Only 1-4% of the 19 billion plastic grocery and merchandise bags used annually in the State of California are recycled. Californians Against Waste
In some states grocery stores provide a credit for bringing in your own re-useable bags. We receive $0.04 per bag at our store.
In recent news Reuters reported that the Chinese government has banned shops from giving out free plastic bags 'white pollution'. Read the whole article here.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
The Plastic Bag: Convienent or Costly?
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How did you feel about global warming and the Kyoto protocol in 2005...a year before Al Gore's "Inconvenient Truth" came out? I will admit, it wasn't really on my radar, but I at least was aware of global warming and was sure it was already occurring.
In March of 2005 (I know it is a bit dated, but still telling) the folks at Gallup conducted a survey about the Kyoto Protocol.
In the poll, 42% of the poll respondents stated the US should abide by the Kyoto protocol. When asked if global warming was already occurring, only 54% of US respondents stated it was, compared to 71% and 65% by Canadian and UK respondents respectively.
To me, the most staggering stat from the poll has to do with whether or not the respondents agreed or disagreed with the decision by the US to not comply with the Kyoto agreement. Only 20% agreed, 21% disagreed, and 59% stated they were unsure.
In my eyes, a lot of our country’s inaction on the subject of global climate change is due primarily to a lack of education on the consumer’s part and unwillingness by our federal legislators to press industry for change.
Green living is complicated and can be expensive (at least that is a common perception). The wealthy can make the switch to a greener lifestyle because they have the means. Education and support should be focused on those that don’t have the means. The current disparity of income and the growing lower class means that more of our population believes it is cheaper to continue in their current consumption habits. Focusing education on day-to-day things lower income families can do as “their part” can go a long way. This should primarily start by showing how to reduce their consumption and then move to how to buy “green”. Support for governmental grants to help upgrade low income family homes can also go a long way as well.
In 2007, the governor of Illinois provided $2.2 million in grants to help low income, disabled, and elderly citizens install energy efficient windows, doors and appliances (among other improvements).[2] The US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development provided $29 million to do much the same for low income families and individuals with AIDS/HIV.[3]
Dealing with the other cause of inactivity (federal governmental inaction) is much more difficult. Their pockets and campaigns are lined with money from companies that would be affected negatively by tougher emissions standards, material design standards and the like. Until we get the right people in the right places, consumers will drive the change.
Support the companies that are making changes and don’t support the ones that aren’t. Simple enough?
Sources:
[1] www.gallup.com/poll/16999/Americans-Cool-Kyoto.aspx
[2] www.illinois.gov/PressReleases/ShowPressRelease.cfm?SubjectID=58&RecNum=6061
[3] www.hud.gov/news/release.cfm?content=pr06-020.cfm
Here is an article about a measure going before the State legislature in Washington State. They too are proposing a ban on plastic bags in grocery stores by offering up tax credits and fines.
Seems like a more appropriate alternative is to enforce the fines and use the tax credits for reusable bags that can be distributed to customers. Why pay the stores, they are already making money. See the article from the Seattle PI here
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420ap_wa_xgr_grocery_bag_ban.html
The link to the bill is here
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=2424&year=2008
Here's another city that is taking action. The New York City Council overwhelmingly passed a bill requiring large stores and retail chains to collect and recycle the plastic bags they give to shoppers.
Read the full article here.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/10/
nyregion/10bags.html?ex=1357707600
&en=45e15a02c53a35b6&ei=5124&
partner=permalink&exprod=permalink
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