Wed 17 Jan 2007
Continuing on the environment theme…..
I went to the jam3iya a couple of days ago, and bought alot some stuff for the house. I was on the phone at the cashiers and didn’t pay attention to when the guy was putting my stuff in the plastic bags. When I got back home, I was carrying the stuff from my car to the apartment, and I got worried that I bought alot more than I needed from the number of plastic bags. I carried the stuff back and was shocked to see how they filled every bag!
One plastic bag has 2 SMALL bottles of water, another had a bar of chocolate and 1 yogurt, another had a ketchup bottle and another condiment! All the stuff from the three bags could’ve been put into one bag with more room for something else too!
Why the waste?? I noticed the guys who put the stuff in bags are really more than happy to use as many bags as possible, as if the more bags, the more work they seem to have done!
Plastic bags are major problem for our environment. You see them all the time floating around the water whenever you’re in the sea. They are non-biodegradable, which means “Material that, left to itself, will be NOT be decomposed by natural processes.“ which is obviously a major problem in the long term.
All around the world, countries are taking steps in getting rid of these non-biodegradable plastic bags. France, Ireland, and South Africa are just a few heading in that direction. Plastic bag reduction programs are in effect in several places around the world too.
A simple solution to this problem here for us is to add some sort of incentive to coops from the union of coop society, or whoever supplies them with the plastic bags. The less bags you order as a percentage, the more you get rewarded by the government as encouragement for environmentally friendly programs. It would cut their cost as a coop and it would help the environment!
In other related news, Marks & Spencer announced earlier this week that they will spend $450 million in the next few years in an effort to become more environmentally friendly. Their announcement said that they will -
cut energy consumption, stock more products made from recycled materials and buy foods closer to home, reducing air freight.
Tesco, another giant UK retailer, followed suit saying that they will also increase their efforts.
Obviously I dont expect our coops to take drastic measures, but I hope someone like The Sultan Center, City Center, and the upcoming Carrefoure take small steps, at least when it comes to plastic. Carrefoure were part of an effort in Singapore in encouraging the use of reusable bags instead of plastic.
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Im glad to say that I have cut down alot on my electricity use at home in recent weeks, and hope to continue with that more as time passes.
Again, everyone can make a difference, at the jam3iya, just tell the guy to put more stuff in each bag, they will do it and you would have helped. I asked yesterday at Sultan Center and the guy did it, and it was actually just easier to carry too!
Again, look at how we contribute to pollution as Kuwaitis, and close the light bulbs you don’t need!
earthtrends.wri.org/pdf_library/country_profiles/cli_cou_414.pdf
17 Responses to “Would you like plastic or plastic?”
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January 17th, 2007 at 11:16 am
Yes, i was actually going to post about this but i forgot. What triggered the post was when the bagger put 3 sticks of gum in one bag and i dont remember what in a separate bag! Im an environmental freak and things like this really really get on my nerves. I wish there was something we could do in Kuwait for the environment :/
January 17th, 2007 at 11:50 am
I noticed the exact same thing and I have told those guys in the past to put more stuff in one bag and sometimes I just say I don’t need a bag and put the stuff in my purse. The thing is the more bags there are the harder for you to carry stuff so you’d need help taking the stuff over to your car and then you’d need to tip them. I think that if they made people pay something symbolic for using these bags people would be more efficient about it. Something as little as 20 fils per bag or so would still serve as somewhat of a deterrent in my opinion.
But btw I don’t notice the same thing in Sultan Center, they’re pretty good about stuffing their plastic bags.
January 17th, 2007 at 1:13 pm
Ok, had a look at the site you linked to regarding Kuwait’s CO2 emission. Well, seems like houses don’t emit so much CO2 but elecricity and heat generating contribute alot. There is alot that can be done (highway lighting? am sure they can get rid of half the number of what they have (maybe if they remove the highway lights towards shalaihat pass f7ai7eel accidents will be less since people wont be speeding). All those buses (yes 3 unnecessary bus companies) if they change their bus from diesel to LNG would probably help in reducing CO2. As you said Jam3iyas play a big role in this afterall they have a social obligation sort of thing, so they should take the iniative and make it easier for residents in the area they operate to recycle. You know how you get money back at the end of the year when you give them the box number? you can take recycle material and give them box number wilfloos itdish your box. Alot can be done, people are just lazy. Am not sure wain garait or sema3t itha 3adad sikan likuwait wilimrata kithir amreeka yabeelna kawkab thany to fill our zbala (scary stuff if it’s true).
January 17th, 2007 at 1:29 pm
Next time bring a tote bag.
I often tell cashiers I don’t need a bag and put everything in my oversized purse.
In Italy, the bigger supermarkets (including Carrefour) sell heavy-duty plastic bags with handles that you can use over and over again. They sell for like a Euro - very cheap.
Another idea is to make people pay for plastic bags here like they do in most other countries. You would be surprised how much a plastic bag can hold when you have to pay for one.
January 17th, 2007 at 3:26 pm
اذا هذي قمة همومك
ما الوم بو مريوم لين سماكم مخملين و شن حرب عشواء عليكم
أعلن انضمامي لبومريوم و فاليخسأ السوشي و السوشيون و اليحيى كياس النايلون
January 17th, 2007 at 4:03 pm
people use more bags than necessary because they dont want to *mix* the items. you dont want to put your meat in the same bag as your deodorant, or your veggies in the same bag as your drink bottles and cans, or your frozen goods with the toiletries, or your eggs with your milk cartons. things get damaged that way, smells come off and food spoils. plus, having things organized that way makes for easier storage when you’re back home, knowing what’s what and what goes where (you dont want to put a bag that has meat and tissue boxes in the freezer by mistake). i dont see why people should use less bags. instead, bags should be made out of biodegradable recycled materials.
by the way, those plastic bags never get thrown away at my place. they’re used in rubbish bins, and they come in handy in the suitcase too whenever we’re on vacation (unless im the only one who wraps my shampoo in a plastic bag so it doesnt explode and spill onto my clothes), amongst many other uses…
January 17th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
Thank you Q.
