60 minutes

[Outdoors Junkie]

Several other countries have moved to accepting plastic for payment of things like subway tickets and vending machines. Here's a link to an article on that topic: https://www.thecivilengineer.org/news-center/latest-news/item/1599-in-beijing-plastic-bottles-can-pay-for-your-subway-ticket

[glenn57]

so  my point to this is why are they not going away with plastic bags? plastic bottles if its such a pain in the azz to deal with it.

[Outdoors Junkie]

If you want to see the 60 Minutes episode from last night (Dec. 16, 2018) on the Plastic Plague, the first part of the episode is on Opioids. The Plastic Plague starts around 13:40.

...Here is the link: https://www.cbs.com/shows/60_minutes/video/__dt0TtfaITM_evNCW73zqWGRjRVNLC6/taking-aim-at-opioids-plastic-plague/

[Rebel SS]

Here in the #1 perfect city, all plastic must be separated, labels off, and put in weekly recycle bins to go to the "Waste to energy" facility here in town. My garbage company states cardboards, paper, and plastic have to be separated. Yet, I watch the trucks pick up all three and dump them in one truck...

https://www.co.olmsted.mn.us/environmentalresources/garbagerecycling/owef/Pages/default.aspx

[Rebel SS]

so  my point to this is why are they not going away with plastic bags? plastic bottles if its such a pain in the azz to deal with it.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/trevornace/2018/09/20/heres-a-list-of-every-city-in-the-us-to-ban-plastic-bags-will-your-city-be-next/#7f2911183243

[mike89]

down this way............most that is seperated and sent to garbage burners for sources of electricity. great river in Elk River, and red wing to think of 2 places.

Alexandria has a burner too..

[Gunner55]

so  my point to this is why are they not going away with plastic bags? plastic bottles if its such a pain in the azz to deal with it.

Because they don't want to havta raise their prices & lose business. There are some eco friendly businesses out there & just about all have considerably higher prices. I think the new Mercedes Benz plant down in Geaorgia, near Atlanta, was acually built on an old landfill & they've found a way to capture the methane coming off it & at least partially power/heat that plant. Bet they got a LOT of tax breaks from city,county, & state to build it there too. Until there's a government mandate that everybody has to do it they won't IMO. Even then, they probably just close shop & move to another country where it's not required.

[glenn57]

i'll never ever be convinced retailers dont adjust there product prices to accomodate for price increases in there bags, be it paper or plastic. and i'd bet if plastic is cheaper...they didnt lower there prices!!!! just sayin!!!!

[LPS]

I didn't get to watch that 60 Minutes thing cuz I was in football mode.  Thanks for posting it.  I will watch it. 

[Gunner55]

Here in the #1 perfect city, all plastic must be separated, labels off, and put in weekly recycle bins to go to the "Waste to energy" facility here in town. My garbage company states cardboards, paper, and plastic have to be separated. Yet, I watch the trucks pick up all three and dump them in one truck...

https://www.co.olmsted.mn.us/environmentalresources/garbagerecycling/owef/Pages/default.aspx

A lot of towns have gotten so fussy about the recycling that a lot of the people stop doing it. Besides it easier to throw everything in 1 bag & they don't care or think about the consequences.

[Rebel SS]

That's what I see here. They won't take leaves, or branches or twigs.....have to drive to the wood dump site and pay $15 for a pickup or carload load of wood, branches, etc....and we're a national "Tree City". Always lots of small limbs and twigs everywhere, with all the trees here.  St. Paul and Mpls have you set out tree limbs on the curb and they pick up when they can. Grass and leaves have to go to the mulch dump here, which is free. But, they then sell mulch back to you.....I see a lot of the neighbors dump all that in the bottom of their garbage cans. I can see why....

[LPS]

And a TV is about $25 to get rid of but once it is broken up it is garbage.   

Used to see a lot of people do that. 

[Rebel SS]

That's why the ditches around here in the country have old 'fridges and freezers tossed in 'em. Cost me a small fortune to get rid of the old TV's, computer monitors, old freezers and 'fridge and stove from my Mom's house.

[mike89]

$7 here for fridges, stoves anything..   

