Top five CO2 emitting countries, in order, are China, USA, India, Russian Federation and Japan (from Investopedia, March 2018).

The earth is warming and greenhouse gases are rising because of increased industrialization which has halved starvation and poverty since 1990. Very few people are in denial.

Some march. I say study the problem. BUT, BUT when money is involved than human greed and ugliness can sidetrack even the best efforts.

It is not as simple as being in denial or stopping the use of straws. Some people are willing to go to great efforts to do ANYTHING they can. I know a couple who uses no heat or air conditioning here in The Villages. I know someone who hangs her clothes out to dry. I know many who use rocks in their yard.

The formulas espoused to solve the problem have become like denominations in religions, do this, don't do that, and well, I will let you finish my thoughts.

Unless and until we can find out exactly what works we all will do what we think best. We are not unkind or unfeeling, most of us. I grow a little tired of the hatred.

:bigbow:

Johnny Rockets has great haddock!

Check out a company called 4 Ocean (4ocean.com)

This makes not even a tiny bit of sense. The entire contents of your beverage is in that glass. If the glass is dirty, then everything you drink from inside it is contaminated with the dirt/germs/whatever else. A straw won't change that.

The point is, Gracie, that there are a myriad of things people CAN do to help reduce waste and lengthen the time our species has to exist on this planet. If you are doing NONE of those things, then yeah - haters are gonna hate, and be justified.

If you do only SOME - then hey - you're making an effort, so go you.

If you're doing lots, then kudos - you're one of the game changers.

If you're doing lots AND advocating, then you're a hero.

So you have to ask yourself - do you want to be the target of hatred? Do you want to be a hero? Or would you feel comfortable somewhere inbetween the two? Most people fall somewhere inbetween the two. That's where I am. I do "some" plus a little more, but not a whole lot. But I try. And yes I have stopped using straws at restaurants. If it's wrapped, I hand it back. Except for my pina coladas, since those are frozen and you'd have to be insane to try and sip a frozen drink from the edge of the glass.

You can actually BUY solid, washable straws now, made from bamboo. Pretty awesome for home use, plus you could always bring one with you to the restaurants.

[QUOTE=Jazuela;1610225]The point is, Gracie, that there are a myriad of things people CAN do to help reduce waste and lengthen the time our species has to exist on this planet.

You see, that may not be the point. Industrialization may be the point. The defining problem. Shall we stop industrialization?

Protecting the environment and planet warming may not be the same issue. Or they may overlap. My beef is with the politics of it, the veins standing out on necks not even knowing what they think they are protecting. The religiosity of some environmentalists. The passion that I think often is misplaced or misdirected.

There are, as Uncle Ernie often told me, extremely sincere and passionate and highly focused people in Hell.

I think that most caring and educated people are very close to each other on this issue. So I will do what I am doing and you can do what you are doing.

Thanks for your post.
It may be a rip-off company, but interesting idea nevertheless.

It makes perfect sense. I don't want my mouth touching the rim and outside of the glass where the waiter has been gripping it in his hand.

Ripoff Report calls it a scam. Sez it's two guys who own a jewelry store, selling bracelets.

,,/,,

The big picture. The real picture.




Can You Guess Which Country is the Top Ocean Polluter?

Yes because China is the biggest importer of foreign waste for recycling which is going to change. Sometimes when you try to solve one problem you just create another. The big picture is actually much bigger than people realize.

This is why China is banning foreign waste | World Economic Forum

Bet your not sipping a straw with your wine?

I am not sure of your point here. I understand that the Ripoff Report is at best iffy.

And I think that the piece from Forbes is praising a company that scores high points for Something called A1, but I am not sure what that is.....

But I didn't find any evidence that you can feel confident about the two jewelers and their bracelets or couldn't figure out the point of the Forbes article. Perhaps you could rephrase it so that I can understand. I do know what "yep" means.

Yep...very interesting. :thumbup:


** Forbes Article

**ON EDIT: THIS IS A BAD LINK, BUT GOOGLE 'Bracelets Fund Ocean Cleanup, 1 Million Pounds And Counting' AND THE ARTICLE (as well as the quote below) on July 30, 2018...should come up.

I believe the reason for the inability to put the actual link in might be because, the author's last name is a banned word here on TOTV (Cart...with a 'K').

Sorry for the confusion. :ho:



As for sites purporting to identify 'ripoffs/scams,' here's an example...that's pretty interesting.

Ripoff Report

In other words, you can sign up, just 'give your word' (no one lies about these things, or has an agenda...right? :oops:)...to possibly having your opinion posted. :ohdear:

recycle

China is the biggest polluter because they import recycling???? [emoji19][emoji40][emoji53]

Poor developing nations like China are not held to the same standard.

[emoji555][emoji555][emoji555][emoji555][emoji555]

They import plastics for recycling but find that much of it is not usable but just waste and in the process creates more waste. It's never as simple as it sounds.

What I said.