My experience: It took a few months to remember to bring bags into store with you but once that habit was ingrained I don't even notice EXCEPT it takes a TINY BIT longer each checkout & I've noticed cashiers are MUCH more willing to help bag stuff now. All in all it seems like a good idea. Many corporate stores gave out canvas or polymer bags at 1st (some still do 3 years later) so you could show off their logo for free advertising for them (you've really gotta just admire the amazing system capitalism is!).
Here's my concern, the fact remains that recycling is just not economically feasible to break even, let alone make a profit. These are some statistics about recycling which vary greatly by region:
In the United States, only about 35% of TOTAL waste is recycled or composted, according to the EPA. Specifically, plastic recycling rates are particularly low, with only 5% to 9% of plastics actually being recycled. Paper & cardboard fare better, with about 66% being recycled. Glass recycling stands at approximately 27%. These figures highlight significant inefficiencies and challenges in the recycling process, including contamination & economic factors that limit the recyclability of certain materials.
If you ever watched the Penn & Teller show "Bullshit" (where they expose common misperceptions), they did an episode on recycling that was eye-opening (still available to view on Paramount+ & Fubo but $ versions).
As a "radical commie liberal Marxist sheeple" as I've been called here I must say that initially I was for recycle everything but now I'm not so sure recycling in the USA is feasible economicly - especially if my tax dollars are subsidizing a losing fight! I now understand the obvious, that Europe is able to pull off amazing feats of recycling but they are much smaller and already have the infrastructure in place - neither of which applies to the United States. The end result of the Penn & Teller show (spoiler alert) is we recycle cuz it feels good.
California is inconveniencing citizens for no reason.
California is ending the distribution point so it IS effective
California is an exemplar in Green initiatives & should continue setting examples
Select gender and age to cast your vote:
Please select your age
What do you think of California's ban on single use plastic bags? Does your region already/planning to ban them? Do you use them around the house?
Most European countries, at least the ones I visit on a regular basis, have a ban on plastic bags. You can still get them, but you need to pay something like 0.05 or 0.10 euro cents (5 tot 11 cents in dollars) for each. Most of us have made the switch to large reusable bags. They cost about 1 euro and can be used for years on end. People are quick to make a change if it involves taking their money.
But the situation inside food stores, especially supermarkts, is counterproductive. You can either buy fruit in bulk (you choose your own pieces) and put them in a plastic bag for the cashier to weigh them. Or you buy a small amount like two or four pieces of fruit that are already laid out on a plastic tray with plastic wrapped around it. The craziest thing I've seen was a large plastic, closed bag holding 25 small cakes, with each cake individually wrapped in plastic so they're supposed to stay fresh longer.
You can pick your own bread and slice it, but you are required to put on a plastic glove for hygiene purposes, discard the glove and put the bread in the only bags available: plastic, or paper with a plastic front so the cashier can type in the correct code.
As for waste disposal, most collection points offer different containers for plastic, organic, glass and other types of containers. You're supposed to dispose of your batteries in a special waste container. It all makes sense, on the condition that 100% of people use them for what they're meant to. It only takes one person to throw away his/her waste in whatever container they fancy to ruin the effort of all the rest.
agree in concept, we already charge $.$10 for each in my state... that is sufficient to change behavior. We are too wasteful of a society and need to learn to think again. I use them at home but they get multiple uses. we use our own cloth bags. Paper is a waste as well... use once and discard, I don't like it.
I compost a lot of stuff including some paper.
Think of all the stuff thrown out that could be burned and turned to electricity... if it was sorted property. my state apparently does burn stuff for electic, but not so sure how safe that is and how good the sorting is.
In my opinion, I'd shift a lot to bulk sales, lower the cost to get people to go for it. Use reusable containers. e. g. bulk rice, grain, yogurt? Just have a machine that spits out stuff, a robot can do that. people clean the machines. It also be more secure (maybe) and reduce theft. there's a lot of theft now... the workers pay for that.
Then open "free" stores where those without can get free stuff rather than steal from grocery stores.
Many places have done it. It's not that big of a deal. We keep reusable bags in our car and a couple of foldable ones in our bags incase we buy someone that needs a bag while out. But there's still paper bags which work just as well. It's a small step to a bigger picture.
