Whole Foods most recently eliminated plastic bags from its stores. The city of San Francisco has become the first in the nation to ban plastic bags at large grocery stores and pharmacies, eliminating an estimated 180 million plastic bags. Now most recently, BetterBagsColorado wants Denver to charge shoppers ten cents per plastic bag they use. This latest attempt to eliminate the use of plastic bags has created an outcry: from local councilmen and women to grocery stores themselves. At first the idea does seem a little too much. Government already controls enough of our lives anyway-right? Let's look at the argument a little more closely.
Obviously there's a good reason why some think we need to be charged ten cents extra per plastic bag.
First of all, plastic bags don't biodegrade and are filling-up our landfills causing more pollution. It's estimated that 500 billion to one trillion plastic bags are thrown away each year worldwide. That is an astonishing number! What are these bags made from? Petroleum products mostly, so reduce the use of them and we'll use less petroleum-a good thing.
But Americans have fallen in love with the convenience of plastic. I must admit, I do love the fact that I can grab anywhere from five to seven bags at once and haul them from the car to the house reducing the number of trips necessary to unload my groceries.
It really comes down to being a throw-away society. We've heard this over and over again. I remember throughout my childhood, being exposed on a daily basis to the ad campaigns always preaching the three Rs: Reduce, Re-use, Recycle.
Has convenience once again gotten in the way of progress?
As early as 15 years ago you couldn't find a plastic bag in the grocery stores back in my hometown. Now, there's virtually nothing that isn't put into them. I don't believe that we can't give up the convenience of these plastic bags. We did without them before, why not just ask for paper and take a few more trips from the car to the house? Think of it this way, you'll not only save our landfills from millions of plastic bags but you'll also get a little more exercise. Who could argue with that?
Comments (3)
Well said! Great blog.
Posted by Sandra | March 3, 2008 10:58 AM
Posted on March 3, 2008 10:58
Jason is correct. Now is the time for Americans to start to realize that our convenience is not as important as taking the right steps to reduce the human imprint on planet earth. It's far too easy for each of us to put it off because it still seems that a crisis situation is far off. Americans have been spoiled for too long with conveniences that other people in other countries do not have. The prime example is the very large automobile. Foreign automkers have made fuel efficient autos for many years. American automakers refuse to learn the lesson that they need to stop making the large automobile (SUV). They have always reacted too late to current conditions and what's right around the corner. Look at the energy crisis of the 1970's when the big 3 were making large cars that got lousy gas mileage when oil prices shot up. They had to scramble to retool and the result was a bad generation of vehicles that were horrible performers though most of the 1980's. That's when their troubles started. There weren't even any SUV's back then. They should have changed their entire output but instead they entrenched and made even larger autos (SUV's) and are now struggling to stay alive.
Posted by brian glover | March 6, 2008 9:18 AM
Posted on March 6, 2008 09:18
I think maybe the stores should be charged per plastic bag instead of charging the shoppers.
I've been to many stores and I try to get them to use less bags and fill the bags they are using. They say they have rules for what can be with what - so certain items can't be in with other items or have to be wrapped in a bag before put in a bag.
I've actually moved things around so I'm not taking as many bags.
Keep in mind - I like the convenience of the bags also, but I don't like bringing home 10 bags with 3 of those bags having only one or two items in them because they can't be mixed with other items.
Posted by Vicki Russell | March 6, 2008 8:10 PM
Posted on March 6, 2008 20:10