Hashtags

29 March 2023 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 6 archive

#PIRBags&Packaging

#PIRCleaningUp

#PIRDisposablesReusablesRefills

#PIRFoodDrink

#PIRGeneralHome Made

#PIRHomeGardenOffice

#PIRPersonalWardrobe

#PIRShops

#PIRSpecialDays

#PIRLifestyle

As ever I’ll be posting my latest plastic free finds here and on social media – (most often on Facebook) using the hashtag

The Plastic Free Garden

I’ve updated the seed post to include heritage and plastic free seed. You can find that and other plastic free garden products here.

#2023plasticfreegarden. You can see the 2023 Garden Facebook album here

Easter

Easter Sunday falls on April 9, 2023 so time to get busy. We have a few older ideas to make it less plasticky including refillable eggs and plasticfree sweets. You can find them here.

Has to be said that egg makers are much more plastic aware these days so you should be able to find one plastic free on the high street. I am tracking the ones I find.

You can find them and other plastic free easter finds over here on Facebook tagged #plasticfreeeaster2023. Feel free to add your own.

If you can’t, this has to be most ethical, online list of eggs ever – all plastic free and sent to you in plastic-free, onward packaging. Visit the website

2023
#plasticfreeproducts2023 – for all the plastic free products I’ve source this for this year
Type of products include
#2023plasticfreereusables

#plasticfreesupermarket2023 – type of venue #plasticfree xxxx 2023 – xxxx being the name of the store. So far there’s
#plasticfreeLidles2023
Lidles
Found quite a lot of plastic free stuff in in Lidles #plasticfreeLidles2023
(Love to see they still do the loose nuts.) See them here on FB or check out my twitter feed.

N.B.
lines changes, products get removed. For more information why not ask the Plastic Is Rubbish FB group for updates. They are a great source of tidbits, personal experience and the latest news. Why not join them and share the plastic free love x

Join our Facebook group here

Price of a cup of tea – micro fund me here

Do I keep the Blog?

So I used to do a monthly newsletter documenting each my plastic fails and successes. But since but since the pandemic I have felt rather uncertain about writing on the subject. First I myself was being hounded from pillar to post. The pandemic hit when we were in Thailand. We had planned to stay some time and ended up on the last plane out. Since then I have done three lockdowns and four quarantines in separate countries.

Obviously we have had to shop how we can.

And I have a lot of resources. I have managed to be reasonably plastic free and also use independents… but the thought of lecturing others on the subject seems unfair and unproductive.

So I have taken an unintentional sabbatical.

In the meantime I have been considering whether or not my input is still valid. When I started there were very few of us campaigning on the subject. Now there are well established and funded charities. But more on that later.

In short, I hope that any readers of the blog are well and happy. That you have managed as best you can and have survived the worst. My thoughts are with you. Let’s hope this year is better.

And some sort of service may well be resumed. Watch this space.

Join our Facebook group here

Cork

1 May 2018 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 6 archive Tagged 00 working, 4 plastivan 3 Comments

Flexible Rubber cork

Nitrile rubber is synthetic rubber. it can be used to bond cork to make a flexible sheet
like Klinger NI27 Rubber Bonded Cork
Klinger rubber bonded cork is bonded with synthetic rubber, it provides the compressibility of cork with the resilience of rubber. This material has high mechanical strength.
Manufactured from high quality cork oak bonded with synthetic rubber
Rubber cork sheets are made from cork aggregate and different rubber mixes, neoprene, silicone and polyurethane. The final product is incredibly elastic, durable and resistant against grease, oil, fuels, gases and many other chemical substances. It is used as a seal material for cars, agricultural machines and industry seals. Read more.

But you can get expanded cork boards that don’t use synthetic binders.
Expanded insulation cork sheets are natural, balanced and unbeatable cork products that, with this special type of agglomerated cork, do not contain polyurethane or any other fillers or additives. Due to the high temperature processing treatment it expands (similarly to popcorn) and suberin that is releases during is a natural adhesive that binds the expanding grains. This way we produce a wonderful, natural and sustainable material that offers a perfect vibroisolation, thermal insulation and acoustic isolation.
Find them here.

Heres some more information on expanded cork

and this about using cork in the green home.

Some notes on insulation

The green van. You can see all our related posts here Thermal conductivity, often denoted by the greek symbol λ ,measures …
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Some notes on insulation

3 April 2018 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 6 archive Tagged 4 plastivan, 5 Content Veiw

The green van. You can see all our related posts here

Thermal conductivity, often denoted by the greek symbol λ ,measures of how easily heat flows through a material, independent of the thickness of the material in question.

The lower the thermal conductivity = the slower heat will move across a material= good

It is measured in Watts per Metre Kelvin (W/mK).

0.008 W/mK for vacuum insulated panels = very good = retains heat

0.061 W/mK for certain types of wood fibre = not so good looses heat

R-Values

The R-value is a measure of resistance to heat flow through a given thickness of material.

The higher the R-value the better its insulating properties.

The R-value is calculated by using the formula

Where:

l is the thickness of the material in metres and

λ is the thermal conductivity in W/mK.

The R-value is measured in metres squared Kelvin per Watt (m²K/W)

“The R-value is therefore a relatively simple way to compare two insulating materials if you have the thermal conductivity for each material. It also allows you to see the impact of adding thicker layers of the same insulating material.”

But ” R-values only take into account conduction. It does not include either convection or radiation.”

so on to

U-Values

takes into account all factors and is the most reliable method of measuring but it is more difficult to calculate.

“The U value of a building element is the inverse of the total thermal resistance of that element. The U-value is a measure of how much heat is lost through a given thickness of a particular material, but includes the three major ways in which heat loss occurs – conduction, convection and radiation.”

To Conclude

Thermal Resistance = how fast heat passes through a material independent of thicknessshown as λ / W/mK .The higher the number the better
R-Values takes the thickness of the material into account – so thermal resistance in more detail. (m²K/W) Again higher is better.
U-Values.
The U-Value is the most accurate measurement of a material’s insulating ability, In this case THE LOWER the number the better.

Very good read HERE

Why should I insulate and where?

A useful ARTICLE HERE.

For our van, we used Elephant Bark 1/4″ rubber (also called Stall Mats) as an MLV-type layer on the floor. We isolated it from the stock wooden van floor using a layer of LowE foil-faced closed cell foam. The full stack of materials gives us a good combination of heat and sound damping.

On the walls, we used DB2-4walls. It’s a .75lb/sf. product, 1/8″ thick. We didn’t use it throughout the van, but we did put sheets of it behind the door panels before we re-applied them.

(thats 6.35mm thick!)

