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oscardog said..
Does anyone know the percentage of an average windsurfing set up that is not derived from oil and gas?

I think it's a very small percentage.

So are we better off pumping petrochemicals out of the ground, converting them to plastic and returning it to landfill or is it more eco to burn it in vehicles and dump it in the atmosphere as CO2?

Either way, there's way more petrochemical goes in the tank and out the exhaust pipe on the way to and from windsurfing destinations than lives in the back of the van. And then add up the extra CO2 released in all the other little non-windsurfing errands you do in a 2 tonne van rather than a 1 tonne hatchback because you're a windsurfer.

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Ian K said..

oscardog said..
Does anyone know the percentage of an average windsurfing set up that is not derived from oil and gas?

I think it's a very small percentage.

So are we better off pumping petrochemicals out of the ground, converting them to plastic and returning it to landfill or is it more eco to burn it in vehicles and dump it in the atmosphere as CO2?

Either way, there's way more petrochemical goes in the tank and out the exhaust pipe on the way to and from windsurfing destinations than lives in the back of the van. And then add up the extra CO2 released in all the other little non-windsurfing errands you do in a 2 tonne van rather than a 1 tonne hatchback because you're a windsurfer.

So true

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Paradox said..

If anyone has spent time in Japan thier recycling efforts are next level. People have like 6 different bins.

Bollocks. They also seperate their household glass into 4 different colours. So what? What happens to the recycled plastics? I'm gonna say most gets incinerated at high temp, heating nothing more than the local civic pool. If that's recycling, then you win.

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Ian K said..

oscardog said..
Does anyone know the percentage of an average windsurfing set up that is not derived from oil and gas?

I think it's a very small percentage.

So are we better off pumping petrochemicals out of the ground, converting them to plastic and returning it to landfill or is it more eco to burn it in vehicles and dump it in the atmosphere as CO2?

Either way, there's way more petrochemical goes in the tank and out the exhaust pipe on the way to and from windsurfing destinations than lives in the back of the van. And then add up the extra CO2 released in all the other little non-windsurfing errands you do in a 2 tonne van rather than a 1 tonne hatchback because you're a windsurfer.

Thanks, good build. Maybe plastic is not worse than anything else, but plastic waste in rivers and oceans needs to be controlled.

Was thinking it a little hypocritical to be claiming "plastic, worse than anything else " on a forum that is based on people enjoying watercraft built from plastic.

I'm sure I saw at some stage the solution to plastic waste was an enzyme that had been created to eat it & brake it down into it's component parts.
So I'm wondering what ever happened to that research ?

Is this pre or post manufacture?
if pre, there are the wave of oxy-degradable, bio-degradable and compostable plastics but all have life span and strength issues compared to normal plastics as by default, they are meant to degrade in normal temperatures and conditions.
I heard there were some seaweed based bio-plastic bottled that we're coming out which would be good (again, fit for a certain purpose).
has anyone seen the documentary 2040?

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actiomax said..
I'm sure I saw at some stage the solution to plastic waste was an enzyme that had been created to eat it & brake it down into it's component parts.
So I'm wondering what ever happened to that research ?

I heard something about that years ago, no idea what happened to it

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oscardog said..
Was thinking it a little hypocritical to be claiming "plastic, worse than anything else " on a forum that is based on people enjoying watercraft built from plastic.

My watercraft is built from fibreglass. People call them plastic boats but they are not plastic.

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cisco said..

oscardog said..
Was thinking it a little hypocritical to be claiming "plastic, worse than anything else " on a forum that is based on people enjoying watercraft built from plastic.

My watercraft is built from fibreglass. People call them plastic boats but they are not plastic.

Isn't GRP the technical term? How does the resin that holds the fibreglass together biodegrade? Must be few sunk without trace after hitting a reef.

Surprised no one's mentioned hemp plastic.
I don't know much about it except that Lego is moving to using it

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Ian K said..

How does the resin that holds the fibreglass together biodegrade?

As far as we know it doesn't degrade as no fibre glass boat has ever rotted away yet.

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cisco said..

Ian K said..

How does the resin that holds the fibreglass together biodegrade?

As far as we know it doesn't degrade as no fibre glass boat has ever rotted away yet.

It's the size that a lot of plastics break down to that is the problem I suppose. A lot of our discarded stuff, that folks jump up and down about because it is unsightly, is good habitat for wildlife. Herpetologists jump up and down when they come across an old piece of corrugated iron in the bush.

This isn't yours is it Cisco?

Cisco..Does your yacht have cotton sails....hang on, cotton is eviromentally s..t... Hemp sails.

Yeah whatever!!
It still does not alter the fact that the use of plastic is a greater threat to the environment than all the other shriek shriek crap that is being touted.

I actually like plastic bags. I can put all my plastic and rubbish in one bag and dispose of it humanly. Where else would I put my plastic and rubbish?

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cisco said..

oscardog said..
Was thinking it a little hypocritical to be claiming "plastic, worse than anything else " on a forum that is based on people enjoying watercraft built from plastic.

My watercraft is built from fibreglass. People call them plastic boats but they are not plastic.

Cisco,

Suggest independent research into Bisphenol-A and epichlorohydrin, common ingredients in epoxy resin.

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oscardog said..
Suggest independent research into Bisphenol-A and epichlorohydrin, common ingredients in epoxy resin.

How about you just make your point.

I love plastic

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cisco said..
Yeah whatever!!
It still does not alter the fact that the use of plastic is a greater threat to the environment than all the other shriek shriek crap that is being touted.

A Cisco-fact is it?

Look I agree we have to all do our bit to reduce our use of plastics, but honestly, it's not even close to the biggest threat to the environment!

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holy guacamole said..
Look I agree we have to all do our bit to reduce our use of plastics, but honestly, it's not even close to the biggest threat to the environment!

I have to admit a mega meteor hit causing mass extinction has to be the biggest threat but choking on plastic is just a slower version of the same thing.

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cisco said..

oscardog said..
Suggest independent research into Bisphenol-A and epichlorohydrin, common ingredients in epoxy resin.

How about you just make your point.

My point is that windsurfing/foiling is one of the best things ever, and plastics form the main ingredients of the equipment we use. So as plastics enable one of the best things ever, plastics are part of the best things ever.

Another point: We do need to find a way of catching plastic waste before it gets in rivers and oceans, the western world seems to do this ok, but Asia (ex Japan and South Korea) and Latin America have not yet worked out how. Reducing use of single use plastics will have an effect if applied in Asia and Latin America, will have little effect if applied in western world (apart from maybe give a sense of satisfaction to the western world promoters of the concept).

There was a meme post somewhere else on seabreeze about the secret to happiness. If I could find that, would add a link here.