Is it ethically bad to use a large amount of (recycled) plastic on your land?

GervisLooper

At the start I had thought to only use sustainable material like wood or stone which would decompose back to the land.

See here: https://www.mudcontrol.co.uk/ (thank you to @FlorayG here who recommended them)

They are made from 100% recycled material and claimed to be 'playground safe' and stable plastic which won't leech so that is something but plastic is still plastic.

Before considering using these there are only a couple of things like tarps or liquid containers which are plastic.

If I were to use stone I would have been looking at 40+ tons probably to make a proper solid surface as well as hiring contractors to lay it probably. With these I can just place them down myself.

Other green minded people use things like polytunnels and plastic sheeting to suppress weeds so isn't this just the same? I am not saying they are right but they must have similar quandaries being green conscious yet accept its use around their garden.

I use diesel every day for cooking and often heating which is also considered 'bad mojo' but it is just the most effective for the lifestyle I live.

FlorayG

Well they don't break down like plastic sheeting does and they are always removable, so being already recycled I think they are as 'green' as anything else and keeping some plastic out of the environment by locking it up in these slabs

FlorayG

This is how bad my mud is and how they cope 

Section62

GervisLooper said:

At the start I had thought to only use sustainable material like wood or stone which would decompose back to the land.

How sustainable is it to use a material which rots and needs to be replaced on a regular basis, rather than a material which doesn't rot?

In that sense stone might be better as it doesn't 'decompose' in anything like the timescale of wood and most plastics.  But the problem with stone is stopping it sinking into the ground below, and from an environmental point of view the energy consumed in extraction, cleaning and transport.

rob7475

My take on it is this:

If it's single or limited use plastic, it's best to try and avoid it or recycle where possible.

Plastic that is used to make products like the one you linked to is fine. It's designed for long term use so has very little environmental impact. You may also be able to recycle it if you no longer need it.

Despite what some people will have you believe, there is still a place in this world for plastic. It just needs to be used for the right thing.

That's just my opinion though so I'm sure many will disagree with me 

GervisLooper

Section62 said:

GervisLooper said:

At the start I had thought to only use sustainable material like wood or stone which would decompose back to the land.

How sustainable is it to use a material which rots and needs to be replaced on a regular basis, rather than a material which doesn't rot?

In that sense stone might be better as it doesn't 'decompose' in anything like the timescale of wood and most plastics.  But the problem with stone is stopping it sinking into the ground below, and from an environmental point of view the energy consumed in extraction, cleaning and transport.

Indeed, I was thinking about that that the carbon footprint or whatever would be high with the extraction and transportation of stone. Not to say the plastic recycling process would maybe be better but perhaps at least on par with the benefits mentioned of its longevity.

Oh yes and that is a good point that having to constantly replenish wood or stone every few years adds to the environmental cost of said extraction and carting it on site. So ironically while sustainable could be seen as worse. I suppose sustainable resources are only on the table if you were sourcing from your own land.

GervisLooper

rob7475 said:

My take on it is this:

If it's single or limited use plastic, it's best to try and avoid it or recycle where possible.

Plastic that is used to make products like the one you linked to is fine. It's designed for long term use so has very little environmental impact. You may also be able to recycle it if you no longer need it.

Despite what some people will have you believe, there is still a place in this world for plastic. It just needs to be used for the right thing.

That's just my opinion though so I'm sure many will disagree with me 

Indeed, got to weight up the pros and cons of everything. Well the replies have put my mind at ease. Nothing is 100% perfect.

GervisLooper

FlorayG said:

This is how bad my mud is and how they cope 

That one doesn't look too pleased at the impromptu snap.

Aye that is quite the quagmire you got there. Mine doesn't look like that but it does quickly go to a similar soup if walking on the same path consistently.

FlorayG

GervisLooper said:

FlorayG said:

This is how bad my mud is and how they cope 

That one doesn't look too pleased at the impromptu snap.

What he's actually not pleased about is that he wants to get at a haynet and the boss horse is standing in his way. Of course he could step off the mats and into the mud and get round that way but they just won't think to do that

LightFlare

GervisLooper said:

At the start I had thought to only use sustainable material like wood or stone which would decompose back to the land.

Hate to be the one that says it - but I don’t think stone is either sustainable or decomposes.

My view is that if you use a material that otherwise would have ended up in landfill, then that’s better than buying something brand new from a shop/retailer

Id be looking at demolition rubble

GervisLooper

I had also been reading a forestry commission pdf on how to make a forestry track and they advise to put down terram for ground stabilization. This, coming from the highest level, then seems to validate tactical use of plastic.