From a useful ARTICLE.

used rubber on the floor

Rubber rolls can be installed in minutes with 2-sided carpet tape, no messy adhesive needed
Rubberized flooring made from abrasion and wear resistant 100-Percent USA produce recycled rubber
Extremely durable which makes this product ideal for deck flooring or dog mats for kennels
This rubber flooring roll is an excellent way to turn your concrete floors into comfortable, warm, and protective rubber surfaces
Ideal for use as: sports flooring, garage floor covering, basement flooring, gym equipment mats, and horse trailer floor covering

First, let’s see where, on average, the most heat leaves the house, what the target insulation value should be and what measures are appropriate. This is found in Table 1.

Building feature	Heat loss (%)	Target U-value (EPC Band B)	Possible solutions
Table 1: heat loss through building elements, target insulation levels and insulation solutions
Walls	35 %	0.15	Cavity, internal or external wall insulation
Windows and doors	15 %	1.6	Double/triple/secondary glazing / shutters and curtains
Roof	25 %	0.10	Pitched, warm deck or cold deck roof insulation
Floor	15 %	0.15	Floor insulation
Gaps, cracks, draughts	10 %

Image (click to zoom) Material K-value (W/mK) Notes

Material	Depth
Table 2: depth of insulation required to reach a U-value of 0.15W/m²K

Expanded polyurethane	130 mm
Unfaced polyurethane	160 mm
Rockwool (60 – 100kg/m³)	195 mm
Glassfibre slab	205 mm
Expanded polystyrene	215 mm
Mineral wool	225 mm
Flax	230 mm
Expanded Corkboard (110kg/m3)	240 mm
Glass fibre quilt	240 mm
Cork slab (160kg/m³)	250 mm
Woodwool board	250 mm
Cellular sheet glass	280 mm
Foam glass (140kg/m³)	305 mm
Cork slab (140kg/m³)	325 mm
Foam glass (130kg/m³)	330 mm

Material	Depth
Table 2: depth of insulation required to reach a U-value of 0.15W/m²K

Table 5: Summary comparison of different insulation materials
Organic sources
These have absorbed carbon from the atmosphere and so are more climate-friendly
Sheep’s wool batts and rolls 0.038 – 0.043 Can absorb some moisture whilst remaining efficient
Wood fibre batts 0.038 – 0.043 Good for most walls, ceilings, roofs, timber joisted floors.
Cotton-based batts and rolls 0.038 – 0.043 Best for horizontal surfaces.
Cellulose (loose, batt or board) (e.g. Warmcel, Homatherm) 0.038 – 0.040 Recyclable, renewable, made from finely shredded newspaper, easy to install, best for horizontal services.
Flax batts, slabs and rolls approximately 0.042 Hard to obtain and expensive.
Hemp batts 0.043 Relatively expensive.
expanded-corkboard Expanded Corkboard (e.g. Amorim, Korktherm, Westco) 0.040 – 0.050 Commonly used as underlay under hardwood and ceramic floors.
Wood fibre board (eg. Pavatex) 0.039-0.46 Good for wall and pitched roof construction
Hempcrete (e.g. Hemcrete, Canobiote, Canosmose, and Isochanvre) 0.12 – 0.13 Made of hemp shiv with a lime matrix. High elasticity and vapour permeability. Used for external wall insulation. Typical compressive strength 20 times lower than low grade concrete. Density: 15 per cent of traditional concrete.
Naturally occurring minerals
Usually environmentally ok but some have high embodied energy – see Table 3
Aerogel (e.g. Spacetherm) 0.013 Flexible sheets and laminates, a type of glass and composite materials including plasterboard and sandwiched within PVC panels. Expensive but useful where width is limited as performance is so good. Not breathable.
Fibreglass mineral wool batts and rolls (BSI kitemarked available) (e.g. British-Gypsum Isover, Knauf, Superglass) or Fibreglass board (e.g. Isowool, Dritherm) 0.033 – 0.040 Made from molten glass, sometimes with 20 to
30 per cent recycled content. The most common residential insulant. Usually applied as batts, pressed between studs. Most include a formaldehyde-based binder – exceptions are beginning to appear.
Mineral (rock & slag) wool batts and rolls (BSI kitemarked available) (e.g. Rockwool) 0.033 – 0.040 Used for loft and cavity wall insulation.
Foamed glass slab (e.g. Foamglas) 0.042 High, durable compressive strength, non-permeable. Needs bitumen or synthetic adhesives to install.
Perlite 0.045 – 0.05 Naturally occurring volcanic glass that greatly expands and becomes porous when heated sufficiently. Must be installed in sealed spaces.
Exfoliated vermiculite 0.063 Clay-based, otherwise like perlite
Multi-foil insulation (or ‘Radiant barriers’) disputed Thinness makes it ideal for places where little width is available. Made from non-renewable petrochemicals and aluminium. Can have poor airtightness. Expensive, vulnerable to being punctured, which will render it useless.
Fossil fuels
These have emitted carbon to the atmosphere during manufacture. Avoid unless you don’t have the space or budget for natural products. All manufactured at high temperatures, derived from fossil fuels. Extremely high embodied energy. Non-breathable, so may cause damp problems.
Phenolic foam board (e.g. Kingspan Kooltherm) 0.020 – 0.25 For roofing, cavity board, external wall board, plaster board dry linings systems, floor insulation and as sarking board.
Expanded polystyrene board and beads (EPS) 0.032 – 0.040 Beads are used primarily in masonry cavities.
Extruded Polystyrene board (XPS) (e.g. Kingspan Styrozone) 0.028 – 0.036 Very high compressive strength.
Polyurethane/polyisocyanurate board and foam
(e.g. Kingspan Therma) 0.02 – 0.033 Foam or rigid board. Foam is sprayed in at high temperatures; within seconds it will expand by over 30 times giving a seamless rigid covering. Good for plugging gaps or leaks. High compressive strength.
Eco-wool (e.g. non-itch) – batts 0.039 – 0.042 Alternative to glass wool, made from 85 per cent recycled plastic. Comes in rolls or slabs. Suitable for loft and stud walls.
Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) variable approximately 0.040 A building method using pre-cut expanded polystyrene (EPS) or extruded polystyrene foam (XPS) to erect an airtight structure quickly that eliminates thermal bridging.

TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Thermal Conductivity: 0.036-0.38 W/mk for a declared value of EU label 0.04 W/mk

Thermal Resistance: R-3.6 to R-4.2/inch, declared value for EU label of R-4/inch

Density: 7.0-7.5 lbs/ft3 or 100-120 Kg/m3

Perpendicular Face Resistance:60 Kpa or 8.7 PSI

Compression Resistance: 10% at 100u Kpa (14.5 PSI)

Permeability:

1 1/2″ thickness:2.15 US perms
2″ thickness: 2.04 US perms
4″ thickness:1.26 US perms

Maximum Moisture Content: 8%, with water absorption declared at 0.5 kg/m3

Longitude Tolerance: +/-0.1 to 0.2″ or +/-3 to 5 mm

Thickness Tolerance: 0.04 to 0.1″ or +/-1 to 2 mm

Fire Resistance: Euro Class “E”

Why can insulation cause damp?

