Eco-pointless marketing

[Saracen999]

Just read a BBC story claiming that McDonalds replaced their recycleable plastic straws last year, to some fanfare, with 'environmentally friendly' paper ones that aren't recycleable.

Way to go, guys.

Another reason, as if I needed one beyond the food, to not go there.

But it makes me wonder, in the wider world, just how many 'eco' projects genuinely are, and how many are just milking the eco-marketing bandwagon?

[TeePee]

There are a number of US cities that have banned plastic bags (which, these days are made from recycled, recyclable and biodegradable materials) in favour of paper bags that require ten times the energy to produce....

[Zak33]

as time moves on, we will find the truth about all the eco nonsense.

for food to travel well, plastic works.
For "paper" to be usefully air tight, and mpoisture tight, it's nearly always got a plastic lining, which is nearly impossible to recycle, unlike plastic,

So when you see those sandwich bags, looking all "brown papery" and more natural... they aint. You'd be better with them in a plastic case like they were, cos it's recycled easily.

[Dashers]

Just, most of it isn't recycled, it lands up in land-fill. Where things don't biodegrade very well, if at all.

What we need to do is find a smarter method of moving away from single-use packaging. When I was younger we went to the grocers and bought our fresh food in standard brown paper bags, easy to recycle.

My wife tried to do her bit and took some containers to Tesco to buy from the meat counter. And then watched as they cracked open standard 6-pack of sausages they sell on the shelf and put them out on the counter. Using your own container just means the super market throws away the plastic for you.

Regarding the straw bit, there is so much eco-hate I take everything I hear on the Internet with a big pinch of salt. Cite please. Is it that when plastic straws are thrown away (which most are), they don't biodegrade and land up in our oceans and paper ones whilst are also not recyclable, will in fact decompose in an environmental friendly way?

[Ttaskmaster]

So leaving aside the deforestation to make way for Massed livestock farming, and all the other things impacting the environment in order to bring you the world's Most famous and Most hideous, tasteless, disgusting junk food... it's gonna be the non-plastic straws that break the McCamel's back, is it?

[Saracen999]

So leaving aside the deforestation to make way for Massed livestock farming, and all the other things impacting the environment in order to bring you the world's Most famous and Most hideous, tasteless, disgusting junk food... it's gonna be the non-plastic straws that break the McCamel's back, is it?

No, but that wasn't my point. My point was the cynicism of companies trying to pretend they're all eco-friendly when .....


The singke biggest step that could be taken would be to provide straws of any type, only when necessary, and perhaps, on request.

I get why a thick milk-shake might be argued as needing a straw. That said, I make my own milk-shakes and smoothies at home and have yet to need a straw, so if likkle ol' me can do it with my blender, I struggle to see why a multi-billion dollar food multinational can't manage it. Maybe it's because they're concentrating all their efforts on cynical green marketing.

But what kind of wimp needs a straw to drink a flippin' cola?


Note: Those with young kids or medical need can be considered non-wimps for using a straw, but if you're fit, healthy and more than about 5, act yer age and drink yoyr cola properly. Straws have a place, but not as the default for all customers. IMHO, of course.

[Ttaskmaster]

The singke biggest step that could be taken would be to provide straws of any type, only when necessary, and perhaps, on request.

I assume they'd need specially trained people to know when and when not to provide such things... or is that just another of my straw-man arguments?


So you don't think simply bombing McDonalds out of existence, thus solving many problems including that of fake eco-straws, would be the single biggest (and bestest) step to take, then......? OK, I'll just go unpack my gear again and sit quietly in a corner somewhere...

Edit: Oh, for the record - Dentists did, at one time, advocate using straws for carbonated/sugary drinks, as it directs the beverage past your teeth and helps prevent them from rotting out of your head. Jus' sayin'...

[sammyc]

Just, most of it isn't recycled, it lands up in land-fill. Where things don't biodegrade very well, if at all.

What we need to do is find a smarter method of moving away from single-use packaging. When I was younger we went to the grocers and bought our fresh food in standard brown paper bags, easy to recycle.

I was probably not the only one taken aback (naively no doubt) by Tesco discontinuing not only plastic bags for home deliveries but the handled brown paper ones, can't be beyond them to bring out a chargeable fully recyclable brown bag like what you refer to, surely?

