There is an old saying I repeat when a problem is so big it is overwhelming. It goes: "How do you eat an elephant?" Answer is "One bite at a time." So how do we deal with the 500 billion to a trillion plastic bags that are used each year by consumers? We know they are bad for the environment.
We know they end up as litter in streams and oceans and landfills where they do not biodegrade and the toxic chemicals leak into groundwater. About 100,000 whales, seals, turtles and other marine animals are killed by plastic bags each year, according to Planet Ark, an international environmental group.
Before the 1980s we didn't have these plastic bags but now we can't do without them. In South Africa, the bags are so prominent in the countryside that they are called the "national flower". Some Countries like Australia, Bangladesh, Ireland, Italy, South Africa, Taiwan and India have banned or discourage the use of plastic bags. But with a trillion new bags in use each year, we have to do more.
We each need to do our part. If you don't have reusable cloth shopping bags, get them today. I keep mine in the back of my car because it is so easy to forget them.
Stop the checker from grabbing a plastic bag to hold that carton of ice cream. They do it automatically and it is not necessary. Even fruit and vegies do not need plastic at the grocery store. Just place it in the basket and load it into your reusable bag at the check counter.
You can reuse those handy zip lock bags. They can be used over an over and rinse out nicely. Less than 2% of plastic bags get reused. If you have a plastic bag, reuse it as much as you can.
Will these small changes make a difference? I have no idea but the elephant is pretty big and one bite at a time sounds reasonable to me.
Source: Reported by EverythingHealth Blog http://healthwise-everythinghealth.blogspot.com/
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Comments
#1 So much misinformation
The public myth that plastic bags are killing the planet is based on misinformation. If bags are littering the streets, you have a litter problem, not a bag problem. 100000 marine mammals killed by plastic bags? Nope, that is just plain wrong. The Times of London recently debunked that one, saying, "Plastic bags don't figure in entanglement. The main culprits are fishing gear, ropes, lines and strapping bands. Most mammals are too big to get caught up in a plastic bag." This number has also been refuted by the EPA.
Ireland's tax on bags? Reduced grocery checkout bag use, but drove sales of packaged bags (which are usually heavier weight) up 400 percent, so they are now using more plastic bags.
Doesn't anyone remember why plastic bags became such a big deal in the late 70's? Because they were a more environmentally friendly option than paper bags. Now we just have this public assumption that all the problems in the world will be solved by removing them.
Sure, reducing use of all consumables is a good thing. The less we waste the better. Reusable bags are great for carrying groceries, but plsatic bags are the optimal choice for many other uses. Banning plastic grocery bags only forces people to use more paper (which is worse for the environment) and to purchase bags to replace the ones they were getting for free.