California Bans Plastic Bags

As read on The Verge:

California has become the first US state to sign into law a ban on single-use plastic bags, including those used for bagging up purchases at grocery stores. The legislation is meant to cut down on waste throughout the state and to help protect its land from pollution. The ban will begin this coming July in grocery stores and pharmacies, and it'll expand to convenience stores and liquor stores one year later. "This bill is a step in the right direction," California Governor Jerry Brown says in a statement. "It reduces the torrent of plastic polluting our beaches, parks, and even the vast ocean itself.

"WE’RE THE FIRST TO BAN THESE BAGS, AND WE WON’T BE THE LAST"

The ban is estimated to cut California off from using over 13 billion single-use plastic bags each year. Some plastic bags will still be allowed, however, such as those used to wrap up an open food item or to protect hung up clothing. The state will also provide $2 million in loans to businesses that will begin moving away from manufacturing plastic bags. Stores will be able to sell paper bags to consumers for 10 cents a piece. While that may sound frustrating, this isn't new for a good number of Californians: local plastic bag bans have already covered where 10 million residents live — about a quarter of its population.

The law is a huge step, in particular, toward reducing ocean pollution. Legislation co-author Alex Padilla says that single-use bags kill thousands of marine animals each year. Plastic items in general are also estimated to account for 60 to 80 percent of marine debris. The National Resources Defense Council calls the legislation "a thrilling win" for ocean lovers.

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I think they're doing the right thing. We can all learn to use reusable shopping bags.

What will we line our small household trash cans with? The Walmart bags fit perfectly in the bathroom trash can.

That's what I line my trash cans with... grocery bags. I guess I'll punt and just wash 'em if they get nasty.

I use those for my bathroom garbage too

You may be surprised if you havnt paid attention but I'll support this. I also support banning plastic bottles

Go back to paper and glass

Joanimaroni wrote:

What will we line our small household trash cans with?  The Walmart bags fit perfectly in the bathroom trash can.

Yup....always good to have some on hand.... Nice to know that with all their economic problems Gov Moonbeam has his priorities straight in the War on Plastic Bags...

I agree that we should stop using all the things mentioned here, and those plastic six pack ring holders too... they kill fish. But I don't like using legislation to make it happen. There's got to be a better way.

How many people we putting out of work at the plastic bag manufacturing plant?

What is the strangest thing you use the plastic bags for ?



I use plastic bags to freeze my linen blouses. If you heaviky sprinkle your linen with water, place in a plastic grocery bag and freeze it for an hour....it is so easy to iron the wrinkles out.

When I am traveling, I put my dirty clothes in plastic bags.

If no plastic bag is handy, I'll take one dirty tee-shirt and stuff dirty clothes in it.

Of course, bags work as great receptacles for doggie poo on a walk.

I don't really have a problem what a state does. I don't even mind the epa ensuring that pollution doesn't cross state lines.

Joanimaroni wrote:

What is the strangest thing you use the plastic bags for ?



I use plastic bags to freeze my linen blouses. If you heaviky sprinkle your linen with water, place in a plastic grocery bag and freeze it for an hour....it is so easy to iron the wrinkles out.

I saw a lady at the grocery store who had used plastic bags to make a woven grocery bag. It was the strongest looking reusable grocery bag I've ever seen. Kind of cute, too.

I'm going to tell my mom about the linen blouse thing, Joani. She'll use that.

riceme wrote:

But I don't like using legislation to make it happen.

You bring up a good point and I also agree.

Its a shame because there is no solution. People simply are no ever going to do the right thing, they are more often than not going to do the cheap thing.

I am pretty sure elements can be added to plastic to make it degrade under sunlight back to dust. It probably costs more though.

TEOTWAWKI wrote:

I am pretty sure elements can be added to plastic to make it degrade under sunlight back to dust. It probably costs more though.

I don't know. Seems like someone would have done that invention by now. Maybe you and I can look into that invention?