As you’ll know, insulation is designed to slow down heat transfer, keeping warm air in and cold air out. However, the more airtight your house is, the less natural ventilation it gets – and airflow is key for maintaining a healthy level of humidity indoors.

What people are often not told by insulation installers is that warm air holds more moisture, and this has got to go somewhere. If insulation means this water vapour cannot escape through walls or ceilings, it sinks into the fabric of the building, or its contents. It is important therefore to counter increased humidity with increased ventilation. Make sure to use extractor fans and/or open windows – especially when you’re doing something that creates a lot of steam, such as showering or cooking.

Damp after loft insulation

So you only “decided to insulate the floor of the space, rather than the roof. This is because there is very little point paying to heat your attic – and the nature of heat rising means that a lot of heating escapes up there! Insulating this space effectively will keep warm air in the main body of the house below, and your loft will get pretty cold as a result. As long as it is dry up there, this shouldn’t be an issue if you’re only going up now and then to grab boxes. Potential problems can arise when damp air gets into the space and reaches its dew point in the low temperature, condensing on surfaces, (and in some cases, the insulation material itself). Damp can set in and lead to mould, which can be tricky to get rid of. This is why it’s important to have adequate ventilation in the roof, and make sure any insulation doesn’t cover the vents. Something else you should consider carefully is the material you choose, as their abilities to resist damp vary hugely. If you use an insulation material that is not breathable, it soaks up water and keeps it there. Fibreglass, for instance, is easily soiled – and once it’s wet, it stays that way. Pure sheep wool, in comparison, helps regulate humidity in the air wherever it is. It can be more easily dried out, and its thermal performance is not affected when it holds water vapour.

Swaledale 50 Pure Wool Carpet Underlay
Never before has carpet underlay been this good.Swaledale our heavy weight pure new wool carpet underlay manufactured from 100% pure Swaledale wool. It is suitable for heavy domestic & heavy commercial use, ideal for all areas in your home especially stairs.Please Note: This product is now made with 100% Swaledale wool and has a new improved Jute scrim which is ideal for anyone wanting a totally natural product.

Buy per square metre £5.99 +VAT

KEY FEATURES OF OUR OPTIMAL SHEEP WOOL INSULATION:

Our Optimal insulation is 100% natural
Irritant free, it is easy to install and offers excellent heat and acoustic insulating properties.
Our Optimal insulation absorbs moisture, helping it regulate humidity in the roof space.
Optimal insulation has a density of 18 kg/m³
Available in widths of 380mm or 570mm to suit the distance between the joists in your loft
Available in thicknesses of 50mm or 75mm.

HOW TO CALCULATE HOW MUCH YOU NEED:

Using the thermal conductivity of this product (0.0385), you can work out either the thickness you require or the U-Value you will achieve. Simply divide the thermal conductivity by the thickness to work out the U-Value, or divide it by the U-value you want to reach to work out the thickness required.

0.0385 / Thickness = U-Value

0.0385 / U-Value = Thickness

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Kitchen

27 February 2018 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 6 archive Tagged 3.2 house, 3.2.2 Kitchen, 3.2.3 Buy On Line

Kitchen

We really try to reduce the amount of plastic in the kitchen. So we use
Metal ladles and serving spoons
Wooden spoons and spatulas
Metal pans not non-stick just normal. With metal handles
Sabatier knives metal and wood handle. Mine have been fantastic. Bought decades ago and still going!
Wooden chopping board
Kilner jars for home made jams and dried beans.
A metal kettle that sits on top of the stove

We have bought our stuff from a variety of places. If you really can’t find this in your local shops here’s a list of stuff on Amazon.

Amazon Catalogue


Tala Waxed Spoons, Set of 3 £3.00	5 Piece Wooden Kitchen Cooking Utensils Set… £2.98	Tala Utensils, Set of 3 £3.00

Kitchen Craft Deluxe Small Stainless Steel … £4.50	Richardson Sheffield V Sabatier 9 Piece Kni… £88.00	T&G TV Chef’s Choice Large Board in FSC… £42.99

Kilner Jar Round 1.5 Litre £6.75	Kilner Square Clip Top Bottle 250ml \| Kilne… £2.38	Kilner Jar £4.97


Safesip Drinks Glass and Cups Cover £5.99	4 Straight Metal Drinking Straw Stainless S… £5.49	4 Metal Drinking Straw Stainless Steel Reus… £5.49

6 Metal Drinking Straw Stainless Steel Reus… £7.49	Kitchen Craft Stainless Steel Two-in-One Dr… £4.25	Stainless Steel Zack Vitis Straw Spoon Set/4 £12.00

Sustainable Bamboo Drinking Straws – 12 Pack £14.95	Lifeventure Knife, Fork, Spoon Folding Cutl… £13.89	Travel Stainless Steel Foldable Pocket Chop… £2.42


Kitchen Craft Stainless Steel Double Handle… £3.99	Tea Ball Infuser 2″ 18/8 Stainless Steel. £0.72	Tea Ball/Strainer Mesh Tea Infuser Tea filt… £1.52 – £2.19

Kitchen Craft Le’Xpress Tea Strainer, Stai… £3.00	Stainless Steel Spoon Tea Leaves Herb Mesh … £1.60	2 Cup Glass Tea Pot with Infuser £15.25

Glass Stainless Steel Loose Tea Leaf Teapot…	VonShef Modern Stainless Steel 600ml Glass … £4.99	Sabichi 750 ml Glass Teapot with Infuser £23.50


VonShef Satin Polish Stainless Steel Tea Po… £6.99	Designer White Ceramic Tumbler Brewing System £15.00


Large Natural Bristle Dish Washing Brush – … £7.79	Natural Bristle Flask Brush £7.49	Eddingtons Grill Brush with Brass Bristles £3.95

Eddingtons Light Short Bristle Radiator Brush £7.00	Eddingtons Conical Bottle Brush £3.29	Grunwerg Cafe Ole Stainless Steel Stove Top… £11.82

Wesco Classic Line Stainless Steel 2 Litre … £49.99	Garden Trading Enamel Stove Kettle – Flint £31.50	Yoshikawa 1 Litre Stainless Steel Fons Drip…


BergHOFF 26 cm Earthchef Frying Pan £36.67	Stainless Steel Ice Cube Tray – BPA Free £40.00	Tala Snowflake Cutters £6.33

If You Care Baking Sheets Cut Unbleached 24… £8.21	THREE PACKS of If You Care Mini Baking Cups… £7.94	If You Care Baking Cups Mini £5.83

Waxed Paper, All Natural, 100% Soybean Wax,… £5.99	Wood and Pure Bristle Pastry Brush £1.40	Large Natural Bristle Dish Washing Brush an…

PLEASE NOTE

While the products look very similar to the ones we use, we have not actually bought or used these particular items. Nor can we cannot guarentee they will come free of plastic packaging.

es we do get an affiliation fee for this, and no we are not entirely happy with Amazons recent history. However, we have always found their service to be good and their packaging usually compostable.

