Living In Garbage Dump
When I was young I was living in communism. This mainly was proven by lack of everything and people were basically happy when they could buy the minimum set of things for living (bread, meat, milk, etc...). This for sure was not good and I do not miss this time, although when I recently went shopping I have realized that it had one good side... less garbage.
OK, let me try to explain this. It is not that just because we could not buy things then there was no garbage, but it was mostly caused that the things were either packed in fully recyclable materials (gray paper) or into reusable bottles (milk, mineral water, cream, lemonade, beer, vodka, etc).
It was basically hard to fill the garbage can if we do not consider non-organic materials. Probably it could last for a week or two. Mostly the garbage disposal consisted of organic matters (food remains and food processing remains).
Recently I have paid attention to how we destroy our planet by producing unlimited garbage dumps. Plastic bottles, triple package for a simple cracker, blisters for packing paper bags in which there is packaged can. All kinds of advertisements attached to products, etc.
Sunday I went for shopping, I bought some goods and I was shocked, that just stripping those daily products from useless layers of packages I have filled my garbage bin.
I understand that in capitalism, to attract consumers to buy one of million same products one needs to create better and more attractive package, but this will definitely ruin our planet pretty soon.
While 50 years ago there was virtually no packaging for goods, today a small family probably produces a cubic meter of garbage per week (those plastic packages refuse to fold into thin layers).
Soon we will be living in a huge valleys between mountains of garbage.
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I think there's a city in
I think there's a city in Japan that's literally near (or is) a land fill. When I moved here, I was pretty shocked how much plastic bags and other wrappings were used (compared to what I experienced in the U.S.). You go to a convenience store here, order two items (one hot, one cold), and you'll more than likely get them placed separately in plastic bags. What a waste ... especially when you'll be eating those things two seconds after paying for them!
I usually just say 「袋がいらない。」(I don't need a bag) these days. Saves trouble. One thing (I think) some stores are doing here is charging people for plastic bags if they don't bring their own bag. But I'm not sure how that will catch on here.
Bags!
I see the same thing in China daily. I buy bread, meat and soap and everything I will get packed in separate bags. Even if all those items are already packed in 3 layers of package.
Last time what I saw was really a lot: tuna fish salad (about 50 grams) in metal can, crackers (two small pieces, in aluminium foil wrap, plastic spoon, plastic fork, plastic knife, one small tissue in plastic wrap) - all this packed into blister package with two pieces of paper saying whats that, this blister packed into paper bag with a plastic handle and hanging small set of 5 flyers at the side of bag advertising other products of this company. This was Japanese product btw, but it is not the point. So, for 50 grams of tuna and 5 grams of crackers it had like 300 grams of packaging taking huge space. How efficient!!!
Also speaking of plastic bags, here you just get them for everything. You buy 1 nail, you get plastic bag. You buy coke in cup, you get it with lid, straw... and they put it into plastic bag. Even damn advertisements people put into plastic bag and hang at my door handle.
And then those plastic bags need like 2 million years for disintegration.
Packaging in Japan is
Packaging in Japan is overkill. When I went back to the US recently I noticed the difference. Both countries have convenience stores, but in Tokyo everything is so clean and neatly wrapped. Some cookies even singly wrapped inside the sealed box.
The problem with simpler packaging is that when I buy a small a present to bring back (or お土産, omiyage) I'm never satisfied because I end up handing out something that is of course a stupid present but that also doesn't present itself very well at all.
When however I have to bring a small present outside Japan it's very easy. Packaging is so much nicer that I could actually just get away with a snack bought at the drug store.
It's a clear waste of materials, but at the same time in Tokyo (not all areas) recycling is not only promoted but actually forced onto the citizens.
I can trash burnable and raw trash only 2 days per week, non-burnable is one day per week, along with aluminum cans and glass bottles. Most trash is not supposed to be trashed at night (because crows and cats will try predate it) and it's picked up early in the morning.. big pain in the ass. I usually leave it there at night, because I don't want to leave the house before taking a shower !
Saturday instead there is papers and cardboard recycling. Newspapers and magazines need to be stacked and wrapped with a string.
Same with cardboards which of course need to be cut at the edges so that they can be folded flat and wrapped !
Trash bags are somewhat translucent, there are actually designated bags that one can buy. Though it seems that those that I get from the groceries are also OK.. if some trash is not OK it's left there with some message.
A few times someone left some large stuff outside, TV, VCR even a sofa, and those were there for weeks or months ! For large trash one should make a phone call, buy some stamps at the convenience store and then leave the trash outside for a special pickup !
...pain in the ass !!!
In Kyoto and Osaka I think one can use black plastic bags.. lucky you.. I got so used to selecting trash, that if feels funny to actually trash all things in the same bin 8)
The black(or blue) plastic
The black(or blue) plastic bags are no more. Just these specially marked yellow ones now. I heard it was mainly done because the garbage workers wanted more money ... more a political thing I think. :(
It's probably a good thing that the trash rules are forced on people seeing how when it comes to handling trash, it's just easier to trash things carelessly ...
But that doesn't necessarily solve the "plastic bag for everything" problem. Seems like China's also on the "plastic everywhere" bandwagon ... 8P
I lived in communism too,
I lived in communism too, and although I dont remember much, somehow I seem to recall there was a lot more trash outside then there is here. I dont remember seeing plastic bags, but there was always a lot of construction waste, like cement, paint and iron pipes lying around everywhere. Old furniture, old bicycles, broken light bulbs, stuff like that...
