• Tygr@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    Cool, so we’re going to eliminate all the plastic in packaging at supermarkets and retail, right? Right?

    • BombOmOm@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      Plastic at supermarkets is very effective at reducing food spoilage. Ditching the plastic will result in much more food hitting the bin, and higher food costs. Given all that binned food must be created and transported again, it’s a huge net negative for the environment.

      • Deceptichum@quokk.au
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        5 months ago

        If only there was some other way we can protect bananas, like a thick outer layer we could peel off.

        • bobs_monkey@lemm.ee
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          5 months ago

          Everything is a tradeoff. Until we develop a coat effective solution for maintaining freshness (and the other varieties of plastics usage), it’s more or less the best option we have for now.

          • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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            5 months ago

            I would say a better option would to be stores only selling local (or at least regional) produce when it’s fresh and local produce that can survive the winter without spoiling when it isn’t. And no, don’t make this the responsibility of the consumer. Don’t even give the consumer the option of buying kiwis grown in Chile when it’s February and they’re in Chicago.

        • Sixner@lemmy.world
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          5 months ago

          Microplastics have been found in a fair number of foods already. Fish especially.

          I’m on board with reducing plastics, but grocery stores are lower on the list than say… All the non food stores like hardware, hobby, and clothing stores.

          It’s a tall order overall, any progress is a step on the right direction.

      • Maeve@kbin.earth
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        5 months ago

        mycelium wrappers can be pretty effective, and just as inexpensive, once producers are prodded into compliance.

      • pageflight@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        Eating local/seasonal reduces the need for long shelf life. Not always possible, but industrial agriculture definitely pushes us away from it and is something policy could help reverse.

      • Cocodapuf@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        100%.

        Plastic works for beverage containers, but aluminum does a better job anyway. We should just use aluminum, always. There are even aluminum containers with screw tops, plastic is just unnecessary.

          • Cocodapuf@lemmy.world
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            5 months ago

            Ok, glass is acceptable. They’re both technically infinitely recyclable (unlike plastic).

            Although it is easier to get aluminum back to a usable state. You can for instance melt down a whole vat of aluminum and reprocess the whole lot of it. But a similar vat of mixed glass, you can melt it down but it’s hard to get all the color out of a mix of clear brown and green bottles, and you really want a clear base product.

  • ImADifferentBird@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    5 months ago

    You know, it seems like a lot of plans have been coming out of the White House lately, that sound absolutely amazing. But given the timing, I have to wonder how much of this is them throwing anything they can at the wall to see what sticks.

    Don’t get me wrong, at this point, I’d vote Biden over Trump even if the man was literally comatose. But I’m just wondering if this is an attempt by the Biden admin to get any allies they can get in preparation for a convention fight and a difficult election when the candidate himself has proven to be unable to motivate people.

    • fitjazz@lemmyf.uk
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      5 months ago

      Is this your first election cycle? It is SOP for the incumbent administration to push big popular legislation when it is coming up to election time. There will be even more coming in the next few months.

    • ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      5 months ago

      Don’t get me wrong, at this point, I’d vote Biden over Trump even if the man was literally comatose.

      Might have to lol.

  • gac11@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    Hate to tell you but aluminum cans are plastic lined. That’s why beer doesn’t taste as bad as it used to in cans

  • BuckFigotstheThird@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    yay. can I have trans rights equal to cis rights in all 50 states now, please?

    Also, bunker fuel burning ocean boats pollute more than every car on the planet put together.