Any money raised (!) will go to supporting the blog.

Wood treatment

1 February 2018 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 6 archive Tagged 4 plastivan

Building a new van and I want it to be as environmental and as plastic free as possible. Decorating is very dirty work and needs a lot of research.

You can see all our related posts here

Timber finishes include
varnishes –
paint –
oils –
waxes –
sealing

Timber finishes fall into 2 basic categories, those which provide a protective coating on the surface and those which penetrate (or soak into) the surface.
Varnishes, lacquers and paints provide protective surface coatings.
Oils provide penetrative finishes.
Waxes can be either, they can be applied to a varnished/painted surface (in which case they give a surface coating) or to bare timber (in which case they give a penetrative finish).
read more

Varnishes
Traditional varnishes and lacquers were made from resins and natural oils
Components of classic varnish would include a
Drying oil
Resin
Solvent Traditionally, natural (organic) turpentine was used as the thinner or solvent,

Most modern types of varnish are based on synthetic resins and thinners although low-fume, water based acrylic varnishes are also available.
Polyurethane is the most common solvent used in modern varnishes.and mineral-based turpentine substitutes such as white spirit or “paint thinner”, also known as “mineral spirit”.
Polyeurothenes are are petrochemical-based polymers.

Common polyurethane applications include:

Building insulation
Refrigerators and freezers
Furniture and bedding
Footwear
Automotive
Coatings and adhesives
Other applications read more here.

Catalysed varnishes provide a chemically cured surface which is harder than the normal Polyurethane varnishes and which gives a robust surface.

Water based acrylic varnishes are also available which give off less fumes during application, they cure by water evaporation. These tend to have shorter dry times than solvent based varnishes so that the job can be completed quicker. The finish look tends to be less natural looking than solvent based varnishes,
Normally all varnishes are available as clear or coloured varnish, even clear varnish will tend to darken the timber and, being a surface coating, a coloured varnish tends to ‘subdue’ the wood grain of the floor – to change the colour of the timber, it is often better to first stain the timber and then use a clear varnish rather than using a coloured varnish.

Oils.

Danish oil, Linseed oil, Teak oil and Tung oil are all suitable for both hardwood and softwoods and give the wood a natural looking finish, slightly darkening the timber while enhancing the grain.

Waxes.
Wax protects and enhances the appearance of the wood but can become easily marked especially by water spills.

Wax can also be applied to a varnish finish to give it additional protection. read more

Sealing.
Sealing is not a finish in its own right, just a requirement to treat the timber before a finish is applied.

Depending on the type of timber, ‘sealing’ has one of two functions – to keep the oils of the timber in or to prevent the subsequent finish from soaking too far into the timber. Most often the first applies to tropical hardwoods while the latter to softwoods.

Softwoods can generally be sealed by applying one or two coats of thinned varnish (30 to 50% – but check what the manufacturer states), this is suitable for both varnish and wax finishes.

Hardwoods can be more difficult to seal as they must first be ‘cleaned’, it is recommended that a specific ‘wood sealer’ is used and the manufacturer’s instructions followed as appropriate to the type of hardwood involved.

Shellac
This finish is actually a natural product (it’s made from combining a secretion from the female lac bug with a solvent such as alcohol) that is very safe once dried and hardened. In addition to adding a protective coat, it also can add a warm amber color to wood. It can be affected by heat (white rings will appear under a hot bowl or mug) or chemicals, so a kitchen table might not be the best place to use it. Fine furniture items can be greatly enhanced with shellac. Some shellac manufacturers recommend using it as a protective coat on non-wood items. Apply it with a natural bristle brush or with a cotton rag.

So which existing products shall I use?

Danish oil is a wood finishing oil, often made of tung oil or polymerized linseed oil, although there is no defined formulation so its composition varies among manufacturers.

Danish oil is a hard drying oil, meaning it can polymerize into a solid form. It can provide a hard-wearing, often water-resistant satin finish, or serve as a primer on bare wood before applying paint or varnish. It is a “long oil” finish, a mixture of oil and varnish, typically around one-third varnish and the rest oil.[1][2]

Dapwood furniture have this to say about danish wood oil

What does Danish Oil contain?

The ingredients contained in Danish Oil is extremely varied with each manufacturer having their own proprietary mixtures and percentages. However, most Danish Oils contain many of the following:

Toxic Waste
Mineral Spirits
Aromatic Petroleum Distillates
Mineral Oil
Stoddard Solvent
Tung Oil
Linseed Oil
Man-made and/or Natural Resins
Man-made and/or Natural Varnishes
Unspecified Vegetable Oil
Dipropylene Glycol Monomethyl Ether
Naptha
Japanese Dryers
Cobalt Dryers
Heavy Metal Dryers

Duvet

1 December 2016 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 6 archive Tagged 4 plastivan

There are lots of synthetic duvets on the market full of polyester and the like but even before I went plastic free I always preferred the cotton/feather covering. However I have become aware of other options.

Natural fillings include
Feathers
Silk
Wool
Cotton

There are all sorts of things you need to know when buying a duvet. What filling, pockets or channels, and what tog. all useful stuff and there are many good guides online which it is pointless to reproduce. I can recommend this one as covering all bases.

Duvets

Cotton Duvet John Lewis
BuyJohn Lewis Natural Light Cotton Comfort Duvet, 4.5 Tog, Single Online at johnlewis.com
£35.00 – £65.00
Country of Origin China
Cover material 100% Cotton; 190 thread count
Filling 100% Washed Cotton

N.B.

lines changes, products get removed. For more information why not ask the Plastic Is Rubbish FB group for updates. They are a great source of tidbits, personal experience and the latest news. Why not join them and share the plastic free love x

And before you go…

If you have found the #plasticfree information useful, please consider supporting us. It all goes to financing the project (read more here) or

Limewash & Paint

2 July 2016 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 6 archive Tagged 4 plastivan

Building a new van and I want it to be as environmental and as plastic free as possible. Decorating is very dirty work and needs a lot of research.

You can see all our related posts here

Lime is a calcium-containing inorganic mineral in which oxides, and hydroxides predominate. In the strict sense of the term, lime is calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide. It is also the name of the natural mineral (native lime) CaO which occurs as a product of coal seam fires and in altered limestone xenoliths in volcanic ejecta.[1] The word lime originates with its earliest use as building mortar and has the sense of sticking or adhering.Wikkipedia

Lime is derived from limestone or Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3), which has been burnt in a lime kiln at over 800 degrees centigrade to produce quicklime or Calcium Oxide (CaO).
In this process carbon dioxide and any water is driven off.
Quicklime is potentially dangerous having an avid thirst for water. This process creates a lot of heat and produces Slaked lime or Calcium Hydroxide (Ca(OH)2).
Builders merchants stock this material having been reground to a fine powder and called Hydrated Lime.

read more about making and using lime mortars here.

