Plastic bag ban, but coles does a whimp back flip

I know a guy in Brisbane manufactures plastic shopping bags for shops all over Australia.

He has tried every way he can think of to make an environmentally safe or biodegradeable bag. He say you cant have both, the bag fails in its job if it's biologically safe.

His premises is surrounded by his attempts to make bio shopping bags , theyre pinned up all along his walls for people to see , fluttering in the breeze, waiting to disappear into the environment..

You can't make biodegradeable plastic...it becomes something else , crumbles or powders.

......and that , is the problem. If we didn't litter.....and we do....the majority of the "problem" would become one of disposal or efficient recycle.

Where are all these 'disposable' plastic bags people are talking about? I've only seen the thin grey ones at our local shops. Well, until recently...

I heard a Ted talk on plastic vs paper a while ago. (make of that what you will, though it was a proper Ted talk, not TedX) the young lady speaking was apparently in the field of Environmental Science or something. Her opinion was that, though not a good solution, plastic bags were a better use of resources than paper - less material, lighter, often stronger, less energy to create/ship etc. Though the paper bag is made from a renewable source the additional energy required in its lifespan makes that point moot.

I'm not advocating plastic, just giving food for thought - I think reusable is the way to go as far as shopping bags tho.

Footage shows volunteers struggling to stop waves of garbage washing ashore in Manila Bay - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Like CO2 reduction it is only going to make a difference if everyone does it. Also if anyone thinks that any oil is going to stay in the ground because plastic bags are less used, they are dreaming. On the subject of plastic bags not decomposing, I don't see the lunatic fringe running around in a panic saying "OMG the rocks aren't decomposing!" I think that logically the day will come when rubbish tips will have to be mined for resources, as this is a finite planet, and we can't keep extracting materials forever.

Unfortunately it's a typical case of market failure.

You use the plastic bag, while others bear the consequences.
The true cost of plastic bag is born by a third part so to speak.

It's the negative externalities makes people think "**** why would I case about the plastic bag, they are just trying to make money.
If only we can force people to dig a hole in their backyard and bury their own garbage (and live with it) , then they will realize the true cost of their action.
Or charge them according to the amount and type of garbage they produce, then maybe I will call it fair

Plastic bags were NEVER free before. And will not be.

Same goes for decat or smoking. One enjoy the decat while a third party pay for it. And these people see the cost of decat/plastic bag/smoking etc.. as the retail price.

No no no
a plastic bag will cost all of us more the 15 cents
A decat will cost us more then $400 whatever you paid.

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Originally Posted by RANDLOVER

Footage shows volunteers struggling to stop waves of garbage washing ashore in Manila Bay - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Like CO2 reduction it is only going to make a difference if everyone does it. Also if anyone thinks that any oil is going to stay in the ground because plastic bags are less used, they are dreaming. On the subject of plastic bags not decomposing, I don't see the lunatic fringe running around in a panic saying "OMG the rocks aren't decomposing!" I think that logically the day will come when rubbish tips will have to be mined for resources, as this is a finite planet, and we can't keep extracting materials forever.

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