Saturday, September 08, 2007

Money, money, money

Commy time again! At first I was ready to dismiss this - Call the fat cats’ bluff and tax their preposterous pay fairly - as another Peter Hainsian bit of political rabble-rousing (only this time in a journalistic, sociological way) drag-down nonsense, but I feel it is well considered and worth reading.

A bit like population, this is a BIG issue with little incentive for any statespersonlike individual (if such exists) to tackle, but the fact of the matter seems to me that if there are a lot of folk with a load more money than they can handle (celebs, big City types, ex-PMs), they are going to splurge in a consumer-driven orgy of excess spending on stuff and travel just to validate having it all.

Which, in turn, the media will serve and feed off. Which in turn, makes it seem unlikely that those less blessed will see why they should cut back.

The circle of strife?

What a waste?

This - Poor communication plagues waste industry - from Recycling and Waste World looks a promising start to helping the public.... if it gets heeded.

It's good to read some in the waste management industry feel the issue of communications with the consumer needs addressing, but I'd suggest that shouldering it as indicated is bearing too much of the burden alone.

Every aspect of waste, from the moment it gets dug out the ground as raw materials to the moment it is returned to it as landfill (or not) at point of disposal, needs to be properly coordinated at national level. Beyond simple improvements in enviROI, only then can the consumer be properly expect to play their - highly necessary - part.

There surely have to be coherent, complementary, KISS explanations at point of sale (and associated advertising) agreed and shared by all involved in the chain that leads to purchase and beyond - government, LA, quangos, manufacturers, retailers - as well as those tasked to deal with it all.

The current system(s) regarding healthy food show how different information may tick some boxes but not best serve the optimum desired result. Once we have food miles and/or carbon footprints in the several competing ways already embraced and/or mooted, plus a litter of marketing logos (Future Friendly looking like the latest player), I half expect to have a CDR attached to my Smarties just to explain all it’s deemed necessary I know!

And while online resources can do a lot, and recognizing the first quoted case is more industry based, simply pointing at a website cannot be the solution. Especially as one holds a bottle in one’s hand over the bin. So Hampshire CC is to be commended and I look forward to seeing how they address this issue.

Currently, as I look at a pack with at least three types of plastic on it, and up a slot on the skip that says such as 'HDPE 1 only' on it, I remain unsure as to what to do for the best and don't feel much has been made easy to help me... to help.

So, for now, I'll just find a reuse for it.