Environmentalism and scale modelling

[Ceaser_Sa1ad]

Hi all,

I'm sure you've all realized I am a younger guy. My generation has been raised on a lot of awareness for the environment and climate change etc, which has made me think critically of things such as manufacturing using single use plastics.

Plastic modelling, as the name suggests, uses a lot of plastic. A good portion of which isn't used, and is often discarded (sprues). Being conscious of this, I feel like there is a certain amount of responsibility each of us have to make good use of that plastic, or finding ethical ways to throw it away. Personally, I like to cut up my old sprues and use them for scratch building, or just keeping in case of use. NOT that I am some perfect representation of environmentalism, as I have in past thrown out kits, old models that were beyond saving, etc.

I want to also note, this is not a criticism on anyone who does plastic modelling. Obviously we are all here for the same thing, I just find that there should be a personal amount of responsibility in the waste created by our collective hobby. Would I like to see a green form of plastic that can be integrated into the industry? Absolutely, I think the possibilities are endless. Someone just needs to invent them... or stop offing the people who do invent things then are never heard from again...

I wanted to bring this discussion to everyone, as I think we all have something to say about this. As this is an open topic, judgements should be reserved.


So what are your thoughts?

[Stikpusher]

Well… the basic premise here is a bit judgmental. Particularly the ending regarding “offing”.
That being said, I tend to put my leftover model stuff that is paper, cardboard, or plastic into the recycle bin for the sorters of the local garbage collection company to figure out, along with the other materials that are marked as such. From what I’ve read, only a small percentage of stuff marked as being recyclable is actually truly so.

[BlackSheep214]

Yup. Plastic is recyclable. I often save sprues since they do come in handy for a variety of uses from making sprue glue to stretching them to create antennas and wires. I recycle everything from household plastics to paper. I put out a cardboard paper box filled with paper only every week on garbage nights. Green waste like grass clippings, tree branches/sticks/pine cones/dog feces (minus the plastic poop baggies) from my yard gets put in a separate bin and taken to the curb every week on garbage night. Yes.. dog feces is compostable. No different than cow manure the farmers use as fertilizer for their crop. Did you know cattle is the biggest producer of methane gas? We, as humans, also produce our own natural methane gas by…. farting. What’s worse… vegans fart more. I kid you not… look it up. LOL!


I don’t believe we are experiencing a “climate change” as those green environmental nuts claims. I want to make it very clear I’m not making this a political debate but a scientific debate. I love watching television documentaries, reading and learning about evolution, human history (from the first humans thru history across the globe) and the natural world around us - be it mammals/birds, dinosaurs, space, our planet, oceans, etc… I’m still in awe of new discoveries found today. I’ve learned a lot about our Earth’s past in all my life growing up. Because I’m always filled with wonder around us and look at things in the natural world LOGICALLY, not what the far left green environmental wackos wants you to believe as they continue to poison our minds of false facts. Sadly, our schools and universities are teaching the opposite of what I was thought in schools growing up. We all deserve to learn and accept the true hard scientific facts - whether to like it or not.


Think about it… our Earth has gone through billions of years of geological evolution and climate changes. Look at the history of Earth since it’s birth. Earth has gone through 8 cycles of ice age and warmer periods with the last Ice Age that occurred over 11,000 plus years ago. Has the Earth been ever warmer than it has now? Absolutely…. much, much, warmer. A lot of it has nothing to do with human nature “destroying the ozone layer”. No sir. A lot of it has to do with the changes in the sun, emissions from volcanic activities, variations of our Earth’s orbit, geological, and the Earth’s natural levels of carbon dioxide.

Look at Africa…. they have a yearly dry season that is always harsh, water holes disappear to only a scarce pool. Once the wet season finally arrives, the rains begins to flood rivers/lakes/water holes; greenery once again prospers. Animals and humans learned to adapt just as they have for millions of years… even today.