Whitewash
Whitewash, or calcimine, kalsomine, calsomine, or lime paint is a low-cost type of paint made from slaked lime (calcium hydroxide, Ca(OH)2) and chalk (calcium carbonate, (CaCO3), sometimes known as “whiting”. Various other additives are also used.

Lime Wash

Making
Limewash is made from lime putty, just dilute the putty 50/50 with water.

Lime putty can either be bought or made from bagged lime.

From Bagged Lime
Take bagged lime from any builders merchant, B&Q etc, (this is hydrated non-hydraulic lime) and mix with water to form a putty. Leaving the putty in a sealed container or under water for a couple of days is optional, some say it improves the texture.

Dilute it 50/50 to make limewash.

From Putty
Dilute the putty 50/50 with water. You now have limewash.

Recycling Cans

If I did a lot of decorating I would, if possible, buy paint in tins then recycle it through the Dulux can recycling scheme. The following was copied from their website

It’s easy to recycle with Dulux Decorator Centres
We’re all aware of the need to recycle cans – there’s no sense in waste and landfill just isn’t an option with a future.
The pressing need to providing a viable, sustainable alternative for UK industry has led directly to Dulux Decorator Centres’ Can Recycling Service. And crucially, it’ms a scheme that also adds up in business terms. Many large decorating contracts now specify that cans must be recycled, so being able to offer a proven, professional recycling policy has the benefits to be a genuine business winner

Everything is reused or recycled – nothing will go to landfill
The most comprehensive can recycling service in the UK
Handles solvent and water-based paints
The only service that can process wet cans as well as dry
The only service able to recycle woodcare product cans

Bring us your cans or have them collected
You can choose to bring your used Dulux Trade, Glidden, Dulux Trade Woodcare, Cuprinol and Sikkens cans to Dulux Decorator Centres, or we’ll pick them up on site if we’re delivering an order to your team. The vast majority of cans and residues can be handled, as shown below.
The cans we CAN recycle
Decorative paint cans
Security sealed wet cans
Dulux Trade or Glidden paint cans
Up to an inch or paint residue
Woodcare – Dulux Trade, Cuprinol and Sikkens
Water or solvent-based paint
Dry open cans (water-based)
The paints we CAN recycle
Emulsion
Satin
Floor paint
Gloss
Undercoat
Masonry paint
Eggshell
Primer
Exterior paint
The cans we CAN’T recycle*
Leaking cans
Nasty contents e.g. paint thinners/paint stripper
Wet paint with no lid
Cuprinol Sprayer and Sprayable Plus
Specialist or industrial paints
Aerosol
Paintpod & attached can
* Dulux Decorator Centre decision to reject cans is final and cannot be disputed.

2018 Clothes

30 June 2016 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 6 archive

Indian kurta top. Bought this Mumbai India 215
Bali dress. A very light weight cotton grey dress that I bought in Bali
homemade shorts
blue weave from Japanese cotton 142
thin cotton 136
Cardigan knitted from Shetland wool 315

liberty sleeveless made from yellow fabric I bought in India 175
merino jumper. Great to wear but has gone way too bobbly 220
blue striped jumper 173
poll tax tee shirt 132
Jeans from M&S
Leather hat

socks various pairs
japanese socks cotton 59
pyjamas present
long sleeve top present
1567

refigured
green trousers
boho scrap dress

Insulation for the van
wooden duvet

: Long wool tunic

: Skirt

: Long sleeves

: OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

: 3/4 lengths sleeves

: kate

: kate

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: OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

: OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Waxes, Oils & Varnish recipes

1 June 2016 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 6 archive Tagged 4 plastivan, 5 Content Veiw

Building a new van and I want it to be as environmental and as plastic free as possible. Decorating is very dirty work and needs a lot of research.

You can see all our related posts here

Varnish
Components of classic varnish
Drying oil
There are many different types of drying oils, including linseed oil, tung oil, and walnut oil. These contain high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Resin
Resins that are used in varnishes include amber, kauri gum, dammar, copal, rosin (pine resin), sandarac, balsam, elemi, mastic, and others. Shellac is also a resin. In the 1900s in Canada, resins from local trees were used to finish pianos[citation needed]. As a result, these now antique pianos are considered difficult to refinish. However, shellac can be used over the existing resins provided sufficient time is allowed for thin coats to cure. Thus the original finish can be returned to its original lustre while preserving the color and age-related crackle.

Solvent (traditionally turpentine)
Traditionally, natural (organic) turpentine was used as the thinner or solvent, but has been replaced by several mineral-based turpentine substitutes such as white spirit or “paint thinner”, also known as “mineral spirit”.

Varnish is made of drying oils + resin , without it it’s an oil impregnate…

Any oil will do, proportion is not so important. Tung is antifungal (protects from rot some) linseed is not. Boiled tung oil gives harder surface then boiled linseed. Both are often sold with dryers added (modified).
Resins are many, most practical is synthetic alkyd (phenolic, phthalic). Resins are mostly mixed with oils hot.
Dryers are metal salts (zinc is clear, for varnishes) in turpentine. Or metal oxides, serve also as pigments (cetol has iron oxide). They are not exactly necessary, just for faster hardening of oils. Japan dryers nowadays is just a name, originally it contained gum resins.
Turpentine is added as thinner but also makes a part of varnishes. Other thinners can be kerosene, gasoline (mineral spirits), alcohol – depending also on other ingredients included. Wax may be added (not much) for better protection, and gives flat finish.

But for home formulas this may be of interest: http://books.google.pl/books?id=WuuY…page&q&f=false
Spar varnish (elastic) originally was made of tung or linseed oil, rosin (natural pine resin), turpentine + sulphur and some gums. Modern is best from tung and alkyd.DIY varnish recipe
with thanks to

Oil varnish blend

DIY varnish recipe

THIN:

Linseed + Tung base 50%

Turpentine essence 20%

Orange essence 20% eBay

Camellia oil 10%

THICK:

Linseed + Tung base 50%

Turpentine essence 18%

Orange essence 18%

Camellia oil 9%

Carnauba wax 5%

recipe here

recipe taken from the website here with a discussion of where to get the Ingredients here.

But as we are not in America I have sourced some Uk suppliers.See all our related posts here

Some notes

Make Your Own Oil/Varnish Blend

The standard mixture is 1/3 Boiled Linseed Oil or Tung Oil, 1/3 thinner (mineral spirits, paint thinner, turpentine, naptha), and 1/3 varnish (poly, spar, etc..).

Oil varnish blend

Ingredients for a natural varnish

Turpentine

Waxes (Prepared recipes)
Simple beeswax polish
Hot melt 1 part beeswax in a double boiler and add 3 parts turpentine (genuine turpentine, not petroleum spirit based substitutes). Make at least a pint, because otherwise it’s easier just to buy it (your beekeeper often sells it).

Creamed beeswax
A softer and easily buffed version that’s good for leather. Can leave a residue in the pores of open-grained bone or wood.

