08-13-2008, 02:01 PM
We also have to put everything in perspective.
Ireland for example prohibits the handing out of free plastic grocery bags, yet over 233,000,000 single plastic grocery bags were still used in a five month period. True, close to one billion plastic grocery bags will not be used that year, but 233 million in five months is still a heck of a lot of bags.
In Africa, plastic grocery bags have been replaced by many with plastic "garbage" bags, something not covered by the ban.
When you also consider that garbage bag sales have increased, that means many of those plastic grocery bags that doubled as waste can liners, diaper wrapping, pooper scoopers, wet cloths wrapper are just being replaced by another plastic bag.
I'm also told that in some areas, it’s a recent trend to use plastic bags because of the new availability. Many people have longed used other types of bags because they shopped locally and often. Not having the plastic grocery bags available is no big deal. In the US we tend towards filling the mini-van with bags after bags once a week. Most people probably can not remember when plastic bags weren't available or when paper bags were the norm.
If plastic bags are a problem to the extent people say they are, ban all items that create and contribute to the problem - plastic grocery bags, plastic garbage bags, dry cleaner bags, thin sheet plastic wrapping, cellophane wrapping, etc. If people are serious, let's get serious!
Ireland for example prohibits the handing out of free plastic grocery bags, yet over 233,000,000 single plastic grocery bags were still used in a five month period. True, close to one billion plastic grocery bags will not be used that year, but 233 million in five months is still a heck of a lot of bags.
In Africa, plastic grocery bags have been replaced by many with plastic "garbage" bags, something not covered by the ban.
When you also consider that garbage bag sales have increased, that means many of those plastic grocery bags that doubled as waste can liners, diaper wrapping, pooper scoopers, wet cloths wrapper are just being replaced by another plastic bag.
I'm also told that in some areas, it’s a recent trend to use plastic bags because of the new availability. Many people have longed used other types of bags because they shopped locally and often. Not having the plastic grocery bags available is no big deal. In the US we tend towards filling the mini-van with bags after bags once a week. Most people probably can not remember when plastic bags weren't available or when paper bags were the norm.
If plastic bags are a problem to the extent people say they are, ban all items that create and contribute to the problem - plastic grocery bags, plastic garbage bags, dry cleaner bags, thin sheet plastic wrapping, cellophane wrapping, etc. If people are serious, let's get serious!