Thoughts from an Oldie

Thoughts from an OldieWritten by Hilary Finch

One of the most useful presents my granddaughter, Kiki, has given me is a slim bag I can slip into my handbag for those bits and pieces I might buy while out. I still get offered plastic bags but I don't need them. Why do people ask for a bag to carry milk when it has a handle? I have some useful cloth bags that I use for my supermarket shopping and they last. My favourite one has been with me for 15 years or more.

Yes, I am going on about plastic.

In supermarkets so many vegetables come in plastic bags when usually we only want a certain amount, not a whole bag full. Today I saw a melon wrapped in plastic, it has a good skin to protect it. Cucumbers wrapped in plastic, why? Bags of three peppers in plastic.... it just goes on and on. My solution is to shop at independent shops where you can get the amount you need and put it straight in your own bag. People are still buying bottles of water when our tap water is just as safe. If you have to buy one, re-fill it from the tap. People are pouring loads of sugar and crap down their throats drinking fizzy drinks in plastic bottles.

Coca-Cola who also own Fanta, Sprite and over 80 other brands including many of the bottled water companies are causing a massive problem worldwide and we don't have to add to it. They are not alone causing this problem.

Of the 13 billion plastic bottles used in the UK only 7.5 billion are sent to landfill. This in a country that has recycling facilities unlike so many of the poorer countries where they do not and have a massive problem as a result - piles of bottles on land and floating in the sea. Many of these people need to drink water from bottles as they do not have fresh water but none of the companies are doing enough to stop the ever increasing mass floating and piling up around them.

The UK still sends shiploads of our rubbish to Malaysia among other countries who have little scope to recycle and adding to global carbon emissions Then we burn a lot of plastic here in the UK causing more pollution.

So my message, obviously, is please avoid plastics, recycle properly and keep our streets and parks clean and clear of masks, bottles, cans and the rest!