Also almost ever year there were days that we couldn't swim in the sea, because some oil tanker decided to have its cargo bay washed, by just emptying it into the water...
And here is another example
And here is another example of Japanese packaging (watch to the end).
http://www.glumbert.com/media/dolphin
I am not a liberal or a humanitarian. In fact if anything I am probably more on the conservative, right wing side.
You want to eat dolphin, fine, shoot it, or electrocute it, or find some other way to kill it quickly.
But wtf??? In a country that is so technologically advanced, they drag them on the asphalt and then some fat guy cuts its throat with a knife and lets it bleed to death? And he cant even cut it properly the 1st time? And we are not talking about pigs or cows here, these are dolphins, the 2nd most intelligent species on earth....
Judging from the comments I
Judging from the comments I don't even want to watch it !
What's killing of animals that happens in some town in Japan got to do with packaging ?
I can assure you that killing of dolphins isn't a national sport over here.
Oh you have to watch the
Oh you have to watch the video to see the packaging connection.
Right in the end they show the dolphin meat neatly packaged into those small cute bags.
inhumane killing of dolphins
wtf i am an avid animal lover and that is a cruel and inhumane thing that they are doing with dolphins they should be shut down and fined and that video should be shown if it has already not been shown to green peace that is so babaric i think its not enough you say its not a sport i dont know what you call it then isnt there enough fish to eat instead of slaughtering these poor innocent animals and then putting them in pretty packaging
Mr. Rince, welcome to the
Mr. Rince, welcome to the paradox known as Japan. I mean, even in Africa when people kill the animals for food, it's done respectfully ... As we see, being technologically advanced doesn't necessarily cause a person to be a better human being ...
Chickens vs Dolphins
Though I understand it's not the same, I don't think that American cows or chickens get much "respect", not for the way they live nor for how they die.
Hunting can be an ugly thing but it's certainly more natural than growing animals in cramped spaces for the sole purpose to eat them. Or more meaningful than to kill a bull for pure spectacle.
I looked into the issue and there is an interesting article on Wikipedia.
Apparently the slitting of the throat has been banned, but not really enforced.
This is probably due to Japanese culture itself, where people aren't famous for protesting.. which is sometimes a good thing, but ultimately a mistake I think.
Anyhow I'll gladly miss the packaging section, if I can avoid watching such an emotionally charged and dramatic video !
I think the main problem is
I think the main problem is that this dolphin hunting is an old tradition, and in the old days people didn't know the difference between sea mammals and fish.
So dolphins are treated just like any other fish. And the fishermen dont want to change their ways.
I really dont care much about fish, cows or chickens, because in the end they are animals with very limited intelligence. However I think that dolphins deserve to be treated better...
By the way there are a lot of very disturbing issues arising from 'civilized' mans interaction with nature. For example there is this Outdoor Network channel on TV that sometimes shows hunting. What it amounts to is that they take a 'hunter' to some private ranch that has a lot of wildlife. Then they basically drive him to the spot where the deer or whatever come to eat. He gets out of the car sets up his long range rifle with an optic sight, or sometimes the driver sets it up for him, and shoots the deer that has been conveniently placed in an easy to spot location. So in the end all the 'hunter' has to do is walk 10 feet and pull the trigger =)
The driver and his helper then go out to fetch the dead deer, load it on the back of the truck and they drive back to the ranch which is basically like a hotel.
What kind of hunting is that???
In soviet Russia... old
In soviet Russia... old furniture trash you ! (maybe ?)
That was a long time ago, and now you live in the USA and I can tell because you even started mixing up "then" with "than". Perhaps it's time to go back to programming BASIC, with all those IF ... THEN 8P (#losangeles reversal ?!)
Thats true, I spoke much
Thats true, I spoke much better english before I came to the USA.
I think a lot of it has to do with communicating more online though.
Online english is far from perfect =)
When it comes to spelling
When it comes to spelling though it's better to write than to speak. Pronunciation is what's confusing !
Well all I can say is that
Well all I can say is that in south africa people pay a lot more attention to correct grammar, both written and spoken.
Here in the US it seems, that the main emphasis is just on getting yourself understood and nobody cares much for correct spelling or grammar as long as they get your meaning.
Also online english is almost a language in its own right =) Not to mention the 'all your base are belong to us' gaming engish.
I agree, Mr Duddie. In the
I agree, Mr Duddie. In the past the garbage was lower, and not only in communist countries. I remember that indeed we also used to have recyclable materials such as glass bottles that we traded in, plus we had fabric napkins, mostly no plastic plates and so on and so forth.
There really was no big need for huge (and costly) government-wide recycling programs, as most of the object we used daily were indeed already recyclable. And this is more and more true the more you go back in time!
Well, one more reason to buy liquors instead of water: they do come in fully-recyclable glass bottles!
spain
There isn't much recycling at all in Spain (compared to other european countries like germany and, well, most of western europe). There are a few special containers (far) for glass and batteries, also for paper since 2-3 years ago, but that's totally voluntary, you can just mix everything in a bag and drop it in the street container (which is what most people do).