San Stefanos Online ~ North West Corfu

Andy - let's not start on global warming, which is indisputable!

Here are a few actual facts for the anti-smoking devotees to remember:

* In 2012 UK smokers contributed £12.1 billion to the exchequer - representing approximately 2% of total income, and 11.1% of the NHS budget, or the whole of Child Benefits.
* Smokers live on average five years less than non-smokers, representing a massive saving in pensions and health care.
* Smokers pay 10 times as much money towards the NHS as they cost.
* The UK is the third most expensive place to buy cigarettes in the world.
* The World Health Organisation stated that increasing prices had little or no effect on smoking rates.

It should be fairly clear from this that if smoking was actually banned, UK taxes would have to rise by substantially more than 2%.

Indisputable, you reckon?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2294560/The-great-green-1-The-hard-proof-finally-shows-global-warming-forecasts-costing-billions-WRONG-along.html

Looks like Global Warming has run out of steam mate

Sorry Jimbo I couldnt resist, at least we agree about passive smoking which is just as well sharing a table at the Little Prince with you and the two Gillie's

Must do it again next summer

Andy

Interesting points one and all, just to confirm I raised the question as we had a meal spoilt by excessive smoke from several tables all around us. We were under cover in a balcony area. We didn't complain just smiled and got on with our meals, we were on holiday, it's what you do. It's not practical to move mid meal, but it may be practical to have non smoking areas? The alfresco aspect is relevant , outdoors not a problem, but in semi enclosed dining areas it can genuinely be unpleasant for non smokers.No prejudice,no nanny state storm troopers,no human rights articles being waved about,just a family tolerating the habits of others and asking a reasonable question of fellow holiday makers, Is it right to smoke next to fellow diners as they eat their meal?

Just to say that I do think smokers should be considerate when other people are eating nearby, it doesn't bother me but it may do other people. Gill smokes 'a lot' but if the smoke goes across to other dinners out goes the fag. It's just being considerate.

What I object to is the blanket ban in the UK of what is after all a legal activity, I wish we could ban naughty children in restaurants as easily

Andy

Never smoked a fag in my life but I really dislike the anti-smoking storm troopers.

If you dont like smoking dont go to Greece where 70% of the population enjoy smoking without a Nanny state nagging them all the time.

As for anti-smokers preaching the benefits of clean air, how many of them drive cars that belch out a multitude of gases, few of which are beneficial to our health.

Tolerance is what is needed.

Andy

I spend a good deal of my time down "the far end" and I must admit that I find the amount of litter and flotsam and jetsam down there quite depressing at times. I do take a carrier bag with me when I go down to  "that end" and tend to pick up litter and deposit it in a bin on my way back.
It would be great if it was cleaned up.

Thank God for this post, I was beginning to think I had imagined the litter on the far end beach!

Yes, it is depressing but its great to hear that other people are willing to help out by picking it up instead of walking on by and pretending it doesnt exist.

Well done you!

As Lesley said its not realistic to expect the Greek authorities to do anything, they just dont have the resources. Its down to the tourist not to drop litter and its down to the regular's of San Stef to take pride in OUR resort and help keep it clean.

Andy

£110 each, is that outward and return?

Yep, £110 each return from Luton, booked them within 6 hours of the flights coming out, OK they are low season bookings but thats still cheaper than going to London on the train!

Andy

To be honest, I've never thought the AS beach to be messy, even at the Nordic nudist end.

Beach beds from Mango include free water AND an ashtray. How posh and sensible is that?

Some of the stupidest and rubbishy postings on Facebook are by me. I can't help it. I've talked to the doctor on LinkedIn and he's made an appointment to see me in July 2015.

We're with you on this. We want the village to prosper and keep its unique friendly character.

Hi Jimbo,

You should have gone to Spec Savers

Have a closer look next time you go past Thomas Boats, you cant miss the amount of litter about and it always amazes me that some people will be on the sand surrounded by bottles, cans and crisp packets

The problem isnt as bad as it could be and the main beach is generally clean, but I have read several negative posts about litter on San Stef beach on Trip Adviser so for some people it is an issue.

I will let everyone know whats its like when Gill and I go out for our pre season trip next month

Andy

Like everyone on this forum I love San Stef beach with its shallow water and wide quiet sands, in general the beach is kept clean by the Greek authorities but last summer I saw some terrible examples of people littering the less used (and rarely cleaned) parts of the beach.

The most disgusting example was someone stuffing dirty nappies under rocks at the far end of the beach near the old harbour but worse still is the area of beach beyond Thomas Boats where the nudist hang out, here its amazing what you can find but I have seen everything from dust bin lids to a rusty bbq!

Much of this stuff is washed up from the sea where idiot boat owners have thrown it overboard but it makes that part of the beach somewhat unpleasant to walk along.

However, not everything is washed up and some thoughtless people throw their rubbish onto the sand thus spoiling the very thing they have come to enjoy! I have seem people throw down plastic water bottles having just walked past a huge bin, it makes you wonder what goes on inside the head of these morons.

I know everyone who uses this forum will respect the environment of San Stef but its disappointing that so many others dont.

I came across a website today that details how long it takes litter to breakdown on a beach or elsewhere in the environment, it makes thoughtful reading:

Time it takes for garbage to decompose in the environment (Information Source: U.S. National Park Service; Mote Marine Lab, Sarasota, FL)

Glass Bottle.......................... 1 million years
Monofilament Fishing Line… 600 years
Plastic Beverage Bottles…… 450 years
Disposable Diapers………… 450 years
Aluminum Can..................... 80-200 years
Foamed Plastic Buoy……… 80 years
Foamed Plastic Cups……… 50 years
Rubber-Boot Sole............... 50-80 years
Tin Cans……………………. 50 years
Leather................................. 50 years
Nylon Fabric........................ 30-40 years
Plastic Film Container........ 20-30 years
Plastic Bag.......................... 10-20 years
Cigarette Butt...................... 1-5 years
Wool Sock............................ 1-5 years
Plywood…………………….. 1-3 years
Waxed Milk Carton………… 3 months
Apple Core…………………. 2 months
Newspaper………………….. 6 weeks
Orange or Banana Peel...... 2-5 weeks
Paper Towel……………….. 2-4 weeks

Its sobering to think that the next Ice Age will have been and gone by the time that Coke bottle someone threw into the sea finally decomposes!

So for eveyone that loves San Stef we can all do our bit to keep the beach clean by taking our rubbish away and even picking up the litter other thoughtless people have left behind, if we all did a little it would make a big difference.

Andy

I have noticed how expensive they are, easyjet in particular although I managed to get some reasonable dels by booking the day they came out.

September with easyjet is a joke, I booked mine the day they came out but they wanted crazy money from manchester so i saved over £200 going from Luton.

Yes it's a trek but the flight times are better and I would rather save the cash.

I don't think we will be having any sneaky weekends in San Stephen this summer, managed to get last minute Friday and Monday flights for about £100 each last summer, I reckon such deals will be thin on the ground this season.

Andy