Author Topic: How much of my gear is based on plastic?  (Read 3956 times)

WhitstableDave

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3254
Re: How much of my gear is based on plastic?
« Reply #30 on: 14:24:12, 01/08/20 »
...
Vegans need to take a serious look at the whole lifecycle of their chosen food stuffs, it is not as good as they like to think.

I've been a vegan for nearly 40 years.

Why do you think I need to take a serious look at the whole lifecycle of my chosen food stuffs?

Why might it not be as good as I think? Indeed, how do you know what I like to think?


Walk, Jog, Run : our YouTube video channel.

SteamyTea

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1024
Re: How much of my gear is based on plastic?
« Reply #31 on: 14:31:37, 01/08/20 »
I've been a vegan for nearly 40 years.

Why do you think I need to take a serious look at the whole lifecycle of my chosen food stuffs?

Why might it not be as good as I think? Indeed, how do you know what I like to think?
Generally, vegan food uses more land area, and higher quality land, it often has more processing done to it as well.  That is before herbicide and pesticide usage is factored in.


As for 'qualifications' about the subject, environmental science is what I studied at university.  It is quite amazing the difference between what is perceived as 'good', and what actually is.  This does usually depend on what is trying to be shown, or proved, but that is why we have environmental legislation, food standards and life cycle analysis.
It is all about trying to balance the three pillars of sustainability, for everyone, not just a few chosen ones.
I don't use emojis, irony is better, you decide

WhitstableDave

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3254
Re: How much of my gear is based on plastic?
« Reply #32 on: 14:38:10, 01/08/20 »
Generally, vegan food uses more land area, and higher quality land, it often has more processing done to it as well.  That is before herbicide and pesticide usage is factored in.


As for 'qualifications' about the subject, environmental science is what I studied at university.  It is quite amazing the difference between what is perceived as 'good', and what actually is.  This does usually depend on what is trying to be shown, or proved, but that is why we have environmental legislation, food standards and life cycle analysis.
It is all about trying to balance the three pillars of sustainability, for everyone, not just a few chosen ones.

Absolute rubbish. You claim to have an insight into my reasons for being a vegan, yet you haven't come close.
Walk, Jog, Run : our YouTube video channel.

Jac

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3553
Re: How much of my gear is based on plastic?
« Reply #33 on: 15:17:44, 01/08/20 »
Just for a giggle, calculate the mileage from your home to the farm, then the energy used to get there, the energy used to clean the container, then see if it is of actual benefit.
Thank you for offering the opportunity for a giggle
The farm is within walking distance. The bottles can go in the dishwasher with normal wash. (I used to rinse out plastic ones separately before putting in the recycling).
Attempting to balance one benefit against a totally different one is a bit like herding cats.
So many paths yet to walk, so little time left

SteamyTea

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1024
Re: How much of my gear is based on plastic?
« Reply #34 on: 16:04:31, 01/08/20 »
Absolute rubbish. You claim to have an insight into my reasons for being a vegan, yet you haven't come close.
I did not think that I was looking for your personal reason to become a vegan, that is of no interest to me at all.
My interest is in environmental science, not personal eating habits.
I don't use emojis, irony is better, you decide

SteamyTea

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1024
Re: How much of my gear is based on plastic?
« Reply #35 on: 16:05:32, 01/08/20 »
Attempting to balance one benefit against a totally different one is a bit like herding cats.
That is why we have systems and standards that allow you to do that.


This is just a primer:
https://www.iso.org/iso-14001-environmental-management.html
I don't use emojis, irony is better, you decide

WhitstableDave

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3254
Re: How much of my gear is based on plastic?
« Reply #36 on: 16:15:27, 01/08/20 »
I did not think that I was looking for your personal reason to become a vegan, that is of no interest to me at all.
My interest is in environmental science, not personal eating habits.

You wrote:

...
Vegans need to take a serious look at the whole lifecycle of their chosen food stuffs, it is not as good as they like to think.

So perhaps you would explain why vegans, in particular, "need to take a serious look at the whole lifecycle of their chosen food stuffs".

As a vegan, I might not eat everything that non-vegans eat, but I think it unlikely that non-vegans would object to eating what I usually eat. So why have you mentioned vegans when personal eating habits are of no interest to you?

Walk, Jog, Run : our YouTube video channel.

