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Damon, I agree. Let people make their own choices. Money is a great motivator.
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I've seen this in operation in various countries - one where they charge 30c per bag and one where bags simply are not handed out at all. I found the latter very annoying, sometimes you simply forget to bring one!
$1 a bag isn't a good idea, some enterprising soul will set up a stand outside selling them for 10c at 1000% profit. 25c might be a good compromise.
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I'm all for it (the ban). There are biodegradable/compostable "plastic" bags already available
http://www.biobagusa.com/ [for example - this one is corn based]
- the stores might offer them (at a price) while also recommending and selling cloth or more permanent bags. That way no one would be stuck without a bag. And, like most changes, within a short time the plastic would be eased out and folks would get into the habit of carrying their cloth bags in the car or bike.
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Humm..
Tires litter the roads, let's ban tires.
Cars are abandon, let's ban cars.
Large plastic garbage bags are the same problem, let's ban them also.
Disposable diapers (yuck), ban those puppies.
Snack wrappers, ban the packages they come in.
Those clear plastic wrappers on just about everything, Ban them.
Plain paper is a blowing in the wind. Ban
Appliances, Ban
Cardboard boxes, too many on the street, Ban I say Ban.
Oil, Oh my god it's on all the roads, Ban motor oil.
A ban on plastic bags is acceptable if we are willing to take a long hard look at everything and ban the things that contribute to the problem. Unless what is being said is we can go without the one small plastic bag so long as the Snickers bar wrapper isn't touched.
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I have to agree with Bob. He hit is right on the head.
I am also concerned when government decides to step in and regulate something so simple for my good. Usually it doesn't end up being so simple or so good.
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Nonsense. Plastic bags are a particular problem in Hawaii, where endangered turtles mistake them for jelly fish and then choke to death. And yes, tires should NOT litter the road and disposable diapers are not really disposable. My mom never once used a disposable diaper on me or my four siblings and she was just fine. They go into landfills, which Hawaii doesn't really have and just pile up.
A raft of plastic is heading toward Hawaii as we speak and killig thousands of miles of ocean habitat. Getting rid of plastic bags is the least we can do.
Ban 'em. Now.
And remember --the government is us. It is not a separate entity. The government regulates murder (it's illegal), requires people to have driver's licenses (it helps), and requires septic tanks below 5th in HPP. I think we have seen that when Government (we are the government) steps back and allows the Free Market to make all choices for us as a nation, what we see is the complete and utter destruction of that nation, as surely as if the Chinese Army had invaded. They didn't have to. The Free Market left us with what we are looking at now.
When I hear people chastising the Government --the only power we the people have-- it makes me wanna puke. Into a paper bag.
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I don't know, but I'm kinda inclined to go for the ban. I'm tired of seeing those darn things blowing everywhere.
Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.
Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.
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Joined: Jun 2007
Plastic bags are banned in some California cities. It has not caused any problems at all.
Some stores have voluntarily switched to biodegradable stores. You get paper at Trader Joes unless you ask for plastic (and no one does).
Most people oppose these kind of bans for knee-jerk, personal liberty reasons. If the proposed law was that you had to use plastic, the same folks would object. It's just mindless reactance.
In fact, life without plastic bags would be pretty much like life with plastic bags. There is no inconvenience involved.
A better approach is to buy cloth bags that you can use over and over again.
Posts: 325
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Joined: Jun 2007
quote:
Originally posted by oink
I don't know, but I'm kinda inclined to go for the ban. I'm tired of seeing those darn things blowing everywhere.
Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.
The nice thing about paper, is that the first rain will turn those bags you are seeing everywhere into soil.
