Saving the planet

Ukulele strings are not a problem at all. Think how much stuff you use everyday, or the car fuel?

Myself I use everyday about 200g of viili, or sour milk product:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viili
For the calcium need.

I think it's plastic container weighs as much as our strings. Well not a case that came with the strings lol. I buy also chicken slices packed in some plastic. Usually I eat just like 125g/day.
In most stores I can't even buy vegetables without a plastic bag.

In my country eating animals is more sustainable than other ones too lol. But Nordic countries typically have a higher carbon footprint because of heating alone. So we are guilty :(
 
My wife is much more of an environmentalist than I am and I was discussing this with her at lunch in regards to used strings polluting the earth and her suggestion was that if environmentally concerned people would limit the number of ukulele that they own they would reduce the number of strings that are consumed and thereby discarded. I told her I would float that by here and see how long it took to sink. :)
 
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My wife is much more of an environmentalist than I am and I was discussing this with her at lunch in regards to used strings polluting the earth and her suggestion was that if environmentally concerned people would limit the number of ukulele that they own they would reduce the number of strings that are consumed and thereby discarded. I told her I would float that by here and see how long it took to sink. :)

I follow your wife’s logic but as strings are typically replaced due to wear rather than time she might not be completely correct on this occasion - I’ll let you explain that to her.

In terms of use of material used limiting the number of Ukes you have has some logic too, but Ukes are available in different sizes so number isn’t a completely accurate guide. Reduce, reuse and recycle are three useful goals (IMHO). As I have several Ukes my way forward has been to both reuse those bought by others (buy second hand) and to restore some damaged ones to playing order such that they can be used again (I regard restoration as a form of recycling). I’ve sold a few Ukes too and enabled people to buy a really nice playing and set up Uke instead of buying a new one. Typically Ukes are 95% plus made of wood and metal and both of those are recyclable, there is some plastic in the tuners and strings and maybe the nut and saddle. The amount of plastic on a Uke is small compared to the amount used to package / contain one’s monthly groceries, so whilst every little still counts a sense of perspective is good.

I read in one of your earlier posts (#29 in this thread) about you picking up rubbish and clearing parts of a local creek. That act seems good to me and surely that must mean that you deserve another (wooden) Uke as a reward from the environment. :) Being a better person than the man (or woman) up the creek / stream / river is, I think, a step or two in the right direction.
 
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I hate to say it, but I'm going to be doing a lot less recycling. I went to the recycling station/dump yesterday with cans and plastic. The guy came over to see what I was dumping. Most of what I had was considered garbage. It's not enough to wash empty food cans. They have to be scrubbed clean. No plastic that has touched food can be recycled. Our town has huge dumpsters for different items, and the company hauls them away when they're full. This recycling company is very particular about what they accept. I ordered a trash compactor yesterday to fit more into each garbage bag. It costs $5.00 to leave a bag of garbage at the dump.
 
I follow your wife’s logic but as strings are typically replaced due to wear rather than time she might not be completely correct on this occasion - I’ll let you explain that to her.

In terms of use of material used limiting the number of Ukes you have has some logic too, but Ukes are available in different sizes so number isn’t a completely accurate guide. Reduce, reuse and recycle are three useful goals (IMHO). As I have several Ukes my way forward has been to both reuse those bought by others (buy second hand) and to restore some damaged ones to playing order such that they can be used again (I regard restoration as a form of recycling). I’ve sold a few Ukes too and enabled people to buy a really nice playing and set up Uke instead of buying a new one. Typically Ukes are 95% plus made of wood and metal and both of those are recyclable, there is some plastic in the tuners and strings and maybe the nut and saddle. The amount of plastic on a Uke is small compared to the amount used to package / contain one’s monthly groceries, so whilst every little still counts a sense of perspective is good.
not
I read in one of your earlier posts (#29 in this thread) about you picking up rubbish and clearing parts of a local creek. That act seems good to me and surely that must mean that you deserve another (wooden) Uke as a reward from the environment. :) Being a better person than the man (or woman) up the creek / stream / river is, I think, a step or two in the right direction.

Excellent rationalization Graham. You have certainly won me over with your argument, but I will not be explaining it. I'll not push "my" luck for "your" argument. I just thought it would be fun to post a non believer's comment on the subject. I try not to talk ukuleles in general with her to the point that I aggravate her, but as she is saving the world one plastic bag at a time, the subject was just too good to resist. ;)
 
I hate to say it, but I'm going to be doing a lot less recycling. I went to the recycling station/dump yesterday with cans and plastic. The guy came over to see what I was dumping. Most of what I had was considered garbage. It's not enough to wash empty food cans. They have to be scrubbed clean. No plastic that has touched food can be recycled. Our town has huge dumpsters for different items, and the company hauls them away when they're full. This recycling company is very particular about what they accept. I ordered a trash compactor yesterday to fit more into each garbage bag. It costs $5.00 to leave a bag of garbage at the dump.

It seems that sometimes they make it as difficult as they possibly can to be environmentally conscious.
 
