Everyone’s Banning Plastic Bags
By Jenn | January 17, 2008
We’re only two weeks into 2008, and already: China banned the use of thin (less than 0.025 millimeters thick) plastic bags, which will save up to 3 billion plastic bags per day from being used and discarded; then NYC City council passed a bill requiring large stores & chains to recycle plastic bags– not only their own, but bags from any store; now Australia’s clamoring to ban the bags, with intentions to rid the country of them by the end of 2008. Seems like this issue, which up until now has had overtones of “oh come on now, are plastic bags really that much of a problem?”, has gained traction and is on the way to becoming status quo. Hooray!
Way back in 2002, Ireland instituted a tax on plastic bags, and what happened? Did the country implode? Did the economy collapse? Did the Irish stop buying tin whistles because they suddenly had to provide their own shopping bags? No. In fact, the scheme has been wildly successful:
“A tax on plastic shopping bags in the Republic of Ireland has cut their use by more than 90% and raised millions of euros in revenue, the government says. Over one billion plastic bags will be removed from circulation while raising funding for future environmentally friendly initiatives.”
San Francisco banned the bag in March 2007 and I’m pretty sure they’ve still got a vibrant economy… that city’s got a vibrant everything, really.
I’ll tell you, I do think this is one of those changes that must come from on high in order to really make a difference. There are lots of people who are aware of the horrific environmental impact of plastic bags and are individually working to reduce their personal consumption of them– but the truth is that most folks in this country don’t understand the issue, and/or don’t want to start carrying their own shopping bags (despite the fact that, until about 50 years ago, that was how purchases were transported). And there are times when even the most dedicated resuable-bag-toters just plum forget theirs at home.
My personal favorite reusable bag is the Chico Bag– it holds up to 20 pounds, stuffs into a tiny attached pouch, is super affordable, and are collected by the company for downcycling (though I don’t love that they’re made in China, albeit under fair-trade conditions). But there are a million options out there, and of course the best and greenest option of all is to just use the bags you already have. Especially if you lead a car-based life– just stockpile the bags you have around your home and toss them into the trunk of your car (and remember to put them right back in once you’re done!)
Here’s a groovy video on the ickiness of paper and plastic disposable bags.
Do you think that the government should mandate changes such as these? Or do you think it’s the responsibility of individual citizens and businesses to decide whether it’s important?
Related posts:
- “Help me stop using plastic bags”
- More Thoughts On Plastic Trash Bags…
- Easy Peasy Tip: Wash your Reusable Bags!
- DIY: Crocheted Plastic Objects
- Update on biodegradable garbage bags
- Senegal: From Natural to Plastic in Three Years
- Reusable Shopping Bags
It certainly is not the federal government’s responsibility to mandate such changes. Fact is, the Constitution provides them no such authority to do so.
Now, perhaps states & local governments should be doing something about it. But not the federal government. They’re already reaching much further into our lives than the Founding Fathers would have ever wanted.
Hi Rick– It seems like in the U.S., local municipalities are taking this decision on themselves (San Fran, NYC, etc). But worldwide, it’s the governments themselves which are banning the bags (China, Australia, Ireland, etc). So from a Libertarian’s point of view, do you think think the U.S. is approaching it right?
though the interstate commerce clause in the constitution has been traditionally interpreted to give the federal government power to regulate anything that is between states - so that would mean large national businesses.
Our city is considering banning plastic bags and plastic bottles at public events!
http://www.madison.com/wsj/topstories/267737
Go Madison!!! Whoooooooooooooooooooooooo!
I think it should be mandated. I live in Canada, so I don’t know the details of US policy, but somebody should be in charge of doing the banning. Leaving things up to individual citizens does not account for the fact that the majority of citizens are either a.) idiots or b.) nice enough people who avoid change like it was going to maim them.
Two votes for governmental decree!
I’m a big fan of this stretchy knit tote bag. It can hold a ten-pound bag of dog food, or five bottles of wine!
http://www.purlbee.com/elisa-nest-tote/
xoxoxo
Lynda, that’s a lovely market bag! It might just inspire me to try and learn how to knit (again)… I’m sure there’s a similar crochet version out there too…
5 bottles of wine! what more could a girl ask for! :)
I got a Chico bag for Christmas and I looooove it. I have a ton of reusable bags but I forget them and am too stubborn to get a plastic one so I walk out of the grocery store juggling a ton of stuff. I’ve actually taken an entire cartful of stuff from Target out completely unbagged. So the Chico bag is a good choice.
Seems like a lot of stores around here are selling reusable bags, which has been a nice thing to see over the last few months.
jenn and I both have chico bags too! she gifted me with one a bit ago and it was an AWESOME birthday present.
The Founding Fathers would not give a rat’s hairy bum about federally mandated plastic-bag policy. No one’s rights are being infringed upon, and the plastic problem is global; the United States, if it wants to be a leader in anything other than mortgage scandals and war-mongering, needs to be a part of the solution, not a part of the problem.
I think the Founding Fathers might actually want us to prevent absolutely unnecessary pollution of the air, water, and soil, and prevent the absolutely unnecessary deaths of water beings who mistake plastic bags for food and choke on them; etc. But that’s just a guess.
if the US gov’t can send us into a war, then why can’t they ban plastic shopping bags? heck, i’d vote for it if it came down to that.