5oz beeswax, melted in the double boiler.
Remove from heat and stir in 1 pint of turpentine in a large vessel.
Mix 1 tablespoon of ammonia with 1 pint of water.
Add the ammoniated water to the wax and stir hard.
Pot it while still warm.

Glossy wax polish
Good for polishing wood or bone to a high sheen.
Melt 3 parts beeswax with 1 part carnauba wax.
Remove from heat, stir in 3 parts of turpentine.

Commercial wax

All-natural ingredients — made from orange oil, vegetable binder (linseed oil, wood oil, dehydrated castor oil and sunflower oil-stand oils, colophony glycerine ester), and dryers (lead-free)
Versatile — may be used on hardwood or softwood flooring, furniture, molding, doors, window casing, stone, and unglazed tiles
Nontoxic and safe — free of petroleum distillates, mineral spirits and hazardous chemicals

AURO NATURAL PAINTS
NATURAL WOOD HARD OIL WOODEN FLOORS – ECO FRIENDLY NON TOXIC AURO 126
£33.00 inc VAT 750ml

Why we won’t be going to India

19 October 2015 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 6 archive Tagged 6 Travel Blog 16 Comments

The original post was written quickly to warn fellow backpackers not to head to Bangkok to apply for an Indian visa. Foreigners travelling on a tourist visa (backpackers) are no longer allowed to apply for an India visa in Malaysia, Indonesia or Singapore. Many, ourselves included were redirected to Bangkok. An inconvenience as we had just come from there but still. After a long train journey and a lot of form filling we got to the Bangkok visa office to find the rules had been changed again and that non thai nationals on a tourist visa, (i.e. foreign backpackers), cannot apply for a 3 – 6 month Indian visa in Thailand, (if you have a Thai residency the rules are different).

Since then I have updated it to take into account additional information such as why, if you are on a long trip, you cannot apply for an Indian visa in your own country, discuss the online Indian E visa option and explain how I think it fails the tourist, the environment, the travel experience, small towns and local business. And Nepal.

It is possible by the time you read this the situation may have changed again.

Our story ….

We are currently backpacking and our time in Malaysia was coming to an end. The gloomy weather was closing in and the monsoon storms becoming more frequent. Time to plan our next leg of the journey. There were cheap flights from Malaysia to India (Easy Jet) and you don’t even have to stay in the more difficult KL to get them. You can get a bus to the airport from Mallaka which is a far nicer town.

The fly in the ointment?

Getting an Indian visa. It seems the Indians are doing their best to prevent visitors from visiting.

Problems With The Indian Visa

Why I Couldn’t Apply In the U.K.

We wanted a 6 month multiple entry Indian visa. Such visas begin the day they are issued and not the day you arrive in India. You cannot ask for the visa to start on later date. By the time we get to India we will have been traveling for 4 months already. So getting the visa in the UK was not practicable.

Especially as there is no guarantee you will get what you ask for. Last time we applied for a visa, in the U.K., we asked for 6 months and were given 3. Because we traveling overland this meant we could only spend 6 weeks instead of the 3 months we planned to in India. Add to of that we had to get there more quickly. We had to replan our trip and cut short other places.

If you don’t get what you ask for, your visa fees are not returned. From the website “Fee once received are non refundable even if the visa application is withdrawn, the visa is not granted, or if visa issued is of shorter duration of period than applied for or otherwise issued or returned at a time or on terms and conditions that may vary from those sought by the applicant.”

At 6 weeks for £82.00 this visa was expensive too.

Getting A Visa Abroad….. Or Not

However it is, or at least it was, possible to apply for an 6 month Indian visa in the country you are currently visiting. So we decided to wait until we got to Malaysia before we applied for our visa. So we got to Georgetown and went to the Indian Consulate to double check procedure only to be told that UK passport holders (and others) can no longer apply for a 6 month Indian visa in

Malaysia
Indonesia
Singapore

But, we were assured, by the consulate, this could be done in Bangkok. We sighed because we had just come from there but could see nothing for it but to get back on the train. Of course we double checked the information.

Massive Misinformation & A Long & Pointless Journey

Travel fish say “Getting a visa to India in Bangkok takes a little longer and is a bit more complicated than for most other Asian countries, but it’s not rocket science if you know where to look…..The updated embassy site now provides reliable information and working links to the India Visa Thailand page run by IVS Global.” Not blaming them as this was the case and to keep up with the vagaries of the Indian visa system is difficult.

IVS Global Indian Visa website says ”

Tourist Visa is granted to a Thai National / Foreigner who does not have a residence or Occupation in India and whose sole objective of visiting India is recreation, sight-seeing, casual visit to meet friends and relatives. No other activity is permissible on a Tourist Visa. The Tourist Visa is non – extendable and non-convertible.

They also clearly state that because the Indian Government is collecting biometric data you need to submit your application in person. You need to take your printed out forms to their office in Bangkok.

And on the Indian Embassy Website for Bangkok
Non-Thai Nationals Documents Required:
Completed Visa Application Form, 2 recent colour photographs – 2 inches X 2 inches, 2 photocopies of passport, to include current Thai visa page and the filled out reference form.
A copy of return flight ticket and a copy of hotel booking
For Non-Thai nationals visa is issued on the 6th working day.

So while it sounded stringent and a lot of bother, it seemed that visas were definitely being offered to non Thai nationals. So we decided to go for it. We

got the train from Malaysia to Bangkok
made a hotel reservation in India(refundable)
filled out an e form on line,
took the photos
then downloaded the files from the website
found a printer shop and printed the application forms stuck the photos on got the required photocopies, to take to IVS visa application centre,

Then you get to the purchasing flights. This is another nasty twist in the application process. It is already stressful paying for a flight before you have permission to visit a country. Even more so if they have already refused you the length of stay time you asked for. It is nerve wracking, costly and ultimately pointless booking a flight 6 months in advance when you may only be given a 3 month visa.

Besides which we don’t want to fly out of India but go over land to Nepal.

So we decided to visit the visa office first. It was a long journey across the city followed by a long wait in the que. Just so you know, you are not allowed to read your Kindle while waiting in the que as it is an electronic device.

Got to the desk only to find that UK passport holders visiting Thailand cannot apply for an Indian visa in Bangkok

This important change in policy is obviously not mentioned on their websites.

The Online E Visa

But they said we can get a one month E visa on arrival. I am not sure I believe them. But even if I do trust them to implement such a system efficiently, it is not what we want.

