We've all seen those pictures or videos of animals with six-pack rings stuck around their necks or various body parts. We know they are bad and cause problems. That's nothing new. And I don't know about you, but whenever I see an animal in pain caused by humans...I feel a little bit like this:
You get the idea.
Even though this is old news, these rings are still an issue.
It's okay, though! You've probably heard you can cut the rings to prevent animals from getting stuck.
I also JUST learned these rings have a secret message written on them that only appears when you stick them in a fire.
Hooray for saving the environment!
2-minute intermission. (I really should've saved this for my blog about plastic bottles, but it just fits so well with my LOTR theme).
BREAKING NEWS: Just because you either 1). Cut them into tiny pieces or 2). They naturally break down into little pieces doesn't mean they don't pose a potential risk to wildlife.
Yes, they won't get stuck around an animal's body. But, they can still eat these tiny, little, bite-size pieces which can cause eternal damage.
It's okay, though! You've probably heard you can cut the rings to prevent animals from getting stuck.
I also JUST learned these rings have a secret message written on them that only appears when you stick them in a fire.
Oh, wait. Now I'm plagiarizing.
What I meant to say was, ever since 1989 these rings have been 100% photodegradable. This means, over time (3-4 months) they will break down when exposed to sunlight.
According to The Ring Leader Recycling Program, these pesky little rings don't cause too much of a hazard. But nevertheless, their program helps educate groups and businesses on how to recycle them.
According to The Ring Leader Recycling Program, these pesky little rings don't cause too much of a hazard. But nevertheless, their program helps educate groups and businesses on how to recycle them.
Hooray for saving the environment!
2-minute intermission. (I really should've saved this for my blog about plastic bottles, but it just fits so well with my LOTR theme).
BREAKING NEWS: Just because you either 1). Cut them into tiny pieces or 2). They naturally break down into little pieces doesn't mean they don't pose a potential risk to wildlife.
Yes, they won't get stuck around an animal's body. But, they can still eat these tiny, little, bite-size pieces which can cause eternal damage.
**Disclaimer** I'm not a scientist. I only sort of studied environmental science in college. This is not meant to be taken as expert advice. I'm simply talking myself through environmental issues I want to learn more about. If you are having an emergency you should hang up and dial 9-1-1.
Moving along.
Good news for sea life, though. The Saltwater Brewery located in Florida created edible rings!
How do you know if you can recycle plastic #4 at home?
I'm glad you asked. This information should be available to you on the World Wide Web.
Look what I found regarding recycling in my county: http://www.pwcgov.org/government/dept/publicworks/trash/pages/recycling-in-prince-william-county.aspx
This has a list of everything I can and cannot recycle, as well as other helpful links.
When I first planned to write this post, I was basically going to say something like, "Oh no! These six-pack rings are bad! Don't use them. Moving on to more important things..."
I had NO idea I would spend four hours rambling on and on about these stupid rings. Now I know how Peter Jackson must've felt.
To sum up today's lesson.
1). I have no idea what I'm actually talking about.
2). These rings are bad.
3). But they might not be too bad.
4). Someone created a better alternative.
5.) The alternative rings might be bad.
6). You might be able to recycle these rings!
Hmmmm...I think I raised more questions than I answered.
In my (unprofessional) opinion, the only feasible alternative to recycling these rings is not buying them.
Moving along.
Good news for sea life, though. The Saltwater Brewery located in Florida created edible rings!
No, not that kind of ring.
This kind of ring!
(I, personally, would prefer the candy. But I'm not a fish, and therefore have no opinion.)
Watch the video to learn more about these biodegradable, compostable, and edible rings.
Pretty cool, huh?
I thought so, too. And then I stumbled upon the following article:
To sum it up: just because something is labeled as edible doesn't mean you should eat it. These biodegradable, compostable, edible rings might not be an end-all solution. They still could post risks to sea life and humans who consume said sea life.
But once again, I don't know because I'M NOT A SCIENTIST!
Is your head spinning, yet?
Because mine is.
But there is a glimmer of hope! Remember earlier I mentioned a free recycling program designed specifically for these little buggers? You might not need to be part of that program to recycle your stupid old rings. These plastic rings can actually be recycled at home...or at a nearby recycling center! According to Earth 9-1-1's website, "The rings are made of plastic #4 (LDPE) and can be recycled in programs that accept low-density polyethylene resin."
How do you know if you can recycle plastic #4 at home?
I'm glad you asked. This information should be available to you on the World Wide Web.
Look what I found regarding recycling in my county: http://www.pwcgov.org/government/dept/publicworks/trash/pages/recycling-in-prince-william-county.aspx
This has a list of everything I can and cannot recycle, as well as other helpful links.
When I first planned to write this post, I was basically going to say something like, "Oh no! These six-pack rings are bad! Don't use them. Moving on to more important things..."
I had NO idea I would spend four hours rambling on and on about these stupid rings. Now I know how Peter Jackson must've felt.
To sum up today's lesson.
1). I have no idea what I'm actually talking about.
2). These rings are bad.
3). But they might not be too bad.
4). Someone created a better alternative.
5.) The alternative rings might be bad.
6). You might be able to recycle these rings!
Hmmmm...I think I raised more questions than I answered.
In my (unprofessional) opinion, the only feasible alternative to recycling these rings is not buying them.
Whoops, wrong movie.
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