Rubbish!!

Should Supermarkets do more?

As Thanet's large supermarkets have started breading faster than rabbits on Viagra should they not take more responsibility for the rubbish they generate in the form of packaging.

I heard a story of a lady who went into a large supermarket and at the checkout proceeded to remove all the packaging from her shopping. When asked what she was doing she said she did not want it.

Thanet District Council do not recycle plastic packaging. Apart from plastic bottles, paper and tins there is so much confusion about anything else. Thanet does not give recycling collections the same a priority as Dover District Council who collect and recycle practically everything including all plastic and even food waste. I heard that they also earn money from doing so. Check out http://www.dover.gov.uk/waste__recycling/new_service.aspx

If our council is unable to get their act together should we be asking supermarkets to do more?

In France supermarkets have recycling facilities for all types of packaging. Why not in England? Surely it is for the supermarkets convenience of operation that everything is packaged so why can it not be returned to them to recycle if councils are unwilling to take responsibility.

All this packaging is using up the world's valuable resources and much of it ends up in landfill or as litter. The amount of plastic in our seas has drastic consequences for marine life.

Most plastic is made from crude oil so does it not follow that if we used less then fuel would be cheaper?

Fast Food.

Another major use of packaging is fast food. I have not worked out whether people who consume takeaway from well known outlets are those that are incapable of disposing of their rubbish responsibly or the fact that eating this 'food' makes them incapable of doing so. The evidence can be found in many of the car parks where it has just been chucked out of their car windows.

Thanet District Council do a brilliant job of clearing up after these but it all costs money and resources. I do not know if it is true but I was told that every piece of litter dropped costs £5 to clear up. That is a shocking waste of money if this is true.

Food Waste

Another area of concern is the food we waste. It does not seem right that much of the world is starving, yet we have so much waste. Again I point a finger at supermarkets who reportedly throw away so much food. I also find that the tendency towards multi-buys (e.g. BOGOF or two for £X) disturbing. Is it me or is the price of the first item more expensive than before in order to make these offers appealing. This encourages shoppers to buy more than they need and no doubt adds to food waste. I hate this as I feel it is manipulation on a grand scale .

Road to Hell

Maybe I am turning into a grumpy but I hate the way that large corporations are attempting to control our lives. Maybe those camping out at Turner have a point. As companies, banks and utilities get larger they dictate how we pay our bills, how we shop and ultimately how we live our lives and we are much the poorer for doing so. Maybe Chris Rea is right and we are on the Road to Hell.

Reprieve for Devil Crabs?

During the last three winters we have been witnessing, during cold weather, the death of large numbers of Velvet Swimming Crabs often called Devil Crabs because of their red eyes.

Volunteer Coastal Wardens from the Thanet Coast Project have been braving the cold over the last two weeks checking our shores and bays for any casualties due to the cold weather. To date non have been reported.

This is a relief as populations of this specie had taken a real hammering in previous years.

There are a number of theories why we have not seen this devastation this year. It may be that the tidal conditions were not the same as previous years. This year the cold weather did not coincide with spring tides and therefore the low water mark did not reach the feeding areas normally frequented by these crabs. It may be that the population has not re-established itself yet following previous disastrous years or maybe they have just become wise and stayed in deeper water where they are less likely to be affected by changes in temperature.

Whatever the reasons Coastal Wardens will be continue to monitor our bays for any future incidents.

Westbrook Whiteout

Really cold today but well worth wrapping up and getting out. Walk on Promenade today rewarded by loads of wading birds on the shore. Some photos taken on walk.


Cliff Top


Sunken Gardens


Nature Park


Snow Fun


Prom



Beach