[Rebel SS]

And a TV is about $25 to get rid of but once it is broken up it is garbage.   

Used to see a lot of people do that.

Ever try to turn an old upright vacuum into garbage? Whew!!!   

[Rebel SS]

$7 here for fridges, stoves anything..

$15 for 'fridge or small air conditioner, etc.,  and other electronics $ by the pound.  Mattresses and box springs are $16 EACH.  Gotta pay for the glitz and sparkle.

[mike89]

I guess it pays to live in a poor county...   

[LPS]

Just watched the whole 60 Minutes show.  Thanks Outdoor Junkie.  And this whole plastic bag and straw thing is sweet but a non issue to me.  As long as it gets to an approved disposal facility in your area so it doesn't get into rivers and flow anywhere we will be ok. 

[glenn57]

Just watched the whole 60 Minutes show.  Thanks Outdoor Junkie.  And this whole plastic bag and straw thing is sweet but a non issue to me.  As long as it gets to an approved disposal facility in your area so it doesn't get into rivers and flow anywhere we will be ok.

that was the whole point of the show LPS...................its not getting there!

[Gunner55]

I guess it pays to live in a poor county...   

Cohassett has a salvge yard that'll take just about anything that has some metal in it, for free. There's also a county transfer station just north of town that takes computer monitors/ tvs, lithium batteries, old oil, & just about everything else for free, if it's recyclable. You can buy punch cards from local businesses that they use, if there's a charge. It was just $2 for an old printer we had that we took in this fall. Our co-op in Big Fork has a recycling program for appliances as well. It's $25 to bring it in but they then issue you a rebate check that more than covers that cost.

[Rebel SS]

I gotta move. 

[glenn57]

I guess it pays to live in a poor county...   

Cohassett has a salvge yard that'll take just about anything that has some metal in it, for free. There's also a county transfer station just north of town that takes computer monitors/ tvs, lithium batteries, old oil, & just about everything else for free, if it's recyclable. You can buy punch cards from local businesses that they use, if there's a charge. It was just $2 for an old printer we had that we took in this fall. Our co-op in Big Fork has a recycling program for appliances as well. It's $25 to bring it in but they then issue you a rebate check that more than covers that cost.

havent had to go to Cohasset or big fork, but use that punch card system for the "dump" Gunner speaks of. occasionally i will bring stuff from home there cause its simply easier.

[mike89]

yea forgot about the metal being free, thanks Gunner!!  that sounds like our transfer station...

[glenn57]

I gotta move. 

they dont allow your kind up there!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Gunner55]

Just watched the whole 60 Minutes show.  Thanks Outdoor Junkie.  And this whole plastic bag and straw thing is sweet but a non issue to me.  As long as it gets to an approved disposal facility in your area so it doesn't get into rivers and flow anywhere we will be ok.

that was the whole point of the show LPS...................its not getting there!

Got to agree,57, the little segment on the island of Midway proved that. Out in the middle of nowhere, no people livin anywhere near there, yet, they're havin to go out everyday & clean up the beaches. It showed some of the albatrosses that had died & the only thing left was the garbage they ate & had killed them

[LPS]

It is hard to believe how careless people can be.  How about that river full of trash and the girl just swished the garbage away so she could get to the water.  Yuck...

[Rebel SS]

Just watched the whole 60 Minutes show.  Thanks Outdoor Junkie.  And this whole plastic bag and straw thing is sweet but a non issue to me.  As long as it gets to an approved disposal facility in your area so it doesn't get into rivers and flow anywhere we will be ok.

that was the whole point of the show LPS...................its not getting there!

Got to agree,57, the little segment on the island of Midway proved that. Out in the middle of nowhere, no people livin anywhere near there, yet, they're havin to go out everyday & clean up the beaches. It showed some of the albatrosses that had died & the only thing left was the garbage they ate & had killed them

ALBATROSS! 

[Rebel SS]

I just had to do that for Barry.   

[LPS]

 

[Gunner55]

We don't go to the dump on the north end of the lake by you much, glenn, unless we have a trailer load. About every 2 weeks we have enough recyclabes, usually plastic, to stop at the Cohassett 1 anyway. Besides we're in to GR just about every week anyway.