plastic bag ban ... good or bad?

tsh0ck

From the L.A. Times:

Los Angeles became the largest city in the nation Wednesday to approve a ban on plastic bags at supermarket checkout lines, handing a major victory to clean-water advocates who sought to reduce the amount of trash clogging landfills, the region’s waterways and the ocean.

Egged on by actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus and an array of environmental groups, the City Council voted 13 to 1 to phase out plastic bags over the next 12 months at an estimated 7,500 stores.

...

Employees of plastic bag manufacturers, wearing T-shirts reading “Don’t Kill My Job,” pleaded unsuccessfully for council members to change course, saying they feared they would soon be unemployed. “My family depends on my job and my benefits, too,” said Alejandro Ortega, a 10-year employee of manufacturer Crown Poly.

I recognize the environmental impact of plastic waste. but I also understand the concern of the guy whose job it is to make plastic bags. how long before he is out of work?

is the the right move, regardless of the impact on workers like mr. ortega? is there some kind of middle ground? what say you, debaters?

jamk1446

It's unfortunate that he may be out of a job where he may be happy and well paid but does that mean we should never make progress for fear of someone losing their job? What about the oil industry for example? Is that a valid excuse for maintaining dependence on oil? What about record stores and Blockbuster?

Even if we get rid of plastic bags, we still have a need for some means of transporting goods. Other businesses are getting into cloth and other more durable bags, it may be simplistic to say they can make other bags but... they can make other bags.

futiledevices

I think it's an excellent idea! A small step toward a more sustainable future. We currently have a 5 cent tax on all plastic bags here. The Mayor is fighting to get rid of it, but I'd much rather the plastic bags go.. although they are good for cleaning out the litter box. :happy:

Grimmerick

Yeah sometimes for progress sacrifices need to be made and it sucks, but if we don't take better care of our enviroment we will have a hell of a lot more to worry about than our jobs. Hopefully his company can maybe transition to something else like sustainable bags.

GFreg

although they are good for cleaning out the litter box. :happy:

This is always the issue I run into with this debate. I use those bags for the small trash cans in my bathroom or under the kitchen sink. I use them for cat litter. I know I shouldn't be using them, but they are so damn convenient. We have the 5 cent tax here in Maryland and generally I do my best to bring a reusable bag with me when I know I'm going shopping. I am guilty of occasionally forgetting my reusable though sometimes just so I can stock up on cheap trash bags. I refuse to use a reusable bag to clean out the cat litter. :-P

opus649

I refuse to use a reusable bag to clean out the cat litter. :-P

Just teach your cat to use the toilet. Problem solved!

atomiclauren

"I just forgot it!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgqf0yX5r4A

atomiclauren

In all seriousness, I hate plastic bags. We used to stash them in a cabinet to reuse them later and it would get crazy. We've been taking reusable bags for a while now and our stash is just about gone.
<<quick derail>> Does anyone have tips for trash can liners besides just not using any?

KayteeBear

I think it's a good thing. Where I am a lot of stores have a charge for plastic bags, but not all of them. However, I do try to take reusable bags. I use the plastic bags for the small garbage cans and whenever I used to henna my hair but I still have three bags stuffed full of plastic bags...they add up really fast and most often they go to waste.

Jennyisbusy

I have seen a lot of people switching to reusable bags, it makes me wonder if the ban is really needed???
Plastic bags are recyclable, most grocery stores have a container to stick your used bags in!!!
Another thing that annoys me about the ban is that I don't want to put my raw meat in my reusable bag, so what do I do bring my own?

Booo bad ban.

tsh0ck

I have seen a lot of people switching to reusable bags, it makes me wonder if the ban is really needed???
Plastic bags are recyclable, most grocery stores have a container to stick your used bags in!!!
Another thing that annoys me about the ban is that I don't want to put my raw meat in my reusable bag, so what do I do bring my own?

Booo bad ban.

the meat is a good point. and the ones wanting to get rid of plastic seemed to also want the paper bags to phase out.

KimmyEB

it may be simplistic to say they can make other bags but... they can make other bags.

Exactly. With time comes progress and change, and hopefully for the better. It is very, very unfortunate that that man may lose his job, but the fault I would think lies with his company. Does any company really think they will last FOREVER? Actually yeah, some probably do...that's their own faults. They should have been looking for a long time, now, on improving what they'll make to keep their company alive and their employees paid. That's wishful thinking, though.

I had no idea some states charge for the plastic bags. I know here in Florida they don't...at least not at any of the stores I go to. I use the reusable bags, and I actually have a tote purse that's big enough and durable enough that I actually use, as well. I do sometimes forget them, though, and if my stash is low (I'm guilty of using them as small trash liners, as well, haha), I'll take the plastic ones. If I only have a few things, or I don't want those plastic bags, I'll straight-up tell them that I don't want bags.

I can't think of any alternatives to bin liners, other than not using one and cleaning it out a lot. I know I'd personally REALLY not want to clean that thing out every time I empty it, but that's just me.

