What do you think about baning plastic bag and paper bag in supermarket?

Question

What do you think about baning plastic bag and paper bag in supermarket?

Answer 1

I think they need to keep plastic bags. Because if they use paper bags they just kill more trees.

Answer 2

It is stupid. We went to plastic to save the trees. I have my groceries double bagged just because I get pissed off every time I think of the tree huggers and there overblown environmental issues.

Answer 3

I also think plastic is actually more responsible than paper, from an environmental perspective.  I know plastic has gotten a bad name, since it does have a very long breakdown time.  But let's look at the facts...

Archeologists studying life in the early part of our century will actually dig down into landfills to study the trash.  How do they know when that trash was put there you ask?  Because they can read the dates off the newspapers.  But wait, paper degrades you say?  Not in landfills.  It just sits there like everything else.  No water can get to it, and no oxygen gets to it.  So, it doesn't decay.  In fact, it's very nicely preserved for future generations.

Second, plastic is fantastically easy to recycle.  If there was an encouragement to recycle the plastic bags, they could be recycled and put back into circulation with only a marginal loss in strength.  This is not a difficult thing to do either, in my town we have recepticals in the stores so you can just bring the bags back and dump them.  These bags are quite wonderful in their own right.  So please people... before you ban something I suggest you study it in some depth.

Banning grocery bags made of plastic is like those people who wanted to ban the additives in PVC kids toys.  Nevermind that it took nearly 1000x the concentration given to lab rats for 24 hours a day, seven days a week over three months to cause any problems.  Seen many kids with 1000 plastic toys in their nose 24-7?  This was an irrational response to an isolated incident, as would be banning plastic bags.

Stop making rash decisions people... let the engineers of the world teach you the truth before you decide!

Answer 4

Good idea.  If I am shopping on impulse (as planned shopping needs a proper bag and a list) it will stop me from buying more than I need and can carry in my hand.

Answer 5

I think that is a good idea, because they are really just a waste of resources, there is a reson we have cloth bags

Answer 6

First of all I would ask myself how much political persuasion these logging and plastic manufacturing companies have. It is quite idealistic to believe it would happen in the next decade even.

However, I think your intentions are great. And if more of us tried to think of solutions to protect our planet, we would acheive our goals far sooner and with wide-spread support.

Answer 7

It would certainly be a positive move, but it won't happen anytime soon.

Most grocery stores sell reusable bags, with prices continually going down, meaning people can actually afford to buy a few. The more affordable they are, the easier it will be to cut paper/plastic out of teh picture.

Answer 8

an AMAZING idea, people should bring in their own re usable bag, unless they can't go shopping

i hope people do something about this global warmingstuff soon. its starting to get me really mad how no one is acting up

Answer 9

Fantastic idea, should be put into effect immediately. As a law.

Answer 10

Seems like a good idea to me. We've been using canvas tote bags for years when we shop.

Answer 11

I think it is an amazing idea.  How hard is it to bring your own reusable bags to the store.  Or, at least reuse boxes like Sams club does.

It will never happen though, people are to ignorant and passive.

Answer 12

thats stupid, how am i gonna carry my groceries?

Answer 13

Its a great idea. They will just have to promote reusing bags, and/or bringing your own bags. Its possible but will be quite hard as there are many people who will nto want to conform to this.

Answer 14

I think it is a great idea, but then I lived in Europe for a while where everyone brings their own bags.

I think the big problem is convincing people to switch. Most people in this country have yet to make the connection that plastics are made from petroleum and most people were sold on plastics being an environmental solution to cutting down trees about 10 years ago.

That having been said, I am seeing more and more stores, even here in TX offering reusable bags as an option and I think it is great.

I wish that they would sell the large bags like the ones I bought when I was in Europe though. These can hold a case of wine. Most of the bags offered here are tiny and don't hold nearly as much.

Answer 15

i think its great! the landfills should see a dramatic decrease, as well as litter.

Answer 16

I think it's a grand idea.  Betcha it happens in some states before the end of 2009.

Answer 17

Here in San Fransisco, plastic has been banned.  There are loopholes for the smaller grocers for the time being, but eventually there will be no plastic in SF, in theory.

It's choking up the delta and causing harm to the animals.  Several countries, notably in Africa, have also instituted nation-wide bans on plastic bags. There is a reason why plastic has become demonized in the Enviroworld, no doubt. Plastic is bad news, and recycled plastic bags are crappy crappy crappy!  Don't let big oil tell you how to think...research these issues for yourself!

Paper bags, on the other hand, are now made from recycled materials and can be recycled again, so no trees get harmed in the production process.  

Yet I don't like paper either. Neither plastic nor paper will break down in a landfill, so if you toss it, it will stay forever, no matter which you choose.  

I like the idea of having to buy your bags.  It makes consumers think twice about their choices on a financial level and encourages reuse of old bags.  Rather than telling a person what they can't do, companies should allow the choice, but make consumers pay for the choices they make.

Answer 18

I'd be happy if they just banned the plastic. Paper bags can be made from recycled paper and they will break down nicely in the landfill.

Answer 19

DOESNT MATTER ILL USE EITHER ONE BUT WHY WUOLD U WANT TO DO THAT???IM NOT OGING TO CARRY EACH ITEM TO MY CAR! OR MOMS CAR! LOL

Answer 20

Not likely to happen, but there may well be taxes or charges for plastic bags.

NOTE:  Aldi supermarkets in Europe, the UK and Australia do not give bags fopr groceries: you either buy them there, bring them from home or use re-useable 'green bags' mage from recycled plastics and you pack your own groceries.  I am not sure if US Aldi stores are the same.

Answer 21

Some people may not have their vehicles with the bags in them, like if they are visiting others and end up shopping unexpectedly.  

I think they can begin to push people to use reusable bags (like the Green Bag).  They can do this by charging a buck a bag.  That will encourage people to remember and think before they shop.

They need to target teens shopping on the way home from school or whatever, bc many teens won't bother to carry around a bag in their pocket or whatever. So the smaller rollup canvas or string bags can be good for teens if they can find a place to put them (not everyone has a pocket).

Answer 22

Couple of problems with the idea. .

On the one hand, when you see plastic bags littering the lands and hanging on fences, trees, and anything else it is disheartening. . .But. .

1. How are people going to carry their purchases to their car, and then into their house?  

2. Which is more easily biodegradable?  Probably the paper, but the plastic bags do degrade. .

3. Which is more "green" ie renewable or recyclable?  Both are recyclable, the plastic comes from petroleum, but the paper comes from trees. .

4. Do we really want and need the full force of the government to step in and solve this problem?

5. Which is cheaper for the consumer?  The plastic seems to have the advantage here.. .

Tough question, but personally, I don't think we need to ban either. I am not saying that either of these is the better solution either. . .

hope this helps

Answer 23

It is a wonderful idea! Each year, Americans throw away some 100 billion polyethylene plastic bags. (Only 0.6 percent of plastic bags are recycled.)  Reusable bags are so much better too - they are stronger and easier to handle.  These are some of the best examples:  http://jinxyknowsbest.blogspot.com/2008/...

Answer 24

i think its a great idea! as for not being able to carry your groceries, i have a supermarket close to me and u can bring in your own bags (like cloth bags) to bring your groceries home.  Also, I knew a grocery store that paid you like five cents if you reused your bag!  So, there are deffinitely people who are trying to decrease the paper and plastic bag usage.