As a species we continue to destroy the wonderful world we have been blessed with in many ways, why? In the case of the plastic bag it is merely for our own convenience. The supermarkets provide us with alternatives to using these plastic bags (which are actually far stronger also) and yet only a small percentage of us use them........ all because its more convenient to use the supermarkets disposal bags than it is to carry your own carrier bag when doing shopping (hardly a big inconvenience in my opinion).
In Oz we use approximately 35million bags per day!!! and a large number of these are not disposed of correctly or recycled and end up destroying native land and marine wildlife. eg plastic bags are responsible for large amounts of Whale deaths per year around our coastal waters.
Even when we have a plastic bag free day (just 2 weeks ago), none of the shop owners promote the day...... infact most didn't even know about it when I approached them.
It is something we can live without as there is a far more suitable alternative, I say BAN THE PLASTIC BAG!
Originally posted by timebombtedwe use cloth carrier bags - a much better idea indeed!
As a species we continue to destroy the wonderful world we have been blessed with in many ways, why? In the case of the plastic bag it is merely for our own convenience. The supermarkets provide us with alternatives to using these plastic bags (which are actually far stronger also) and yet only a small percentage of us use them........ all because its mo ...[text shortened]... hing we can live without as there is a far more suitable alternative, I say BAN THE PLASTIC BAG!
i remember watching a really bad scifi movie - can't recall the name but it was about these aliens who had been 'planted' on earth but thought they were human. anyway, they were commenting on various things and one of them was particularly digusted with the environmental ineptness. she had the best line in this otherwise dull movie: "any species that invents styrofoam deserves to become extinct!"
plastic bags if used, at the very least should be recycled. a little less convenience can go a long way.
in friendship,
prad
Originally posted by pradtfAlien logic can be very wise...... taking a step back from our everyday lives you soon realise that some of our behaviour is quite appaling, environmentally speaking. Unfortunately small movements like optional cloth bags make only a small dent in the growing problem, thats why I think they should be banned by the government.
we use cloth carrier bags - a much better idea indeed!
"any species that invents styrofoam deserves to become extinct!"
in friendship,
prad
Go Green!! Save the wildlife around you, enjoy plastic bag free scenery and if thats not enough to convince you........ just remember you can carry at least twice as many beers in a cloth carrier bag than a disposable plastic one before the handles rip.😀😕😏🙄
Some further reading which I hope you will all consider:
http://www.deh.gov.au/industry/waste/plastic-bags/
Remember, the wildlife will not last forever at the rate we choose to destroy it. Please think about what you do everyday and you will realise there are many ways to improve upon your habits.
Small steps.
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Originally posted by timebombtedI believe in Ireland they have. Or you have to pay a platic bag tax or something like that.
As a species we continue to destroy the wonderful world we have been blessed with in many ways, why? In the case of the plastic bag it is merely for our own convenience. The supermarkets provide us with alternatives to using these plastic bags (which are actually far stronger also) and yet only a small percentage of us use them........ all because its mo ...[text shortened]... hing we can live without as there is a far more suitable alternative, I say BAN THE PLASTIC BAG!
Andrew
Originally posted by latex bishopSounds like an excellent stepping stone before enforcing a total ban.
I believe in Ireland they have. Or you have to pay a platic bag tax or something like that.
Andrew
It could actually be quite a simple issue to resolve..... just charge more for plastic bags than the re-useable cloth bags. People will soon become friends of the earth if it means there saving a buck or 2.
In Oz the cloth bags are $1 each (hardly expensive for anyone), haven't managed to break one yet despite fitting a slab of beer in one the other week:0)
Good on the Irish!!
Originally posted by timebombtedIt'll never work. You'd be better off in putting your efforts into inventing a better plastic bag. One that is more bio-degradable and breaks down quickly, rather than sitting forever in a landfill. That is the path to salvation.
As a species we continue to destroy the wonderful world we have been blessed with in many ways, why? In the case of the plastic bag it is merely for our own convenience. The supermarkets provide us with alternatives to using these plastic bags (which are actually far stronger also) and yet only a small percentage of us use them........ all because its mo ...[text shortened]... hing we can live without as there is a far more suitable alternative, I say BAN THE PLASTIC BAG!
Originally posted by rwingettI don't think you can invent a "better" plastic bag. The scientific nature of plastic is that it isn't biodegrable and will sit around forever.
It'll never work. You'd be better off in putting your efforts into inventing a better plastic bag. One that is more bio-degradable and breaks down quickly, rather than sitting forever in a landfill. That is the path to salvation.
I don't agree that it'll never work either. I'm irish and it is correct that we have a plastic bag tax. At first, of course it was annoying, cos I kept arriving at the supermarket without a bag/box to carry my items in, but now I just carry a box in the boot of my car at all times. Absolutely no inconvenience whatsoever, and everybody else here is doing the same.
It also really helped raise awareness because obviously the government had to sell the idea. B4 you'd often see people getting plastic bags just to carry 2 items across a footpath into their waiting car, whereas nowadays the trend is to decline a plastic bag.
Excellent post TimeBombTed, now all you have to do is raise awareness on illegal (but government backed) logging, illegal (but government backed) dumping of nuclear waste and illegal (but government backed) economic slavery and the world will be a better place in no time.
D
Originally posted by pradtfJust out of interest - do you drive your SUV down to the recycling centre? How many litres of petrol do you use to send a few grams of bags to a recycler? Most are dumped anyway.
we use cloth carrier bags - a much better idea indeed!
i remember watching a really bad scifi movie - can't recall the name but it was about these aliens who had been 'planted' on earth but thought they were human. anyway, they were commenting on various things and one of them was particularly digusted with the environmental ineptness. she had the best ...[text shortened]... y least should be recycled. a little less convenience can go a long way.
in friendship,
prad
The amount of oil used to make plastic bags is miniscule - and ithey are made for gas which is often flared off.
Originally posted by latex bishopIn SA the government introduced a tax like that.
Or you have to pay a platic bag tax or something like that.
You have to pay for a plastic bag in stores now, but it's something useless like 17 cents a bag (about $3c). What's the point? Everybody still uses bags and just pay the small amount of money for the bag.
Until they make bags more expensive than say, a bread and milk, it'll never work.
Here in the UK, varous supermarkets have tried schemes like reusable boxes or large bags, but (correct me if I'm wrong) they all seem to have died out.
At the end of the day, people want the convenience of plastic bags.
They have become a part of everyday life and until an equally or more convenient alternative is found, they are here to stay.
This is despite the fact that most people agree in principle that plastic bags are polluting, wasteful and unnecessary.
The Tesco store I frequent has a carrier bag return point outside the front door.
I reuse bags until they're unfit (usually just a couple of times) and then return them for recycling.
Here in Ireland they introduced a tax on using plasic bags for each one you use.
stores started selling reusable strong cloth bags then also
some shops started using paper bags
the result of this tax, has been a dramatic drop in the usage of plastic bags in this country, people rarely use them now
people doing weekly shops use re-useable bags mostly
fast food restraunts all use paper bags
cloths stores also use paper only
thats the situation on plastic bags at the moment anyways
Originally posted by steerpikedon't own an SUV and i hardly drive anywhere.
Just out of interest - do you drive your SUV down to the recycling centre? How many litres of petrol do you use to send a few grams of bags to a recycler? Most are dumped anyway.
The amount of oil used to make plastic bags is miniscule - and ithey are made for gas which is often flared off.
why would you think that we would make a special trip just to give the plastic bags to the recycler?
why would you as me this question when i've already told you that we use cloth bags?
is there any sort of point you are trying to make here?
ah! so many questions! so little time!
in friendship,
prad