FYI this is how it works;

Citizens of 113 countries are eligible to apply for the India e-Tourist visa. The e-Visa is for international travelers whose purpose of visiting India is tourism, recreation, sight-seeing, a casual visit to meet friends or relatives, etc.
Applications must be made online at this website, no less than five days and no more than 30 days before the date of travel.
You can only fly into India and only into the following 16 airports: Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bangalore, Chennai, Cochin, Delhi, Gaya, Goa, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Tiruchirapalli, Trivandrum and Varanasi.
International Travellers should have return ticket or onward journey ticket,with sufficient money to spend during his/her stay in India. (I take this to mean a plane ticket as it is impossible to get any other kind of onward ticket before you arrive in India. I certainly would not advise anyone to turn up without an onward ticket and I would class them very brave if they tried to talk their way in clutching only a bus ticket as proof of onward travel.)
The India ETA allows one single entry for a stay of up to 30 days in India.
you cannot extend. an E Visa
A maximum of two ETA visas can be issued within one year.(No indication of how long you need to wait before re-applying – if indeed you do)
Biometric data, including fingerprinting, will be collected on arrival at the border.
There is no list of fees on the website that I can find. Rather you have to fill out the E Visa application form on line. And I quote “at the end of the process the basic fee shall be displayed.” but according to the Telegraph Newspaper it costs $60 (£39), for UK citizens.

Conclusions

2012 22.5 To Kunnar (22)resized

Neither visa works for the overland traveller. In my case

I had rather hoped to explore the newly opened land crossing from Myanmar
After India I want to visit Nepal and travel there overland

The month long visa is not an option as

I have an itinary planned for India that took way longer than a month
India is a long way to go just for a month, it is very big and there is a lot to see
I want a double entry visa so I can visit Sri Lanka

I am prepared to compromise on some things but this is pushing it. I don’t like that the Indian authorities do not care that folks might like to travel by train or, heaven forbid, bus. Or about global warming come to that. Rather than enrich a few big airline businesses, I prefer to support an on-land transport infrastructure that benefits the wider community. That and global warming are among the reasons I choose to travel overland. To be prevented from doing so annoys me.

They don’t seem to want long term visitors either. Just to submit an application for a 6 month visa we had to travel to Bangkok. Then browse the internet booking hotels and researching flights. Hotels I may not sleep in and flights I can’t catch if they don’t give me a visa. The Indian Visa Service is asking for a lot of money just to look at the application. Money they get to keep if they give me a different, shorter visa that because of the time constraints, may be of limited use. If you don’t want me to visit for 6 months I understand but don’t offer the visa. This too is annoying.

Finally is it too much to ask that prospective applicants are kept informed about changes in policy. I doubt the Indian Government decided this morning to refuse to take visa applications from U.K. passport holders on a Thai tourist visa. I would suggest they knew about this before today. In which case they and Indian visa service could have posted the information on their website and saved us a wasted journey. We have travelled not just across town but across countries to visit this office. This is is beyond annoying.

Please note all the above information was copied from websites when I was writing this post, that is after we had been to the office and our application refused. Meaning they are still saying that foreign nationals can apply for visas in Bangkok.

A Visa The Visitor Wants

Given all of the above I don’t feel welcome and I certainly don’t feel like a respected or even wished for guest.

You might ask why should I be welcomed or respected? Because I am a customer and the industry is worth a lot of money. Total contribution by travel and tourism sector to India’s GDP is expected to increase from US$ 136.3 billion in 2015 to US$ 275.2 billion in 2025. Travel and tourism is the third largest foreign exchange earner for India. In 2014, the country managed foreign exchange earnings of USD 19.7 billion from tourism.

A business worth so much should be nurtured and the customers valued. Surely it would make sense to ensure the country is easily accesable for the very simpe reason that if I can’t get there at the time I want, for the length of time I need then I simply won’t come. Which means my money will go elsewhere. Places that are far easier and cheaper to get into. And will let you stay longer.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

I can stay in Malaysia for free for 3 months and Thailand for a month. I can visit any other number of South East Asian Countries for a few dollars. For all of these places I can get a visa on a land border just by turning up, (when it suits me), and filling out a simple, short form. I do not need proof of onward travel. I do not have to commit to flying and I can support the local transport infrastructure by using buses and trains.

Australia will only charge me £10.00 to apply online for a free 3 month Australian visa which is valid for a year. And doesn’t want proof of onward travel.

The E Visa System – Made to Benefit Big Business & Top End Tourism ?

at the expense of the environment, experience, overlanders and the local economy.

Yes I am annoyed because this inconveniences me but there are other far worse consequences. I really cant help but feel that this e visa/ flight combo will only benefit the big boys in the tourist industry and focus visitors on a fewer places and sites. For instance I originally planned to fly from Colombo to Madurai. The flight is a good price and I would love to visit Madurai and it’s wonderful temples. Except of course with an E Visa I can’t fly to Madurai. I would have to fly to a horrid sea side resort I don’t want to see and travel from there. But with only 1 month I wont have time. So Madurai gets dropped in favour of the already popular Varanasi.

And of course with only a month of travel time places with airports will become even more popular. India is a huge country and train tickets are not always available when you need them. With a little more time it is possible to use public transport and home stays keeping much appreciated currency in the local economy. With reduced time its big hotels, booked on line and lots of flights.

Traveling overland is slower and you get to see so much more of the country and the people. It also means the advantages of tourism can be more widely distributed. And the disadvantages reduced. Rather than have a few cities 2009 12 02 Street life 4 swamped with tourists who end up destroying that which they came to admire, the crowds and the cash could be spread. When I travel through slowly my money gets spent on local buses and in small cafes along the way

Pushing flights over other forms of transport means more investment in a infrastructure that only benefits the richer traveler. It means less investment in the land based infrastructure that benefits the poorer. At a time when local transport should be encouraged, in a country where many people depend on local transport this is a retrograde step and not one I wish to endorse.

In terms of the traveling experience it also has a negative impact. Traveling over land is more romantic, more authentic and often what attracts tourist in the first instance. One airport terminal looks very like another but Mumbai train station is unique. A tourist river cruise is never as satisfying as local river taxi. Yet as air travel increases many stunning train journeys are being cut and ferries are almost non existent.

I like travelling overland. When I leave India I want to go to Nepal. To meet the Indian visa requirements I have to buy an onward fight from Varanasi to Katmandu (if I can even get one). Yet there is a perfectly easy over land route from Varanasi to Khatmadu. It’s not always pretty but it is the “real India” and a memorable journey.

And yes crossing land borders can be a robust experience. I have had as many tussles with border tuk tuk sharks as the next lamb to the slaughter. Even so I would still prefer to see my rupees being snatched from me by small local business then have them taken as I am herded through the boarding gates of a huge multinational.

And I cant help feel sorry for Nepal. If we don’t go to India we don’t go to Nepal. I refuse to fly such a short distance so if we can’t go over land we won’t visit Nepal. If we don’t get a dual entry visa we don’t visit Nepal because we need fly home from India. So I guess we will not be visiting Nepal. At a time when Nepal is desperate for business.

But mostly I want to make my own choices based on what I feel is important. The choice to travel overland, to limit my air mile, cross the landscape slowly, to rumble along in the local bus, to support local smaller businesses and to spread my tourist pounds.

It is with great regret that we will not be visiting India.