I believe in NZ a friend of mine said they have a roll out of a single use and hard to recycle plastic ban. Started with single use plastic bags, then things like plastic take out containers, cutlery, straws, even Qtips! Everything is now made of bamboo, paper or cardboard now which is great!
Ny has stopped a couple years ago and while in Alaska we used reusable and paper bags too. The only thing I had to get used to was not saving them for my bathroom garbage.
Associating the word "Liberal" and "Marxist" is funny because it's a strong political contradiction lol. As Marxism, implying Socialism, contradicts Social liberalism, Social liberalism is what EU does, it's VERY far from being Socialism. But then I guess these persons are not very knowledgeable in political philosophy, or economics, they just throw names.
About ecology, and it has been said before on this page, we live in a world where we don't have time to invest into ecology, as a whole, we live in a world where unrestrained productivity is god. So, considering this context, the best bet seems to punish people financially, to kick-start ecology.
Punish me more, I'll comply because I understand the long term benefit lol
It's a small thing that will have a minor impact. Maine has been doing this for the past 2 years. To have any kind of real impact, you'd have to eliminate ALL the plastics you possibly could and switch to paper and glass, but glass is too heavy for shipping and paper or cardboard isn't strong enough. Virtually everything that's not in cans in a supermarket is in some kind of plastic wrap that doesn't get recycled.
The sad fact is that only 9 or 10% of all plastics produced get recycled, which means that 90% of all plastic every made is still somewhere on the planet. Too much of it ends up in the ocean, and there are massive clean up costs for that.
So, does it help? A little, but it's negligible. I'm used to having reusable bags around now and not forgetting to bring them in to market. I'd rather see some real effort to curb industrial pollution, which is now more difficult due to Trump's SCOTUS appointees and the Chevron rules mess.
All bags should be removed. Totes bags do their part to destruction of the environment, Plastic bags do their part to destruction of the environment, and Paper Bags etc.
Though to really help this country, we need to take stronger actions which sadly are unreachable…. Like locally made products made from locally sourced materials and living locally and no long travel. Though that is my opinion….
Single-use paper bags are better. Multi-use any type of bag is not a good idea. Studies have shown that bags used to hold groceries (fruits, vegetables and meats specifically) contain harmful bacteria.
Enforce single-use bags... paper.
Knowing what typically happens in California, people will use multi-use bags that spread disease.
0
0 Reply
Anonymous
(25-29)
1 y
I am so tired of being forced to deal with inferior goods, that probably release more carbon to produce, because "duh planet." The US isn't the problem anymore if it ever was to begin with. The only ones producing an insane amount of carbon anymore are places like China and good luck telling them what to do.
The only people who overproduce carbon in the US anymore are ironically the people who preach about using less of it.
26.4K opinions shared on Society & Politics topic.
I think the old paper bags were b better. You could use them to make book covets and Haloween costumes and they could be reused. My mother always had a shelf that had a bunch of them. They can be recycled along with cardboard.
No ban here, however most stores have gone away from plastic bags - haven't used one myself since I was a kid and even then, it was rare due to it costing money.
In the UK you have to pay for plastic bags. They used to be free but not anymore. Everyone has a pile stuffed down the side of the fridge and forgets to take them to the shop and has to buy more.
mixed feeling: on the one hand, I hate seeing them blown all over the sides of the road, hanging ragged from bushes, floating in ponds and rivers, and dumped into landfills.
on the other hand, I don't like the gov banning anything
Home > Society & Politics > Polls > What do you think of California's ban on single use plastic bags? Does your region already/planning to ban them? Do you use them around the house?
Girl's Behavior 
Guy's Behavior 
Flirting 
Dating 
Relationships 
Fashion & Beauty 
Health & Fitness 
Marriage & Weddings 
Shopping & Gifts 
Technology & Internet 
Break Up & Divorce 
Education & Career 
Entertainment & Arts 
Family & Friends 
Food & Beverage 
Hobbies & Leisure 
Other 
Religion & Spirituality 
Society & Politics 
Sports 
Travel 
Trending & News 