Re the straws, "A petition by irate McDonald's customers to bring back plastic straws has so far been signed by 51,000 people" is full-on, 21floz, lame, whiny & pitiful.

[TooNice]

But what kind of wimp needs a straw to drink a flippin' cola?


Note: Those with young kids or medical need can be considered non-wimps for using a straw, but if you're fit, healthy and more than about 5, act yer age and drink yoyr cola properly. Straws have a place, but not as the default for all customers. IMHO, of course.

I very, very, seldom drink fizzy soft drinks (maybe when I am travelling and find a local drink) and if I end up in a McDonald, which I can't remember the last year I did, I'll swap the fizzy soft drink with a Minute Maid.. which comes in a small bottle.

That said, McDonald serve fast food, some people may opt to take away part way through their meal and those cups are designed to be spill resistant walking in your hand. And a straw allows you to drink without fiddling with the cover.

I am sure there are a lot of things marked as eco-friendly that aren't. I once bought a solar chargeable portable battery. Thought it would be handy during long (multi-day/multi-week). The piece of junk took forever to charge despite being under a clear sky all day and probably wouldn't offset the energy used to make the darn thing.

[Saracen999]

....

So you don't think simply bombing McDonalds out of existence, thus solving many problems including that of fake eco-straws, would be the single biggest (and bestest) step to take, then......? OK, I'll just go unpack my gear again and sit quietly in a corner somewhere...

Well ..... now that you mention it, I do have this little list. Or, I suppose, not actually that little a list. I can certainly add to it. If you would be so kind as to start at the top, though.

....

Edit: Oh, for the record - Dentists did, at one time, advocate using straws for carbonated/sugary drinks, as it directs the beverage past your teeth and helps prevent them from rotting out of your head. Jus' sayin'...

I remember discussing that with a dentist friend some years back.

Know what he said?

Never mind bleeping straws, just don't drink that bleeping bleep in the first place.


Note: To avoid a moderatorial conniption fit, I have slightly modified a word or two, and I leave it to the detective ability of the reader to determine which, and their imaginations to unbleep things.

[Saracen999]

... straw man argument ....

Oh, groan.

/excuse me while I go get your hat and coat

[DanceswithUnix]

But what kind of wimp needs a straw to drink a flippin' cola?

Someone with a brace on their teeth. Things like fruit juice and fizzy drinks can interact with the little metal squares on the teeth and leave permanent square marks on the enamel, so you have to use a straw to get the drink directly to the back of the mouth. Given the target market of the place that's probably a fair percentage of their market.

[Saracen999]

Someone with a brace on their teeth. Things like fruit juice and fizzy drinks can interact with the little metal squares on the teeth and leave permanent square marks on the enamel, so you have to use a straw to get the drink directly to the back of the mouth. Given the target market of the place that's probably a fair percentage of their market.

I did say, though, that those with actual need, like "medical" needs, which I would say that includes, were exempt from my wimp jibe.

But, for example, when the wife and I go for fast food (which admittedly is pretty rare, can't remember any occasion this year or last), neither of us have such need and yet we get given straws by default.

If we merely stop giving out straws when they aren't needed, we could well reduce straws by .... who knows, 50%? .... at a single move. And however we view it, reducing how much we use unnecessarily is always going to be better than recycling what we use but didn't need in the first place. I don't need a straw to drink a coke .... unless sitting in a moving car, and even then, there are other options.

[Ttaskmaster]

If you would be so kind as to start at the top, though.

Ready to go. Just waiting on your transfer of funding to our offshore accounts...

/excuse me while I go get your hat and coat

Don't forget to pick up my lariat, as well.

[Saracen999]

Ready to go. Just waiting on your transfer of funding to our offshore accounts...

...l.

Fu ......fu......fu.....funding?

And here's me thinking you were a friend. I dunno, friends can't even indulge in a bit of annihilation, devastation and utter carnage without expecting a payday. Where's the duty, patriotism, enthusiasm? Now when I were a lad ....

/drifts off with wistful memories of days long gone.

[Ttaskmaster]

And here's me thinking you were a friend.

I am a friend... just not a rich one.
The giveaway there was how I've never taken you to a McDonalds Sail-Thru aboard one of my private motor yachts.

Where's the duty, patriotism, enthusiasm? Now when I were a lad ....

When you were a lad, they executed the king for bankrupting this country in a war with France... because even back then, carnage, warfare and devastation cost money, and the treasury was not bottomless.