Our Earth is doing its natural thing, not us that’s causing climate change. Watch Planet Earth on Netflix. A very good documentary. You should watch it. Maybe you’ll see it in a different light than what the environmental left thinks.

[Stuart]

Okaaaaaaayyyy I've always taken the view that the truth is somewhere in the middle. I don't think the situation is as bad as a lot of people make out, but I also think that something IS happening and saying it isn't is rather blind to the evidence.

The issue with climate change isn't the fact that the earth's environment is changing, Tom's 100% right in that the environment always has changed, and always will - weather cycles change, the seas rise and fall, the tectonic plates always move etc. etc. nothing stays the same. However, what the problem is at the moment is that the RATE of change has actually increased, to the point where it's changing faster than a lot of species can adapt/evolve to cope with it. Throw in habitat destruction as well, caused by basically too many humans, and that's why a lot of the planets wildlife is having a hard time at the moment. Some of it will adapt to cope, but we'll loose a lot along the way. Yes that kind of thing has happened before, but being involved in conservation as I am, I am seeing a significant reduction in a lot of species in a very short space of time. The worst affected seems to be the insects - especially pollenating species like Bees and Butterflies, and if we loose those it will affect us - how the hell are we going to make Mead without honey???

Part of the problem is the doom and gloom merchants always seem to be in the forefront - there's a lot of good environmental work going on as well that you never hear about unfortunately.

Anyway... as I said, I think the truth is more in the middle.

In regards to the topic of discussion. Like the others I recycle all my waste plastics and paper - it's collected every week. A lot of plastic kit manufactures now put the type of recycling needed symbols on the sprues. The ultimate goal of course is for plastic kits to be made from 100% recycled plastic - that would be awesome. But having worked in the plastics industry, for a company that made stuff from recycled plastic, I do know that the cost/quality of recycled plastic isn't there yet. Drapol use 100% recycled plastic for their railway kits and whilst buildable, they aren't very good - that will change as the technology improves and the cost goes down. We'll get there though and it probably won't be that long before we start seeing kits made from recyclables rather than virgin materials.

Other than that I try to be less wasteful in using the products and kits I have. I try to make use of the paints, weathering products I have etc. rather than always buying new.

We, as humans, also produce our own natural methane gas by…. farting. What’s worse… vegans fart more. I kid you not… look it up. LOL!

Tom, I can confirm that as someone that has been a Vegetarian for nearly 30 years, my wind is no worse now than is was when I ate meat... I'm not saying it was great to start with however...

[keavdog]

Technically we are in an ice age. Climate change is real - the planet does that. Do we influence that? That's the question. I would think that sprues have little to no influence. Stupid politics obfuscate science .

[Stuart]

Technically we are in an ice age. Climate change is real - the planet does that. Do we influence that? That's the question. I would think that sprues have little to no influence. Stupid politics obfuscate science .

See my comment above - I think the truth is in the middle.

The main problem I see with plastic, are bloody plastic bags and single use drinks bottle. I often do a waste collection walk along my local beach and I pick more of those up than anything.

Don't get me started on dog poo bags - I love dogs, less keen on stupid dog owners (I'm not saying ALL dog owners are stupid).

[BlackSheep214]

Both great points. Habitat destruction is human cause. Animal world extinction is definitely caused by over hunting/overfishing. I, too, am worried about the bee population.

[Stikpusher]

When someone can plausibly demonstrate how human activities can alter or effect things like ocean currents and wind patterns such as the jet stream, which truly affect weather patterns and climate, then I’ll start buying into the manmade side of things. Having grown up and lived next to the Pacific Ocean for over 50 years, I saw how those two things and their cycles, controlled the climate no matter what was going on.

[cbaltrin]

I am staying out of this one :-) I will say, assuming it works, there is nothing wrong with recycling... We certainly are a throw-away society...

[keavdog]

I am staying out of this one :-) I will say, assuming it works, there is nothing wrong with recycling... We certainly are a throw-away society...

Ha... the Bic disposable lighter was the first.