Paper, Plastic or reBag??

[Cindy Blankenship]

Originally Posted by ashten

from what i understand, plastic bags are very harmful. not only do they find their way into the ocean, but i hear that the mere production of them in awful for the environment. i use the reusable ones.

Thumbs up to you Ashten! Plastic bags (and other plastic trash) kill millions of marine animals every year. Paper actually takes more energy to make and the manufacturing of it does pollute, not to mention it takes trees from our forests. Both are bad, but paper doesn't kill the animals or last virtually forever in our oceans. I just spent an entire day researching this topic because our island's (Big Island, Hawaii) county council just passed a bill to ban plastic bags.

[cynmkolohe]

Thanks, Cindy!!

[hotzcatz]

Just because your groceries won't come wrapped in free plastic bags anymore doesn't mean you still can't buy them to use for wrapping wet stuff in. Also the produce department bags (the smaller clear ones) will still be there.

It is hopeful that it will limit the plastic bags wandering about the countryside. There had been several cows which had eaten some of them and died, too.

We've been using the reusable bags since springtime when a radio station gave some away for free and now we have a collection of them. The small insulated lunch bags are really good for bringing ice cream home in, too. Wonder when we are gonna see folks start taking coolers into the grocery store as a shopping bag?

[cynmkolohe]

I emailed this morning and got a reply just a few minutes ago from Dixie Kaetsu (Managing Director, County of Hawaii). That was a pleasant surprise!