The notion that plastic bags are worse for the environment than paper is a myth. Even some materials used to make totes, most notably cotton, offer no significant environmental improvement over plastic.
If the purpose is to encourage use of reusable bags, is there a compelling reason to support an outright ban over, for example, a fee or a tax? I am and remain leery of prohibitionism, and although I have a difficult time saying <em>'grocery bag black market'</em> with a straight face, there it is.
I love scouring thrift shops for deals. I have a sizable collection of totes, some very fashionable and fancy, and I keep a stack in my car for my trips to Aldi's. The ones I use are sturdy and roomy with reinforced handles. I usually get them for 99 cents or $1.99. Haven't worn any out yet.
About the plastic, I read there's a floating island of plastic gunk in the Pacific Ocean the size of Texas. Not good. It broke my heart to see a close-up photo -- in one of those National Geographic Photos of the Week compilations online -- of a poor little seahorse hopelessly entwined around a plastic Q-Tip. Let's cut down on plastic -- Q-Tips, drinking straws, water bottles, grocery bags. It makes sense to me.
Howard - Thanks for posting that link. It was a good read. I still support a ban on plastic bags. Sounds like the best alternative may be reusable bags made from recycled plastic.
So you want shopper's to bring in their own reusable totes... Who knows what kind of critters (fleas, bed bugs, cockroaches, germs, pet hairs, other pet substances, etc...) might be hitching a ride right where your own personal reusable totes will be sitting.... NO THANKS ! Give me the plastic, I'll recycle my collected bags (as I do now). and... besides, with plastic, I can carry 10 to 20 bags at a time.
Another thought.... take a look at where else plastic bags are used, shipping bubble bags, ESD bags, frozen food bags, chip bags, assorted candy bags, bags that magazines are mailed in, phone books, produce bags (the kind with the nice little green ty-wrap), dry cleaning garment bags. Face it the list goes on forever, oh, and don't forget the big brown garbage bags that are required by the trash pick up companies. Why the push to ban specifically shopping bags ?
Hey DelPlato, I didn't say I want shoppers to bring their own recyclable totes. I just said that's what I do. I am speaking for myself. And as for Jeff's query about how the plastic Q-tip ended up in the Pacific. Who Knows? What's your point? The fact is there are too many "disposable" products and inevitably the waste stream will get sloppy and things will end up where they should not. I don't have an answer for that, much less a public policy proposal; I'm just sayin' let's try to be more conscientious of our footprint on this Earth, OK?
Chas Delplato. My fear of people bringing in dirty bug infected bags is a hell of a lot lower than my fear of bugs and other contaminants from the farm, food processors, distribution center, trucks and grocery store. Bugs love food and it is hard to keep them and rodents away.
Billie.....I guess my point is that maybe our trash is not being taken care of properly. I'm pretty sure that the trash pickup trucks and recycle trucks have a responsibility to properly dispose of everything. So again.....how does it end up in the pacific ocean?
People drop it off of boats, drop it on the beach, drop it in rivers, other nations have looser standards for disposal of waste -- lots of ways. Carelessness on a massive scale.
Yes please! We should be
Yes please! We should be looking to reduce plastic consumption as much as possible. Those bags are nothing but a pain in the butt anyway.
Bring back paper bags.
Bring back paper bags.
The notion that plastic bags
The notion that plastic bags are worse for the environment than paper is a myth. Even some materials used to make totes, most notably cotton, offer no significant environmental improvement over plastic.
https://www.wired.com/2016/06/banning-plastic-bags-great-world-right-no…
If the purpose is to
If the purpose is to encourage use of reusable bags, is there a compelling reason to support an outright ban over, for example, a fee or a tax? I am and remain leery of prohibitionism, and although I have a difficult time saying <em>'grocery bag black market'</em> with a straight face, there it is.
I love scouring thrift shops
I love scouring thrift shops for deals. I have a sizable collection of totes, some very fashionable and fancy, and I keep a stack in my car for my trips to Aldi's. The ones I use are sturdy and roomy with reinforced handles. I usually get them for 99 cents or $1.99. Haven't worn any out yet.
About the plastic, I read there's a floating island of plastic gunk in the Pacific Ocean the size of Texas. Not good. It broke my heart to see a close-up photo -- in one of those National Geographic Photos of the Week compilations online -- of a poor little seahorse hopelessly entwined around a plastic Q-Tip. Let's cut down on plastic -- Q-Tips, drinking straws, water bottles, grocery bags. It makes sense to me.
I guess my question is how
I guess my question is how did it end up in the pacific ocean?
Howard - Thanks for posting
Howard - Thanks for posting that link. It was a good read. I still support a ban on plastic bags. Sounds like the best alternative may be reusable bags made from recycled plastic.
There is this sperm whale
There is this sperm whale that was killed by floating plastic debris
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/04/06/sperm-whale-killed-plastic-…
On a more hopeful front, scientists accidentally discovered a plastic-eating enzyme
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/apr/16/scientists-accident…
A company called Saltwater Brewery has developed edible six-pack rings.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YG9gUJMGyw
So you want shopper's to
So you want shopper's to bring in their own reusable totes... Who knows what kind of critters (fleas, bed bugs, cockroaches, germs, pet hairs, other pet substances, etc...) might be hitching a ride right where your own personal reusable totes will be sitting.... NO THANKS ! Give me the plastic, I'll recycle my collected bags (as I do now). and... besides, with plastic, I can carry 10 to 20 bags at a time.
Another thought.... take a
Another thought.... take a look at where else plastic bags are used, shipping bubble bags, ESD bags, frozen food bags, chip bags, assorted candy bags, bags that magazines are mailed in, phone books, produce bags (the kind with the nice little green ty-wrap), dry cleaning garment bags. Face it the list goes on forever, oh, and don't forget the big brown garbage bags that are required by the trash pick up companies. Why the push to ban specifically shopping bags ?
Hey Delplato, I didn't say I
Hey DelPlato, I didn't say I want shoppers to bring their own recyclable totes. I just said that's what I do. I am speaking for myself. And as for Jeff's query about how the plastic Q-tip ended up in the Pacific. Who Knows? What's your point? The fact is there are too many "disposable" products and inevitably the waste stream will get sloppy and things will end up where they should not. I don't have an answer for that, much less a public policy proposal; I'm just sayin' let's try to be more conscientious of our footprint on this Earth, OK?
Hey Owens... I wasn't
Hey Owens... I wasn't replying to your post or anyones else's !
Chas Delplato. My fear of
Chas Delplato. My fear of people bringing in dirty bug infected bags is a hell of a lot lower than my fear of bugs and other contaminants from the farm, food processors, distribution center, trucks and grocery store. Bugs love food and it is hard to keep them and rodents away.
Billie.....I guess my point
Billie.....I guess my point is that maybe our trash is not being taken care of properly. I'm pretty sure that the trash pickup trucks and recycle trucks have a responsibility to properly dispose of everything. So again.....how does it end up in the pacific ocean?
People drop it off of boats,
People drop it off of boats, drop it on the beach, drop it in rivers, other nations have looser standards for disposal of waste -- lots of ways. Carelessness on a massive scale.
Every decision made has a
Every decision made has a consequence. A ban on plastic bags would increase drastically the amount of dog waste on residents' lawns.
Now that's what I call
Now that's what I call Unintended Consequences!
Dan, Very Good Point! But,,,,
Dan, Very Good Point! But,,,, it is easier to start the wood stove with old paper bags as opposed to plastic?