Thursday, February 24, 2005
Plastic, Plastic & More Plastic
Plastic shopping bags are ubiquitous throughout the world. Many of us receive them on a daily basis from trips to the grocery store, the mall and even the local sandwich shop. Do you remember the days when you would come back from the supermarket with ten paper bags, half of them torn, the other half soaked from the melting ice cream? The plastic bags seemed to be a godsend, allowing you to carry all ten bags at once and not have to worry about breakage. And, come to find out that plastics bags are cheaper and require less energy to produce than their paper counterparts. So why does it seem like these plastic bags get such a bad wrap.
It’s probably because these bags have become an eye soar as our consumption has increased over the years. Worldwide, we produced 4 to 5 trillion plastic bags in 2002. That’s trillion with a ‘T’. In America alone we throw away 100 billion bags a year, recycling only 0.6 percent of them.
South Africa and Ireland have both taken measures to start curbing consumption of these bags in hopes of riding their streets from this unsightly liter bug. South Africa has required production of thicker, more durable bags to encourage reuse and not refuse. Ireland has imposed a 15 cent surcharge on plastic bags, encouraging citizens to shop with reusable bags instead. Kenya has recently taken notice of its plastic bag problem and solutions are being studied.
Plastic bags aren’t about to choke off life as we know it; however, they are a nuisance that we can all pitch in to make less so. Try to carry thin cloth shopping bags with you at all times in the trunk of your car or in your carry on luggage while travelling and use them whenever you have a chance. Even refuse bags when buying small items like candy or batteries. And when you do bring the bags home, either reuse them in your trashcans or for walking your dog (if you know what I mean). Finally, drop them off for recycling if your supermarket or local Wal Mart offers this service.
Just some food for thought.
D. Robert – New York, NY
*Statistics from Worldwatch Institute of Washington D.C.
It’s probably because these bags have become an eye soar as our consumption has increased over the years. Worldwide, we produced 4 to 5 trillion plastic bags in 2002. That’s trillion with a ‘T’. In America alone we throw away 100 billion bags a year, recycling only 0.6 percent of them.
South Africa and Ireland have both taken measures to start curbing consumption of these bags in hopes of riding their streets from this unsightly liter bug. South Africa has required production of thicker, more durable bags to encourage reuse and not refuse. Ireland has imposed a 15 cent surcharge on plastic bags, encouraging citizens to shop with reusable bags instead. Kenya has recently taken notice of its plastic bag problem and solutions are being studied.
Plastic bags aren’t about to choke off life as we know it; however, they are a nuisance that we can all pitch in to make less so. Try to carry thin cloth shopping bags with you at all times in the trunk of your car or in your carry on luggage while travelling and use them whenever you have a chance. Even refuse bags when buying small items like candy or batteries. And when you do bring the bags home, either reuse them in your trashcans or for walking your dog (if you know what I mean). Finally, drop them off for recycling if your supermarket or local Wal Mart offers this service.
Just some food for thought.
D. Robert – New York, NY
*Statistics from Worldwatch Institute of Washington D.C.
