Ban Plastic Bags – Alternatives to Polyethylene
Tips on How to Eliminate Plastic Bag Usage in the Home
Nov 11, 2009
Plastic Bags: They are cheap, they are convenient and they are deadly. All over the world, responsible, environmentally-minded people are urging their governments, at all levels, to reduce the use of polyethylene bags or even ban the use of plastic bags completely. Many cities, towns and municipalities are responding to this grass-roots pressure by:
- Banning polyethylene bags altogether
- Levying a tax on polyethylene bags
- Charging consumers for use of plastic bags at the cash-register
- Providing consumers with incentives to use alternatives to, or to recycle plastic bags
- Offering low-priced cloth-bags at the cash-register
Countries Where Plastic Bags are Banned or Heavily Taxed:
- Paris (Whole of France by the end of 2010)
- Uganda
- Ireland
- China
- Bangladesh
- Parts of the UK
- Taiwan
- Kenya
- South Africa
- Italy
- India
- Australia
Other countries, including Canada and many parts of the United States are currently working on full or partial bans of plastic bags. Even in cities and towns where bans, levies and incentives are not yet in place, savvy consumers are turning their backs on polyethylene products and choosing more environmentally responsible alternatives.
Why Should Plastic Bags be Banned?
According to the San Francisco Department of the Environment, Worldwatch Institute, four to five trillion non-degradable plastic bags are in use worldwide every year. To put these numbers in perspective, it takes 430,000 gallons of oil to produce a mere 100 million non-degradable plastic bags.
The Toll of Plastic Bags on Marine Mammals
If those figures aren't shocking enough, consider that plastic bags kill, at a conservative estimate, a minimum of 100,000 birds, whales, seals and turtles every year. When marine mammals ingest plastic bags which they have confused with jelly fish and other food forms, choking results or even worse the animal's intestines become blocked and they suffer a slow, cruel, and 100% preventable death.
Plastic Bags as Trash Bin Liners: Do Alternatives Exist?
Many people who have cut down on their plastic bag usage in the home still find themselves using polyethylene to line garbage containers and kitchen trash bins. There are many alternatives to using plastic bags for these purposes, but a little effort is needed of one is determined to make a difference:
- Reuse
- Reduce
- Recycle
- Compost
To begin with, every home should have a compost. There are worm composting systems for apartment dwellers that fit easily under the sink or on balconies, so those who don't live in a house with a yard no longer have a valid excuse for not composting.
Most cities and towns have recycling at the curb programs and yet many people continue to throw recyclables into the trash. Take a little extra time to know what materials can be recycled where you live.
By reusing, reducing, recycling, and composting, people will greatly decrease the amount of garbage produced per household each year. For items that must be thrown out, use environmentally-friendly alternatives to plastic. This will cost slightly more, but only to bank accounts, not wildlife. A quick internet search reveals three of many such alternatives:
- Buygreen.com (trash bags and other environmental good for businesses and consumers)
- BagToNature Kitchen trash bags (made out of corn)
- Reusable Bags (Endorsed by Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth)
Alternatives to Plastic Bags for Shopping:
With a little planning, it is possible to visit the shops and never use plastic bags. Shoppers should store keep reusable bags in their cars, in bike carriers and purses so they never find themselves in a position where they are forced to use polyethylene. Should this happen, ask for paper bags at the check-out. The following is a list of some easily available plastic bag alternatives:
- Cloth bags
- Hemp bags
- Nylon bags
- Baskets
- Pushcarts/walkers
- Backpacks
In the end, it is up to the consumer to make environmentally responsible decisions. With a little thought and minimal effort, it is possible to eliminate the use of plastic bags in the home. For more information on the danger of plastic bags to the environment, visit Say No to Plastic Bags
Sources:
- San Francisco Chronicle, Wednesday, March 28, 2007
- The New York Times, Wednesday, November 11, 2009
- David Suzuki Foundation
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