Booga

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 192
Re: How much of my gear is based on plastic?
« Reply #37 on: 14:39:44, 02/08/20 »
Generally, vegan food uses more land area
I'd love to know how growing plants for people to eat uses more land area than growing plants to feed to animals who turn it into less food for people to eat.  :2funny:

Booga

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 192
Re: How much of my gear is based on plastic?
« Reply #38 on: 14:46:36, 02/08/20 »
Most of my kit, barring my stove, cooking pot, walking poles and torch body are plastic based. However it's lifespan is very long compared to a lot of plastic products and packaging we use. A lot of my kit is over 10 years old and with proper care shouldn't need replacing for a long time. The amount of plastic packaging and short life products people get through at home and work over the years probably vastly outweighs walking kit replacement.

richardh1905

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12710
Re: How much of my gear is based on plastic?
« Reply #39 on: 16:54:03, 02/08/20 »
I'd love to know how growing plants for people to eat uses more land area than growing plants to feed to animals who turn it into less food for people to eat.  :2funny:


I eagerly await his answer - he's studied environmental science, you know  ;)


..and I'm intrigued as to what the merits or otherwise of veganism has to do with the use of plastics in walking gear.
« Last Edit: 17:01:57, 02/08/20 by richardh1905 »
WildAboutWalking - Join me on my walks through the wilder parts of Britain

Bigfoot_Mike

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2407
Re: How much of my gear is based on plastic?
« Reply #40 on: 18:33:36, 02/08/20 »
Some animals, such as sheep and deer can feed themselves on ground that would be very poor for trying to grow plants for human consumption.


Vegans will very likely not want leather boots or woollen clothes, which may mean they need to resort to more plastic in their gear.

WhitstableDave

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3254
Re: How much of my gear is based on plastic?
« Reply #41 on: 18:54:03, 02/08/20 »
Some animals, such as sheep and deer can feed themselves on ground that would be very poor for trying to grow plants for human consumption.


Vegans will very likely not want leather boots or woollen clothes, which may mean they need to resort to more plastic in their gear.

I'm a vegan, but even if I wasn't I wouldn't want to wear leather boots or woollen clothes, although I gather some walkers do. :)

However, I think I'm right in saying the current comments re. veganism are in response to SteamyTea's claims about vegans' "chosen foodstuffs" - not clothing.
Walk, Jog, Run : our YouTube video channel.

ninthace

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11821
Re: How much of my gear is based on plastic?
« Reply #42 on: 19:35:15, 02/08/20 »
I'd love to know how growing plants for people to eat uses more land area than growing plants to feed to animals who turn it into less food for people to eat.  :2funny:
Cows and sheep are just nature's way of making grass taste good.
Solvitur Ambulando

Ronin83

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 410
Re: How much of my gear is based on plastic?
« Reply #43 on: 09:39:25, 04/08/20 »
I read a great article about this the other day. I'll try find it again, but basically this guy, an outdoorsman, went through a transition back to natural fibres and recalled how his old school mentor used them. He goes through how he, like everyone else, moved to plastics with all the innovation, but journeyed back to natural.


The most poignant points for me were mentioning ions and HOW the fibres breath.
He said plastic fibres block certain ions, which sounds a bit fairy, wishy washy, but it may be based on science. Bodies of water being close do actually have a physical affect on us which is scientifically measurable. It is mentioned in an episode of 'down to earth' which focuses on water. It mentions positive and negative ions being affected in our bodies.


We are told that sports clothing is breathable and wicking, but those terms are not so simple. Not absorbing water isn't always good for example. I always find I feel sticky and clammy after wearing polyester sport tops. I wouldn't call them breathable really. Just quick drying.
They also absorb lots of bacteria and stink.


I'm definitely looking into bamboo now. I find wool socks make my toes sweat and the pure t shirts are a bit too hot and itchy, though pretty good still. A wool shirt would be good as a mid layer though. Maybe a wool jumper.


The main issue is the waterproof outer shell

fernman

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4526
Re: How much of my gear is based on plastic?
« Reply #44 on: 11:13:03, 04/08/20 »
What I learnt about ions (which wasn't a lot) when I was a service engineer, was that washing laundry with detergent in a machine results in the ions being shifted too much one way (though whether it is pos or neg I don't remember) so everything feels hard and harsh afterwards. The use of fabric conditioner - Comfort, Lenor, whatever - corrects the imbalance, it puts the ions back as they were, so things are nice and soft again. But fab cond also increases water repellency so it is not recommended for use on things like towels, while it also affects the breathability of purpose-made outdoors garments.
« Last Edit: 11:16:11, 04/08/20 by fernman »

 

Terms of Use     Privacy Policy