China bans free plastic grocery bags. We should too.
Posted by Jason · January 10th, 2008An AP article today reported that China plans to ban all free grocery bags in an effort to fight litter and pollution. I believe we should do the same. Moreover, I wonder if this does not foreshadow a broader trend where China may lead the US in “green” initiatives and technology out of sheer necessity.
I started thinking about plastic bags after moving to Austin a couple of years ago and getting the choice of “paper or plastic” for the first time in a long time while shopping at Whole Foods. While I try to be environmentally conscious, I was ashamed that I didn’t know the “best” option. So, I decided to put it back on the cashiers, telling them “your choice.” To my surprise, the cashiers were split about 50/50, with one even picking plastic explaining that I “look like I recycle” (after looking myself up and down, I decided that was a compliment). I became more confused when I read a few articles claiming that plastic bags had several advantages over paper, including being more energy efficient to produce and recycle (see Wikipedia excerpt below for a complete list of advantages and disadvantages).
The turning point for me though, was last year when picking up trash at a volunteer community event. Anyone who has ever done this knows that plastic shopping bags are probably the most prevalent and heinous form of litter, lodging themselves in any nook and cranny imaginable. In fact, according to Wikipedia, only 1% of plastic grocery bags currently get recycled. The sheer volume of grocery bags used in the US each year, the fact that they are not bio-degradable, and the ease with which they can embed themselves in our environment combine to make them an unacceptable choice in my opinion. While we may not have come up with the perfect choice, I think it is clear that plastic bags should not be an option (at least a free one).
As I also mentioned above, I have wondered lately whether China is paradoxically in a better position to take the lead in environmental issues and technology vs. the US, and contrary to popular opinion. While, I believe that the US has a golden opportunity to be the world leader in green technologies given our lead in industry, productivity, and technology in general, I worry that without more of a forcing mechanism, we will not replace existing technologies with more environmentally friendly alternatives fast enough. Paradoxically, China, with its population density that cannot be ignored, and less of an installed base of existing technology, may find it easier to more rapidly adopt and drive new initiatives and technologies. TBD, but for now, at least on the issue of plastic grocery bags, score China 1 and the US 0.
More Info:
Shoppers: It’s BYO Bag in China - AP, Statesman, January, 10, 2008
S.F. FIRST CITY TO BAN PLASTIC SHOPPING BAGS - San Francisco Chronicle, March 28, 2007
Excerpt from Wikipedia entry on Plastic Shopping Bags:
Advantages
The durability, strength, low cost, water and chemicals resistance, welding properties, lesser energy and heavy chemicals requirements in manufacture, fewer atmosphere emissions and light weight are advantages of plastic bags. Many studies comparing plastic versus paper for shopping bags show that plastic bags have less net environmental effect than paper bags, requiring less energy to produce, transport and recycle; however these studies also note that recycling rates for plastic are significantly lower than for paper.[2] Plastic bags can be incinerated in appropriate facilities for waste-to-energy. Plastic bags are stable and benign in sanitary landfills.[3] Plastic carrier bags can be reused as trash bags or bin bags. Plastic bags are complimentary in many locations but are charged or “taxed” in others.
Disadvantages
The following disadvantages have also been identified:
- Plastic bags are made of petrochemicals, a nonrenewable resource.
- Plastic bags are flimsy and often do not stand up as well as paper or cloth.
- When disposed of improperly, they are unsightly and represent a hazard to wildlife.
- Conventional plastic bags are not readily biodegradable under any normal circumstance.
- Plastic bags can cause unsupervised infants to suffocate.
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Tags: Environment, green living | Posted in Life and Learning |
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January 12th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
Whole Foods Market here in Austin has stopped offering plastic bags at it’s locations here in Austin, possibly as a prelude to doing the same nation-wide. They offer a $.99 ‘Better Bag’ that’s made from recycled material. It’s pretty nice, and very sturdy. They also offer $.10 off your purchase if your bring in your own bag, and I think they’ve been doing that for at least 10 years. Now you can credit that $.10 to Austin beautification programs, which is pretty cool.
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/pressroom/pr_12-19-07.html
January 16th, 2008 at 9:46 pm
This is a subject where I should have my hand slapped. Despite knowing better, I still go for the plastic out of sheer laziness. The thought that China would be more progressive on things like this doesn’t sit right with me for some reason. LOL @ “You look like you recycle.” Interesting one.
January 31st, 2008 at 1:27 pm
I recently came back to Austin after studying abroad for a semester in the Netherlands. There, it is the norm to bring cloth bags to the grocery store. If you need a bag you have to pay for one. I’ve noticed that people there are so environmentally conscious ( or cheap) that they will stuff jars of jam and milk in their jacket pockets so they don’t have to purchase a plastic bag. I’ve often thought about buying cloth bags to help the environment but I never actually did it until I was forced to pay for plastic bags. So as much as I’d like to think that we are all good humanitarians, we really have to make financial consequences and/or incentives to be environmentally friendly to see drastic changes immediately. So I must say that I am very happy to hear that Whole Foods is jumping on this bandwagon and we should strive to be more like Western Europe and China when it comes to banning free plastic grocery bags.