How To Start Using Less Plastic In Bangkok Right Now

[Jonathan Fairfield]

How To Start Using Less Plastic In Bangkok Right Now

By Asaree Thaitrakulpanich, Staff Reporter

 

 

Grabbing just a cup of bubble milk tea can produce a hefty load of plastic. There’s the cup, its lid, the straw, a bag and that disposable handle-bag thing. After a few happy moments of sipping, it all goes off to the landfill for the next 500 years. Take home some dish soap from the supermarket in a new bottle – the old, perfectly good one is already pushing up daisies.

 

Time to cut your plastic life down to size? Here are three things you can do right now in Bangkok, from a cafe that refills your empties and mother-daughter team promoting reusable straws to a woman who sews washable cotton pads for that time of the month.

 

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/life/shopping/2018/06/13/how-to-start-using-less-plastic-in-bangkok-right-now/

 

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2018-06-13

[humbug]

a few quotes yesterday from Jeremy Grantham(a famous investor)

 

"Capitalism and mainstream economics simply cannot deal with these problems. Mainstream economics largely ignore [them],"

 

"We deforest the land, we degrade our soils, we pollute and overuse our water and we treat air like an open sewer, and we do it all off the balance sheet."

 

We're racing to protect much more than our portfolios. … We're racing to protect our grandchildren and our species, so get to it."

[spidermike007]

A change in consciousness must start at the most basic level. Most Thais think plastic is the best thing ever invented, and the percentage of Thais that even consider the negative ramifications of plastic is incredibly small. This requires some education. I always do two things to avoid the consumption of plastic.

 

1. I bring re-usable bags with me every time I go shopping. I use the larger shopping bags I buy in the US, which are made of recycled materials. Most of the clerks have to be dealt with. Even when they see my bag, they still start putting the stuff in plastic. I always mai sai toom. No plastic! Then they start loading up my bag. Most look at me like I am from Mars. Do I care? Not one iota. About 1% thank me, and get it. Not many do. My Thai wife does not like bringing the bags to the store. I force her to. By now, she expects it, and sometimes even asks if I have any bags in the car, or on the motorbike. Same with the water bottles. It used to embarrass her. Now, it is second nature, as I have been doing this for so long, she expects it. So, if a Thai can be conditioned to follow these simple principals, then anyone can. 

 

2. I bring a bottle of water with me, every time I go to a restaurant. I refill my plastic bottles from the 20 liter bottles at home. It is easy. I never buy bottled water at a restaurant. This saves 300-600 bottles a year, and at least 1,000 baht a month. I use a BPA free plastic bottle, as shown below, over and over. I never get any flack from the restaurants. Only once did someone say something to me. She said you cannot bring you own water. My response was if you serve the water in a glass bottle, and I do not have to consume a plastic bottle, I am happy to pay for that. She was lost. I told her to leave now, and get me my food. She went away in a huff. And that was on Samui, where alot of the locals have sour attitudes anyway. Anywhere else, I have never encountered a problem, nor any attitude for bringing my own water to a restaurant. I do it daily. 

 

We simply cannot say we are concerned about the environment, and then do nothing about it. Action demonstrates commitment. Lack of action demonstrates nothing. 

Lastly, restaurants can demonstrate their commitment, by serving drinking water from the 20 liter bottles. It saves alot of plastic. They lose a small amount of revenue, by not selling thousands of bottles of water. But, their operation is still profitable, and they are making a real difference. 

 

There really is no need to be consuming water in plastic bottles. At least not often. There are alternatives. Those damn bottles are a real culprit, when it comes to fouling the environment. What can we do, if we say we care? I care. And it is becoming painful to purchase a bottle of water these days, knowing where bit might end up. 

 

Some say they do not want to re-use plastic bottles, because the plastic leaches after a few uses. This appears to be correct. But, what they are referring to is BPA, and other toxic chemicals that leach from the plastic, if the bottle sits in the sun, or has been sitting for too long, or is re-used a few times. This can easily be avoided by purchasing these bottles shown here. They are on ebay, are BPA free, and shipping to Thailand is either free or less than $1. The bottles are one liter, and a half liter. Only $2-3 each. Worth it. I use them daily. 

 

 

[Gandtee]

Yes, there are some people who want and try to make a difference but overcoming ignorance is an uphill struggle. Don't weaken.

[flyingtlger]

Charge a deposit fee like they do in California for plastic, glass or metal containers.....I bet people will start using re-usable bag right away.

 

Good article:  http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-plastic-bag-ban-anniversary-20171118-story.html

[unblocktheplanet]

The worst offenders are plastic water bottles. Millions are used here everyday.

 

My favourite restaurants all know I won't be buying a bottle of water. They use their water filtre in the kitchen to bring me a glass of water. It's about public education. If the staff baulk, talk to the manager or owner.

 

This HAS to begin with YOU!

 

While on the move, get yourself a light stainless steel double walled insulated water bottle. Fill it with ice before you leave home. I fill mine  with hot green tea to sip on through the day.

[humbug]

Everyone has to start even if they feel its not the normal thing to turn plastic items down. Everyone has to be teflon to what ignorant people who use plastic without any care.

 

Sooner more and more people will start to realise the horror of what we are doing to this planet.

 

I walk into the stores now and just think how much of this c**p will be in the oceans and land and most people are just zombies walking around thinking their gods consuming.

Until they die and they are like every other person, just a decomposed non-entity.