We have a Prius hybrid (used) car. I have no idea how much pollution was caused by it being built.
We have new anti hurricane windows. I have no idea how much pollution was caused in their manufacture.
We just had solar panels installed on our roof. I have no idea how much pollution was caused when they were made.

Although these things concern me, I'm less concerned about my ukulele strings.
 
Unfortunately, there are a lot of recycled trash that is not being recycled, but just dumped into landfills. For decades China was taking a very high percentage of the world’s recyclable trash. They have cut back on how much they take and the quality (contamination) of what they do accept. There are some alternative countries that are taking more, but here in the US we generate so much plastic waste that is not adequately cleaned and separated that the industry is overwhelmed.

While I admire trying to be environmentally conscious, this thread flies in the face of the many string threads on UU. Deep down I wonder how many people would sacrifice tone and playability for more environmentally safe strings. At the end of the day I’m guessing few would actually go that route. I also think that few would forego taking a ukulele on a trip in extreme conditions due to not wanting to buy a KLOS, Outdoor or Fluke ukulele for the sake of the environment. I’m not sure I could go a week or more without a ukulele.

John
 
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We have a Prius hybrid (used) car. I have no idea how much pollution was caused by it being built.
We have new anti hurricane windows. I have no idea how much pollution was caused in their manufacture.
We just had solar panels installed on our roof. I have no idea how much pollution was caused when they were made.

Although these things concern me, I'm less concerned about my ukulele strings.

To my mind what you’re doing is the way to go in that you’re doing what you feel you can to live a more sustainable life. What each of us can do is different according to our knowledge and circumstances but being mindful of what we do is good. Perspective is good, and Uke strings are ‘small beer’.

Some folk have commented on recyclable material still being dumped or stockpiled rather than recycled. It’s not a good situation but it has the makings of one. Material held as recyclable will, with the correct technology and correct will, be recycled at some point. Having a society that is used to segregating its waste into recyclable streams will aid recycling at some point and in some places material is being properly recycled.

My inclination is to believe that the consumer has too much environmental responsibility placed on them, too little information to make choices with and too few options from amongst which to select with sustainability in mind. Manufacturers and suppliers need to (only) produce and sell items for which there is a known pathway for responsible disposal at the end of their lifecycle. Typically such pathways really aren’t that difficult for manufacturers to identify and so the originator of a product should design and manufacture it with recycling and recycling facilities in mind ...... and ensure that product owners can readily find out about about correct end of life disposal.
 
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We have a Prius hybrid (used) car. I have no idea how much pollution was caused by it being built.
We have new anti hurricane windows. I have no idea how much pollution was caused in their manufacture.
We just had solar panels installed on our roof. I have no idea how much pollution was caused when they were made.

Although these things concern me, I'm less concerned about my ukulele strings.

I went to a seminar on building materials that are environmentally friendly and at the time we were looking at bamboo flooring as a renewable resource. The popular thinking at the time was that bamboo grows quickly and is resistant to wear. Sounds good, we'll take it. But at the seminar we found out that the carbon footprint to process the bamboo to flooring was huge. So we went to something else. But then we talked to a someone about it and she said that the carbon footprint for most flooring is the same, so in that sense bamboo was as green as any. Who knows how much pollution was generated to build your Prius, but not more than any other car that is less fuel efficient.
 
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Big picture is thinking of being conscious in various ways. We could do nothing with our lives, progress little and then die. Or enjoy a quality of life while still being aware of ways to lessen the footprint.
While I am obsessed with music, hopefully I am using less of other (potentially more harmful) materials.
I do worry about the raw materials used to make the instruments yet I consider how beneficial music is in our lives.
 
Yes, and with all that, I think that the one thing I've done recently is, I stopped eating pork and beef. Meat producing is about the most harmful thing we can do, including the cruelty of it. I hope to stop eating chickens and turkeys too....

Now, where are those old ukulele strings I stuffed away???
 
I change strings once every year or a year and a half. If they break before then, I'll change them. And recycling is great for the planet. Polluting the environment is bad for people and animals. Unfortunately, not everyone understands this. Even our Disposal Bins Toronto are environmentally friendly. There is also a company that takes garbage and recycles itself, which is very convenient, you do not even need to distribute the garbage. But it's just a grain of sand in this big world. But everyone starts small.
 
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So if you get rid of plastic strings do we go back to gut strings, which are made from animal internals? Should you eat the sheep that is killed to make gut strings?

If you buy a mass produced uke because it is cheap, available and playable are you being environmentally conscious? Especially when there is an alternative to pay a bit more for a hand made uke that is guaranteed to be made out of plantation wood and other sustainable materials?

Will you be happy with a rubbed oil and wax finish instead of a high gloss coat of plastic polymer?

Whether you like it or not, the current state of the world of ukulele is based on environmentally unfriendly factories and materials. Many of us would not be here if it was not for mass produced cheap instruments, which will end up as landfill. How many readers are willing to give up low cost available ukes forever in favour of more expensive custom ukes made out of sustainable materials? Or even to learn how to play a more sustainable instrument which is much more environmentally friendly like a well made violin or lute?

Typing words on a bulletin board is so easy, doing something that reverses the environmental problems is a lot harder.

