Cycling UK plastic membership cards - why?!

[Jdsk]

It says on the back of my CUK Membership Card that it is fully biodegradable, whatever that means.

Well spotted.

I've asked them what they're using.

Jonathan

[mattheus]

...It's such a shame that we don't know whether it's even POSSIBLE to make plastic that breaks down within a year.
...

"Biodegradable plastic":
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodegradable_plastic

Jonathan

[text removed by moderator]
That site looks quite good - Bookmarked.

[TrevA]

Just noticed that the YHA has gone over to digital membership cards. Is it time for Cycling UK to follow suit? Or at least have membership cards printed on actual card - National Trust use paper/card membership cards.

A digital card would have the advantage that you’ve always got it with you, as long as you’ve got your phone with you. Useful when getting the discount at places like Halfords. I don’t routinely carry all my plastic cards with me, as I don’t have a physical wallet.

I get that not everyone has a smart phone, hence the suggestion of a paper alternative. My paper/card NT card doesn’t seem to be any less durable that a plastic one and we get a new one every year anyway.

[sjs]

The National Trust still sends out plastic membership cards. I don't know whether they are necessary to get into their places, never having tried not to use one. Cotswold Outdoor are happy to give a discount for NT membership without seeing proof.

[TrevA]

The National Trust still sends out plastic membership cards. I don't know whether they are necessary to get into their places, never having tried not to use one. Cotswold Outdoor are happy to give a discount for NT membership without seeing proof.

My National Trust card is definitely stiff card material . It even says on it “Please recycle with paper”. I think they only changed over recently, within the last couple of years.

You do need it to gain access to their properties, they scan the QR code on the front of the card.

[TrevA]

As a matter of interest, I do have an free app on my phone called Supercards, where you can keep digital copies of your physical cards, it even allows you to store photos of the physical cards too.

[sjs]

My National Trust card is definitely stiff card material . It even says on it “Please recycle with paper”. I think they only changed over recently, within the last couple of years.

You do need it to gain access to their properties, they scan the QR code on the front of the card.

You're right. I never noticed, but mine's made of card too. My old folk's bus pass is still plastic though, whereas the rail card is digital.

[Cugel]

Just noticed that the YHA has gone over to digital membership cards. Is it time for Cycling UK to follow suit? Or at least have membership cards printed on actual card - National Trust use paper/card membership cards.

A digital card would have the advantage that you’ve always got it with you, as long as you’ve got your phone with you. Useful when getting the discount at places like Halfords. I don’t routinely carry all my plastic cards with me, as I don’t have a physical wallet.

I get that not everyone has a smart phone, hence the suggestion of a paper alternative. My paper/card NT card doesn’t seem to be any less durable that a plastic one and we get a new one every year anyway.

Digital stuff is of no use when one refuses the far-too-smart phone and other expensive unnecessaries. I haven't got one and will resist having to have one until they introduce the oxygen-selling app necessary if one wants to breathe, as none of the new oxygen-enclosers will accept pound notes.

When I go phut on the bike it will be much more likely that the cart-off-the-bodies van driver will find my little CUK card in the jersey back pocket than a digital thingy buried under a proprietary app that doesn't work anyway 'cos the crash smashed the gizmo it was on.

Progress!? Cuh!!

[mattheus]

Network Railcards come in Smartphone AND paper-based versions. Yay!

Just tried to tear-up last year's before binning it ... it's got a plastic substrate. Booo!

[irc]

I am a fan of plastic cards. The standard size and durability are excellent for things like membership cards and bank cars. As a percentage of my overall plastic/rubber use it is trivial. Tyres/tubes/clothes/packaging etc. As I carry a wallet everywhere anyway it is more convenient than cluttering up my phone with another app

[mattheus]

I am a fan of plastic cards. The standard size and durability are excellent for things like membership cards and bank cars. As a percentage of my overall plastic/rubber use it is trivial. Tyres/tubes/clothes/packaging etc. As I carry a wallet everywhere anyway it is more convenient than cluttering up my phone with another app

That's pretty much my position.

I know every little helps, but really we need to tackle the big stuff.

[Bmblbzzz]

I am a fan of plastic cards. The standard size and durability are excellent for things like membership cards and bank cars. As a percentage of my overall plastic/rubber use it is trivial. Tyres/tubes/clothes/packaging etc. As I carry a wallet everywhere anyway it is more convenient than cluttering up my phone with another app

That's pretty much my position.

I know every little helps, but really we need to tackle the big stuff.

Thirded. Concentration on individual responsibility is one of the distractions that allows systemic problems (in this case, the overuse of plastic and other materials) to go unchecked. As for a digital pass, my phone is fuller than my wallet!

[Bmblbzzz]

That said, they could make the card itself optional. And the magazine. I bet loads of members never use the first or read the second.