Actually the women at the Co-op are the ones who taught those guys to fill everything similar in one bag, so the education goes to all Kila ma6goog’s type of ignorant.
Kila Ma6goog:
كله مطقوق لو تقرا ردك مرة ثانيه داح اتعرف ليش سمونا عالم ثالث و ليش العالم الثالث اهما اساس الدمار الي بيسير بالعالم
صح في امور مهمة في هالدنيا بس شالفايدة اذا ركضت علر الامور الماديه ، ننسى صحتنا و عيشة هاليهال الي قاعدين انيبهم لي عالم ابخنقهم من القذارة ، التلوث و المجاعات الي ممكن اتصير بسبب اهمالنا؟
Do you want to have your own kids suffer from thirst due to the fact that there is no clean water for them to drink? or suffer from diseases and rashes that can’t be cured? or to have a teenager or a close friend suffer from cancer? lung disease? If we ignored our environment Killa ma6goog, and our own issue in life was how to have money, a luxurious car and a huge house, and forget about the main important place all what we want will be build in is polluted.
Imagine seeing little kids who haven’t ever experienced taking a decent shower like we do these days? or swim in sea water? imagin having kids who won’t be able to breath freely because the air is unbreathable? imgaine living in places where even insects can’t live in and from all the dead bodies there will be no more place to grave them in?
this is what pollution will do my friend, it will take my life and yours from this world and end the word “new generation” because there will not be any, they will die.
Think twice of what matters the most, money or yours and your families health and well being?
ا
January 17th, 2007 at 4:44 pm
Kila ma6oog:
ابيك تجرب شي واحد قبل لا حتى اترد علي (اذا كنت بترد)
ييب قطعة صغيرة من كيس نايلون ، احرقه ابمغسله الحمام و سكر الباب و الشفاط و شوف الدخنه و الريحه الي راح تطلع… تخيل لو ملاين من هالاكياس تنحرق اشبيصير بالكويت البلد الي نسمه الهوا مالها تيار يشيلها!
مادري اذا كنت موجود ايام الغزو، اخر الايام من الخنقة كنا ننخش بالبيت من الريحه الي برا و الريحه ظلت سنين بعد الغزو و ليلحين يلومون وايد امراض للتلوث الي صار في هذاك الوقت
January 18th, 2007 at 2:58 am
Stinni’s comment presented some good solutions… Thank you Stinni
& Thanx Q for highlighting such an importnt issue.
I have some pollution-related idea:
overpricing low quality fuel (diesel & “mumtaz”) and doing the opposite to the “ultra” one.
it may sound radical, but I think it will encourage people to use cleaner fuel.
Kila Ma6goog,
LOL
January 18th, 2007 at 5:02 am
Baboonji,
Actually if you look at the information again and find the definition of “residential source”, which is minimal, it is referring to fossil fuels burned IN the house like coal from fireplaces or barbecues etc.
Public electricity and heat production which is the where most emmisions come from is defined as :
“[they] include the sum of emissions from combustion of all fossil fuel
types used for public electricity generation, public combined heat and power generation, and public heat plants. Public utilities are defined as those
undertakings whose primary activity is to supply the public. ”
This obviously means that it IS actually the residential areas that are a huge problem through constantly using public electricity 24 hours a day and always having either the central AC or heating on, which is ridiculous.
PS: Most heat radiators used in Kuwait are ridiculously inefficient.
January 20th, 2007 at 12:50 pm
I really agree with the tote carrying idea. Actually, in Ikea, they r selling their totes for like a half a dinar, and they r huge and durable.That wud save on all those wasted plastic bags from the supermarket. I use mine for garbage too, because i feel like its such a waste but in the end, they all end up in the same place!!!! And i think that paper bags aren’t very durable anyway. Everyone can come up with their own personal solution on helping the environment, wether it be plastic bags, emissions, etc. People say it cant be done, and never try. But, one person can make a difference, maybe not for the whole environment, but for their own cause.
January 20th, 2007 at 4:51 pm
I remember seeing biodegradable garbage bags abroad, wonder whether or not they are sold in the region?
January 21st, 2007 at 10:23 am
مطقوق تلومنى بالمخمليين
But seriously
بدون زعل
We are all hypocrites, we want to save the environment but we don’t want to change our style of life
How many of us are trying to reduce the waste coming from his house?
How many of us are trying to save water?
Is any 1 willing to take public transportation 1 day in a week?
Knowing how our government treating the garbage” simpily burning it or dump it in a big hole” we all should make it a target to reduce the waste coming from our homes to the half.
But admit it, we all take this environmental thing as a “cool thing” or a “hip” these days.
But is are asked to do a “real thing” will chose to but a sticker on our 8V cars that’s says “save our earth”
February 12th, 2007 at 12:07 am
I just came back from Adiliya Co-op, they were using bio-degradable plastic bags! I guess they read your post. They were also advertising it as being the first supermarket in the Middle East to do so!
Good for them and for people that shop there
June 21st, 2007 at 12:33 pm
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June 27th, 2007 at 10:45 pm
Thanks for this site!
hifue.info
December 16th, 2007 at 5:56 pm
السلام عليكم
انا فتاة اماراتيه .. حبيت احييك على طريقة تفكيرك الراقيه ويالييييت و من قلبي اقولها لو كل شبابنا يفكرون بهالطريقه .. كانت الدنيا بخير والله go ahead bro