I would even volunteer to be on the front lines of The Plastic Bag Offensive. Sign me up!
Even better than the Chico bags, I’m a big fan of Baggu bags - I bought a bunch of them for holiday gifts for all my friends and family. I always keep one in my jacket pocket, and a sack of them go with us to the grocery.
http://www.baggubag.com
Hey Jenn! (love yer name, btw) I like that Baggu bags go over your shoulder, but I don’t like that they have a separate pouch and need to be folded a specific way. I think those are both bonuses of the Chicos (attached pouch and just smush it in there!) But the Baggus come in such pretty colors… do you find the folding to be annoying?
YAY for small steps in the right direction!
I think if the general public were better informed, more people would be likely to change their habits, because it’s not really asking for all that much to byob. I give Bloomberg credit for the Small Steps, Big Strides campaign that includes a step that says “bring your own bag”, but they’ve done nothing to promote it– no one in NYC even knows about it!
And as far as great reusable options, don’t forget about MINUSBAGS! They are made in the US –not in China– unlike most of the other reusable bags out there. And as I like to say– less plastic, more pretty… www.minusbags.com
The government should have no role in it at all… it should totally be the responsibility of each person. I think more and more companies are getting used to the idea of reusable bags, and the more that people use them the better it will become. But heavens to Betsy! We don’t need MORE government!
This is great that the world is changing! We’ve actually run out of plastic bags in our house (from diligent carrying of reusable bags). And as awesome as it is - we’re struggling with our garbage now. For years, the grocery bags have lined the trash bins in our house. I feel OK to live without a bag in some bins, but the bin under the kitchen sink…things could get gross. We compost and recycle all that we can, so it’s not an enormous amount of trash, but it can be icky.
Has anyone solved this in a happy green way? Please point me in an ecologically sound direction, if you have. www.greenjean.org
Cheers, Jean
Hi Jean! Well, Karina wrote a post about her introduction to compostable trash bags (BioBags) here… and when I do have to take a plastic bag at a store (if I’ve totally forgotten my reusable bag, or have bought more than I planned for, etc) I’ll take some pre-used bags out of the collection bin at the front of the store, if possible, and use those. I have wondered about forgoing a plastic liner bag in my trash bin– I have a small metal can with a removable plastic-bucket liner, so in theory I guess I could just dump the contents of the bucket into my buildings’ trash cans every day. In practice, though, as you said, things could get gross.
I feel like this is a situation I’m still trying to perfect. If you try the compostable bags, let us know what you think!
This the shopping trolley we are using besides numerous canvas bags:
Lovely! We go shopping on foot or by bus (we don’t have a car anyway), and with this trolley, it is so much fun to browse through Saturday market stalls.
Best!
Koray
This the shopping trolley we are using besides numerous canvas bags:
Lovely! We go shopping on foot or by bus (we don’t have a car anyway), and with this trolley, it is so much fun to browse through Saturday market stalls.
Best!
Koray
Hey Koray! I love those bags– they make so much sense– they’re portable and hold so much, and really, I think we all need a set of wheels to lighten our loads…
OK… no more URLs…
How do you guys react when you are actually *forced* to take a plastic bag? I still have this happen to me once in a blue moon. It varies from store to store… and from cashier to cashier!
I’ve taken the thing out of the bag and left it on the counter - usually it doesn’t get that ugly!
I used to have situations where cashiers would say things like “I need to put this in a bag for you to leave the store” and I would either try to convince her that me waving the receipt around as I walked out would be enough, or I’d ask to see the manager, who would usually let me walk out without a bag (what a concept). But I haven’t experienced that in a long time– which makes me happy, because it seems retailers are getting the hang of this no-bag thing!
Also, if you’re already carring a bag of any kind (purse, backpack, other shopping bag) just put your new purchases in there!
[…] Everyone’s Banning Plastic Bags […]
So I take it you don’t like single-use bags? What a bunch of Bag Monster Busters! There’s a blog for people who want to be entertained and informed about the bag crisis: www.BagMonsterBusters.com
Nobody seems to want us around anymore… It’s hard being a Bag Monster in the Age of Bag Bans! I can’t even get a job because of those new-fandangled reusable ChicoBags.
I just got back from getting trashed at Mardi Gras! To see my latest shenanigans go to my blog: http://www.BagMonster.com
With competition like ChicoBag, I don’t know how long we’ll last without endangered species protection. *sigh* It’s tough being a Bag Monster.
Hello Bag Monster! I mentioned you here on Tiny Choices way back in August!
I think you’re lovely, and not scary at all. A bit toxic and everlasting perhaps, but not scary.
Will you be my valentine?
PS- Karina and I use our Chicobags every day, so tell your benefactors that we love them too!
[…] Everyone’s Banning Plastic Bags […]
Our company just came back from Natural Products Expo and there was a company with re-usable bags there. What an awesome idea!!!! We ordered a bunch with our logo - not only are we doing good for the planet, but it’s a great banding opportunity, too. Gotta love win-win situations.
[…] than half? In SAN FRANCISCO, that bastion of environmentalism (and banned plastic bags)? That I just don’t get. What are people using in […]
[…] at Tiny Choices Karina Tipton and Jenn Sturiale emphasize how “we each spend a lot of time thinking about the […]