The scandal of single-use plastics. #NationalRefillDay

Today, June 19th 2019, is #NationalRefillDay. The UK uses 7.7 BILLION single use, plastic water bottles every year and the problem is getting greater every year. This is not and has never been sustainable. Producers need to be charged 100% for the costs of processing this mess. That way, costs will have to be passed on to consumers and that will mean a reality of choice and a move towards more sustainable products. Market forces. Companies, governments, organisations and INDIVIDUALS need to take a much more pro-active approach to this scandal. Sending our unsustainable single-use plastic waste to other countries is not a solution. Global increases in plastic use is not an option. We have no choice but to do something drastic about this, NOW. #WarOnPlastic #ReduceReuseRecycle #NationalRefillDay

5p "charge". It's in the bag.

Can we please stop calling it a #BagTax. It is a 5p charge on those people who are too lazy, forgetful or stupid to find a way around it - let's say by bringing their own bags or boxes. Why we don't just ban 'plastic' bags and use an environmentally sound alternative that breaks down in to natural compounds within days of being exposed to water or sunlight, I will never understand. Is that really beyond the realms of imagination? People could then pay a charge for these bags to encourage re-use of 'Life' bags. The charge could be then be given to charity ( enforced, unlike at present )

There be dragons! ...Lots.

The population of China in 2014 is a staggering 1.355BILLION people. Just to put that in to context, that is more than the populations of the UK (63.7million), USA (319.5million), Russia (136.7million), France (66million), Germany (80.9million), Spain (47.7million), Ethiopia (99.94million), Egypt (86.8million) and Brazil (201.1million) COMBINED!!

With a growing population, a thirst for raw materials, unlimited low-wage labour and a massive export market, the Chinese economy is growing at close to 10% year on year. At some point soon they will overtake the USA as the major global economic force.  Add in the emerging Indian economy (1.23BILLION people!) and it is not difficult to see where the bulk of the worlds raw materials, energy needs, carbon emissions, jobs and business opportunities will be focused. Frightening.

The problem with the Co-op? Years of non-sustainable abuse.

The problems at the British Co-op are numerous and they reflect many of the problems within society at large. They have just announced £1.3 BILLION annual losses and have even issued an apology for their poor performance. For many years now they have paid out HUGE bonuses to those at the top, rewarding greedy people for failure in their roles, rewarded for overseeing poor investments, breaching financial rules and taking the business away from it's mutual roots. As a business model, you can not keep making bad decisions and reward people for gambling with and wasting money. Over the years, these bad business decisions, massive bonus payments and failure to stick to it's MUTUAL principals has resulted in the Co-op being sick, weak and fractured. A cooperative should benefit ALL of it's members equally and be a conscientious, sustainable and morally upright role model for a modern society. #greed #sustainable #ethical