And that is the issue facing most areas of concern with environmental issues, so many people will do superficial things, but they are not ready to accept going back to the 1880s before plastics and bitumen roads and cars and white goods.

I suggest that if you want to be environmentally serious in a ukulele sense, you need to stop buying cheap ukes off Amazon and eBay and you need to save up and get ukes that are custom or certified to be made completely out of sustainable materials, verifiable by yourself with a visit to the factory or workshop if you so choose.

I also suggest that you work out if you want plastic strings or are able to cope with killing animals to get the materials for gut strings.

I’m a bit puzzled by this stance but perhaps it’s aimed at a particular response further up the thread. Personally I can’t see ways for me to be completely environmentally responsible now, but I can see ways towards being more environmentally responsible so I try to take them. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle works for me and trying to make ethical choices about lifestyles isn’t necessarily that hard or too painful, but I am a pragmatist rather than a purist.

To my mind it’s perfectly reasonable to criticise in constructive ways, please do go for it. Is suggesting that we’re all in danger of going back to the 1880’s really valid though? I’d also question whether many of the practices of the late 19th century were environmentally friendly. Today’s technology enables us to, if we wish, to live in relatively sustainable ways and the technology of the future could make things even better.

Is the future green? Well it could be but maybe not in my lifetime. World population is still going up but it is widely projected to naturally plateau too. Recycling is in its relative infancy but sooner or later virtually everything that we use will have a recycling route. Power generation will become completely from renewable resources and has made vast strides in recent decades. Advances in agriculture, disease management, sanitation, water management, education and communications are ongoing and make the support of life so much more manageable. Barring the fall-out from political instability, and given a broad international support, there’s no real reason why we can’t move into the future enjoying high standards of living whilst still living in a sustainable way.
 
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It is part of human nature to alter the planet and modify the environment and unfortunately the consequences are sometimes detrimental for humans. So while I don't really believe in a save the planet movement I am also not materialistic and don't buy unnecessary things or follow fashions or fads, and the things I have I tend to do use until they are unrepairable. As a result my waste production is relatively small for an urban dweller and I like recycling as well as composting for the vegetables that I grow. As for Uke strings, most can have a life of years and not months even when played daily with high intensity. They can be used until they literally wear out. It is mainly wound strings where thin silver winding wears out quickly and that is one of the reasons why I don't use those. And yeah I had a string set that I really did not like but I did not throw it away but may use it for another uke or emergency replacement. I think that sound or playing feel are up to me as player and not a function of strings, so I just prefer to be able to try play well on any kind of string and make them sound good, rather than compensate for developing playing skills with frequent string changes.
 
"I suggest that if you want to be environmentally serious in a ukulele sense, you need to stop buying cheap ukes off Amazon and eBay and you need to save up and get ukes that are custom or certified to be made completely out of sustainable materials, verifiable by yourself with a visit to the factory or workshop if you so choose."

I constantly rail against people buying ukuleles off Amazon, and redirect them to other sources, such as Mims, etc.
We switched from tree paper TP to bamboo TP. It's higher quality, and doesn't cost much more. We use less, too. And it doesn't have to come off Amazon!
Every little bit helps.
 
It is part of human nature to alter the planet and modify the environment and unfortunately the consequences are sometimes detrimental for humans. So while I don't really believe in a save the planet movement I am also not materialistic and don't buy unnecessary things or follow fashions or fads, and the things I have I tend to do use until they are unrepairable. As a result my waste production is relatively small for an urban dweller and I like recycling as well as composting for the vegetables that I grow. As for Uke strings, most can have a life of years and not months even when played daily with high intensity. They can be used until they literally wear out. It is mainly wound strings where thin silver winding wears out quickly and that is one of the reasons why I don't use those. And yeah I had a string set that I really did not like but I did not throw it away but may use it for another uke or emergency replacement. I think that sound or playing feel are up to me as player and not a function of strings, so I just prefer to be able to try play well on any kind of string and make them sound good, rather than compensate for developing playing skills with frequent string changes.

I admire your approach. I recently tried to use a set of strings twice as long as usual. They wore out so gradually I didn't notice it, but my uke's intonation went to hell. So in my case, it wasn't worth it to leave the old set on longer.
Our club has a guy who collects our member's old strings, and sends them to D'Addario for credit.
 
It's not possible for humans to save the planet by individual action.

If we all became vegan the pollution caused by factory meat farming would be reduced, but we would keep growing unsustainable crops. If you're a vegan you are still contributing to the death of countless animals because of factory farming. Pesticides, fertilisers and the destruction of natural habitats are byproducts of our desire for only eating food that looks a certain way and is available all year round.

There was a really interesting book serialised on Radio 4 a few weeks ago. English Pastoral is written by a farmer and he talks about how farming has changed since his grandfather owned the same farm:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000rc46

I've ordered a copy (from my library). I will get back to you all when it arrives!

Really, we are a scourge on our planet. We all have far too much stuff, and everything we do causes suffering somewhere else. A bit of me wishes I didn't own as many instruments as I do.

I don't know how significant something like not buying ukulele strings is in light of everything else we do.
 
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