This Changes Everything

16 September 2015 by Plastic Is Rubbish Posted in 6 archive Tagged 4 Sustainable Book Club 2 Comments

by Naomi Klein

“The most important book yet from the author of the international bestseller The Shock Doctrine, a brilliant explanation of why the climate crisis challenges us to abandon the core “free market” ideology of our time, restructure the global economy, and remake our political systems.

In short, either we embrace radical change ourselves or radical changes will be visited upon our physical world. The status quo is no longer an option.”

Q&A for the sustainable book club

1. What effect did reading the book have on you e.g. did you feel motivated to do something about climate change or did think there is no hope?

I think there is always hope and I believe the world is improving. If you think I am being too Pollyanna and feel really depressed about the human condition, I recommend “The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined” by Steven Pinkerton

“Tribal warfare was nine times as deadly as war and genocide in the 20th century. The murder rate in medieval Europe was more than thirty times what it is today. Slavery, sadistic punishments, and frivolous executions were unexceptionable features of life for millennia, then were suddenly abolished. Wars between developed countries have vanished, and even in the developing world, wars kill a fraction of the numbers they did a few decades ago. Rape, hate crimes, deadly riots, child abuse―all substantially down.

How could this have happened, if human nature has not changed?

Pinker argues that the key to explaining the decline of violence is to understand the inner demons that incline us toward violence and the better angels that steer us away. Thanks to the spread of government, literacy, trade, and cosmopolitanism, we increasingly control our impulses, empathize with others, debunk toxic ideologies, and deploy our powers of reason to reduce the temptations of violence.

Pinker will force you to rethink your deepest beliefs about progress, modernity, and human nature.”

2. Do you think that we really do only have two years (or probably less now) to do something about climate change and if so, why are we not all focussed on doing something about it? Why are governments ignoring the issue? Why is this short deadline not all over the headlines all the time?

I really don’t know. Too big a problem? So many scares in the papers that turn out to be unfounded? It is an invisible threat?

3. What, if any, practical suggestions for helping to do something about reversing global warming did you glean from the book?

Haven’t finished it yet so don’t know if there are any personal practical guidelines but she seems to say that this problem has to be addressed by drastically changing our political and economic organizations. So far I have found no advice on changing a greedy, self-serving consumers into a caring, green socialists. And that is what needs to happen if we are to change our politics and economics. That- or a green junta take over.

4. Is it better to address the problems of climate change individually or collectively?

Ideally we would be addressing this issue along with global poverty and the massive inequalities of wealth and property. And war, terrorism, genocide and other disruptive, discriminatory, violent, unfair and destructive practices. Marginalized people cannot afford to care about the environment. It starts with world peace, equal rights and wealth redistribution. Which have to be addressed collectively. However that might be some time coming so in the meantime everyone has to take personal action – on all of the above and their own CO2 emissions.

5. What would you be willing to do to combat climate change?

I hope I live a carbon reduced lifestyle already. But of course you can always do more.

As part of my personal-wealth-redistribution project I am trying to use only my global share of textiles this year. Check out only the My FairShare Textiles to see how I am getting on!

6. Is going back to basics the solution to all our problems or should we continue to look for and rely on technological solutions?

If we believe in fair shares for all then we in the developed countries need to consume a whole lot less so that others can have more of the resources. If that is what is meant by basic then yes of course. But technology is what is keeping us alive. At a very basic level it has given us clean water, means we can grow enough food, share ideas in minutes over thousands of miles and harness energy from the sun. We need advanced technology alongside fair and rational consumption. We have to learn to take as much as we need not as much as we want and to share frugal tips on our Apple Macs. But of course we need to keep on learning and developing solutions. Especially need to concentrate on finding ways to create greener electricity

7. What political system would support a sustainable future (it can be an imagined one)?

Green socialism

8. Should we all move to the moon?

Yes, I love cheese.

9. If it is too late and we can’t stop global warming, should we or should we not worry about throwing away rubbish and polluting our planet?

No we don’t know how it will all pan out. All we have is the present and we are obliged, as adults, to live as responsibly as we can right now. Lets make it as nice as we can now. Second guessing the future is no excuse not to act.

10. Would you recommend this book to your friends and family?

Not sure. Most of the greens I know are also a little bit red. I don’t see how you can be an environmentalist and not believe in some form of communism, by which I mean the communal owning of and so equal benefitting from worlds resources. Recommending this would feel like preaching to the converted. Personally I find it is rather long on theory and (so far at least) short on practical solutions. In fact I am finding it difficult to finish.

I would recommend these website though…

25 ways to cut you carbon footprint

EPA Climate Response

Mashable fight climate change

And Ben Goldacre one of my favorite science writers (I highly recommend his book Bad Science), says this on the subject and recomends some excellent resources

Realclimate.org is always a good resource on climate stuff, and written by proper climate scientists.

Here they specifically address the rather elderly claims in The Great Global Warming Swindle:

www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2007/03/swindled/

And here are a couple of more general guides to arguing with a climate sceptic, that cover the same ground:

gristmill.grist.org/skeptics

illconsidered.blogspot.com/2006/02/how-to-talk-to-global-warming-sceptic.html

If you prefer books, Mark Maslin’s Global Warming – A Very Short Introduction is also very good, explains the science, and specifically addresses the climate skeptics claims.

Looking forward to the next book club. Why not join us?

plasticisrubbish

Category Archives: 6 archive

Hashtags

The Plastic Free Garden

Easter

Do I keep the Blog?

Cork

Some notes on insulation

Some notes on insulation

R-Values

U-Values

Why should I insulate and where?

TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Why can insulation cause damp?

Damp after loft insulation

KEY FEATURES OF OUR OPTIMAL SHEEP WOOL INSULATION:

HOW TO CALCULATE HOW MUCH YOU NEED:

Kitchen

Amazon Catalogue

Wood treatment

Duvet

Duvets

N.B.

And before you go…

Limewash & Paint

2018 Clothes

Waxes, Oils & Varnish recipes

Turpentine

Why we won’t be going to India

Our story ….

Problems With The Indian Visa

Getting A Visa Abroad….. Or Not

Massive Misinformation & A Long & Pointless Journey

The Online E Visa

Conclusions

A Visa The Visitor Wants

The E Visa System – Made to Benefit Big Business & Top End Tourism ?

This Changes Everything

The Plastic Free Garden

Easter

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R-Values

U-Values

Why should I insulate and where?

TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Why can insulation cause damp?

Damp after loft insulation

KEY FEATURES OF OUR OPTIMAL SHEEP WOOL INSULATION:

HOW TO CALCULATE HOW MUCH YOU NEED:

Share this:

Amazon Catalogue

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Share this:

Duvets

N.B.

And before you go…

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Turpentine

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Our story ….

Problems With The Indian Visa

Getting A Visa Abroad….. Or Not

Massive Misinformation & A Long & Pointless Journey

The Online E Visa

Conclusions

A Visa The Visitor Wants

The E Visa System – Made to Benefit Big Business & Top End Tourism ?

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