As for meat, perhaps get a cloth tote, or a few, if you're like me and you stock up on meat when it's on sale, and just use it for meats only? Most cloth totes are washable, so if anything did get on it, you can just throw it in the wash. That's what I do...I have a washable, very durable tote I only use for meats, I have one strictly for fresh fruits and veggies, one strictly for non-food items, and one for art supply/fabric/cosmetics/clothes/etc. Each one is a different color with different patterns, so I can't confuse them.

atomiclauren

We recycle those thinner, clear plastic bags that we get for produce (there's a recycling station for plastic bags at our main grocery store).

What would be an alternative to those, though? It's helpful for them to be clear so the cashier can see what it is, how many, etc without touching it all..

KimmyEB

We recycle those thinner, clear plastic bags that we get for produce (there's a recycling station for plastic bags at our main grocery store).

What would be an alternative to those, though? It's helpful for them to be clear so the cashier can see what it is, how many, etc without touching it all..

Maybe a little reusable plastic tub or something, that the cashier can see everything in?

I personally don't even use those little bags. I've worked in a grocery store before, and my station was right next to the produce guys...so many people touch the fruit, customers and employees alike, that one more person (cashier) touching it isn't really going to make much difference to me.

atomiclauren

Yeah that's true - I guess the biggest issue is roll-y fruit rolling all around! A little tub or tray might do the trick..

cessnaholly

I reuse all my bags. If they do get banned, then I have to buy something else to scoop the litter, pick up after my dog, etc. I don't think we need to ban, I think people need to "waste not, want not" and take care of the environment. It is bigger than just banning plastic bags. Recycling is great.

debloves2ride

I reuse all my bags. If they do get banned, then I have to buy something else to scoop the litter, pick up after my dog, etc. I don't think we need to ban, I think people need to "waste not, want not" and take care of the environment. It is bigger than just banning plastic bags. Recycling is great.

I agree - more emphasis on recycling etc... If you don't want to use the plastic bags, that is your choice. I don't think we should be told what we have to use to bring home our groceries in. encourage recycling, maybe even a discount coupon if you bring in bags or something. But the government telling me what I can bring home my groceries in is not progress. if they ban the bags, we will have to purchase other garbage can liners, cat pooper scoopers etc..

fbmandy55

although they are good for cleaning out the litter box. :happy:

This is always the issue I run into with this debate. I use those bags for the small trash cans in my bathroom or under the kitchen sink. I use them for cat litter. I know I shouldn't be using them, but they are so damn convenient. We have the 5 cent tax here in Maryland and generally I do my best to bring a reusable bag with me when I know I'm going shopping. I am guilty of occasionally forgetting my reusable though sometimes just so I can stock up on cheap trash bags. I refuse to use a reusable bag to clean out the cat litter. :-P

I wouldn't feel bad. I re use the plastic bags to line my small garbage cans, clean up messes, take lunch to work, etc... We ARE recycling them by doing those things!

Not sure about elsewhere but in Indiana, almost every store (grocery, target, wal-mart) lets you bring in old bags and collects them in a "recycle box" by the doors or carts. Some even give you 5¢ a bag credit. WoO!

CountryDevil

I do think that re-cycling and programs are put in place to reduce the amount of petroleum based products in our landfills and other places that it ends up is a great idea. However, I don't fully agree with the statements about someone losing jobs over this ban. There are more and more renewable products and technologies that are being discovered every day. In fact the guys working for the company that makes plastic bags could easily re-tool the plant to make compostable liners & bags very easily. The technology is already there and products like these are being made already.

http://www.ecoproductsstore.com/compostable_liners_and_bags.html?s_kwcid=TC|1026929|bio%20degradable%20plastic%20bags||S|b|25440735223&gclid=CLLVkY2dprACFeUBQAodACj8WQ

dragonbait0126

I have seen a lot of people switching to reusable bags, it makes me wonder if the ban is really needed???
Plastic bags are recyclable, most grocery stores have a container to stick your used bags in!!!
Another thing that annoys me about the ban is that I don't want to put my raw meat in my reusable bag, so what do I do bring my own?

Booo bad ban.

the meat is a good point. and the ones wanting to get rid of plastic seemed to also want the paper bags to phase out.

I think that begs the question of which plastic bags are they referring to. Is it just the ones at the check-out or does it include the ones provided in the meat and produce departments? I take my cloth bags to the store but I still use the small plastic bags provided in the meat and produce departments. Those bags protect my cloth ones from the meat in case it leaks but your cloth bag is still washable even something does leak.

strongnotskinny121

I have seen a lot of people switching to reusable bags, it makes me wonder if the ban is really needed???
Plastic bags are recyclable, most grocery stores have a container to stick your used bags in!!!
Another thing that annoys me about the ban is that I don't want to put my raw meat in my reusable bag, so what do I do bring my own?

Booo bad ban.

Get the veggie bags from the produce section to put your meat in. They are recyclable also, and can also be used as trash bags like other people have posted about the plastic bags.