Study Shows Plastic Bag Ban Resulting in Health Problems (San Francisco: how much, homes)

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by NewToCA

I still don't see why they haven't just switched to free recycled paper bags, if objecting to plastic bags.




Treecycle Recycled Paper: Bags & Packaging

my thoughts exactly. We all know plastic is not the answer, although I do like them for some things, we all realize the cloth bags do have drawbacks as wel, so why not back to the olden days? When I do get paper bags I save them and re-use them for groceries..

[.highnlite]

On Paper

13 Think paper bags are better? The United States cuts down 14 million trees per year simply to supply the demand for paper shopping bags. True they are mostly southern fast growing pines, but, watch, An Officer and a Gentleman

14 It requires 13% more energy to produce one single paper bag than to produce two plastic bags.

15 Made with chemicals processed at high temperatures, paper bag production releases many toxins into the atmosphere at much the same rate as plastic production.

16 Paper bags weigh nearly ten times their counterparts in plastic, requiring more fuel to ship them out to stores.

17 Despite their high recyclability factor, research shows that only 20% of paper bags end up recycled while the rest share a fate with their plastic brethrens.

18 In landfills, paper bags produce over twice as much atmospheric waste as plastic, making them questionable at best as the superior choice for the environment.

[Gentoo]

Grocery shopping in general is going to leave some sort of impact on the environment. Plastic bags are a bigger danger to wildlife which is behind the ban. The chemicals used to make paper bags is bad for the overall food chain. Overall, the production of paper bags does leave a larger carbon foot print. I live in west Contra Costa County where a ban may take place soon. Just the west part of the county. I have a ton of plastic bags which I may reuse.

[OwlKaMyst]

The argument between paper or plastic has everything to do with 'our' desire for ease.
Long before the invention of these 'disposable' conviences, people used cloth bags and baskets.
There was not a problem with landfills and wildlife. I wonder what brought on the big change that led to the mass manufacture of uneeded bags (of what ever material).

I live where the ban is in effect. And while I will 'miss' my plastic bags, because I use them over and over for one of my textile business, I am happy that plastic bags have been eliminated.

For me it's a no-brainer. Use cloth bags. Humans survived in a much cleaner world for thousands of years without paper or plastic bags.

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by OwlKaMyst

The argument between paper or plastic has everything to do with 'our' desire for ease.
Long before the invention of these 'disposable' conviences, people used cloth bags and baskets.
There was not a problem with landfills and wildlife. I wonder what brought on the big change that led to the mass manufacture of uneeded bags (of what ever material).

I live where the ban is in effect. And while I will 'miss' my plastic bags, because I use them over and over for one of my textile business, I am happy that plastic bags have been eliminated.

For me it's a no-brainer. Use cloth bags. Humans survived in a much cleaner world for thousands of years without paper or plastic bags.

Good points

[Dunbar42]

Rich westerners feeling guilty about using plastic bags. I'm sure the third world laughs at us.

[Senno]

I think they might like us to stop polluting the oceans personally. /shrug

Watch the scientific video about the plastic catastrophy forming in the Pacific Ocean.

[Dunbar42]

Originally Posted by Senno

I think they might like us to stop polluting the oceans personally. /shrug

Typical greenie guilt. Modern landfills bury the trash so there's nothing to worry about. BTW, I remember hearing in high school that New York used to dump trash in the ocean for heavens sake. I know cruise ships used to do it too so don't blame the poor plastic bags...blame the people dumping it in the ocean.

[Senno]

Originally Posted by Dunbar42

Typical greenie guilt. Modern landfills bury the trash so there's nothing to worry about. BTW, I remember hearing in high school that New York used to dump trash in the ocean for heavens sake. I know cruise ships used to do it too so don't blame the poor plastic bags...blame the people dumping it in the ocean.

I do. But people won't stop polluting the ocean. So if the nail is stubborn take a bigger hammer....

Holy cow, I'm a greenie now. "Be a hoot, don't pollute."

Here I was thinking about turning on the water sprinklers cause it's so dry here in the valley. I guess I do like a green lawn...



The Crying Indian - full commercial - Keep America Beautiful - YouTube

[.highnlite]

Originally Posted by Dunbar42

Typical greenie guilt. Modern landfills bury the trash so there's nothing to worry about. BTW, I remember hearing in high school that New York used to dump trash in the ocean for heavens sake. I know cruise ships used to do it too so don't blame the poor plastic bags...blame the people dumping it in the ocean.

There are 1.2 Billion tons of garbage in California Landfills. That amount increases by millions of tons every year. To think that there won't be a consequence to this defies reality.