Click to expand...

I have a bumper crop of dandelions and a lush carpet of creeping Charlie.
 
Prester John said:
Seems to me that bubble wrap is MUCH better than just newspaper. ? To each his own....
Click to expand...
It is Vince..it is much better....its just that newspaper doesnt clog baby dolphins blowholes and make them unhappy...Newspaper makes great packet stuffing AND..who needs loo paper when they print it everyday?
Now who wants to sign my "End Lawn Bowls Today" petition?
 
meako said:
It is Vince..it is much better....its just that newspaper doesnt clog baby dolphins blowholes and make them unhappy...Newspaper makes great packet stuffing AND..who needs loo paper when they print it everyday?
Now who wants to sign my "End Lawn Bowls Today" petition?
Click to expand...
Can I stop mowing?
 
Prester John said:
Can I stop mowing?
Click to expand...
I have not stopped mowing, but I mulch-mow and leave the detritus to enrich the soil. I don't fertilize or use pesticides or herbicides. I cut way back on the water but make sure my trees and shrubs have plenty. I mow maybe twice a season. Sometimes thrice. My lawn looks like hell and that is just fine with me.
 
I posted this shot in the Totin thread yesterday with the comment that “If it weren’t for violets, I’d have no lawn at all.” That actually was an exaggeration - what I should have said was “If it weren’t for violets, chickweed, and crabgrass, I’d have no lawn at all.” I haven’t used fertilizer or herbicide in decades. I use a mulching mower and mow at the mower’s highest setting (3 5/8”) and hardly have to mow at all after dry weather sets in. I find that this environmentally friendly approach fits perfectly with my natural laziness, not to mention saving a lot of money. (By the way, my wife loves the violets.)
ga9lzsS.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top