BTW. I think plastic bottles are a worse problem imho

http://www.futurenergia.org/ww/en/pub/futurenergia/chats/bio_plastics.htm

This guy says it is a bad idea....

Biodegradability is a material property that depends much on the circumstances of the biological environment (human body differs from soil). Given that this is the case, it could be said that making a product such as a plastic bag compostable does not make much sense because this biodegradability performance will not resolve the litter issue (different conditions in the compost and on soil).

To conclude, it is a mistake to focus on finding ways to make products easier to throw away in the name of helping the environment. Biodegradable plastics are exciting and useful materials, but they should only be used when they have a concrete benefit for a specific product. The best way to help save the planet is to save energy and improve ways of recycling and recovering all plastics.

TEOTWAWKI wrote:

http://www.futurenergia.org/ww/en/pub/futurenergia/chats/bio_plastics.htm

This guy says it is a bad idea....

Biodegradability is a material property that depends much on the circumstances of the biological environment (human body differs from soil). Given that this is the case, it could be said that making a product such as a plastic bag compostable does not make much sense because this biodegradability performance will not resolve the litter issue (different conditions in the compost and on soil).

To conclude, it is a mistake to focus on finding ways to make products easier to throw away in the name of helping the environment. Biodegradable plastics are exciting and useful materials, but they should only be used when they have a concrete benefit for a specific product. The best way to help save the planet is to save energy and improve ways of recycling and recovering all plastics.

I'm not trying to save the planet.

I just don't like trash

Chrissy* wrote:

riceme wrote:

But I don't like using legislation to make it happen.

You bring up a good point and I also agree.

Its a shame because there is no solution. People simply are no ever going to do the right thing, they are more often than not going to do the cheap thing.

Some smart capitalist needs to figure out how to make people do things we want them to do without passing legislation. How do you get the owners of the plastic bag factory to start making paper bags and cardboard 6-pack carriers (you know, like back in the 70s before they "fixed" everything!). How do you get the plastic bottle factories to go back to making reusable glass bottles? Or is there a reusable plastic bottle? Something that doesn't break?

We need to stop thinking like the Chinese and start thinking like Americans again. 

Lower corporate taxes rates and bring back American industry.....of course the tree huggers don't want paper. God forbid if the beach mouse ( small rat) likes the plastic sixpack holder we will never get rid of plastic.

God forbid we harvest any of our natural resources, Joani. Instead, let's pollute the air, land and sea and use plastic.

Yeah, that's the ticket.

:/

Got to give my ex wife some credit here. She is a forester and she always told everyone that whined about trees that they were just like celery only they took a little longer to grow.

riceme wrote:

Chrissy* wrote:

riceme wrote:

But I don't like using legislation to make it happen.

You bring up a good point and I also agree.

Its a shame because there is no solution. People simply are no ever going to do the right thing, they are more often than not going to do the cheap thing.

Some smart capitalist needs to figure out how to make people do things we want them to do without passing legislation. How do you get the owners of the plastic bag factory to start making paper bags and cardboard 6-pack carriers (you know, like back in the 70s before they "fixed" everything!). How do you get the plastic bottle factories to go back to making reusable glass bottles? Or is there a reusable plastic bottle? Something that doesn't break?

We need to stop thinking like the Chinese and start thinking like Americans again. 

I agree. I think the "fix" was worse than the so called invented problem. ie: killing trees vs plastic

I think there is a mis conception that people who are not flaming liberals don't care about the planet which is simply false.

I read that Randolph Hearst, the newspaper magnate, heavily pushed the anti-marijuana campaign in his newspapers because hemp was found to produce cheaper, better fiber for paper pulp and he had substantial holding in timber lands.

I don't mind tree farms as long as they are managed appropriately... and old-growth timber is allowed to mature naturally.

^Totally agree.

I personally hate plastic bags because where we used to get by with 4 large paper bags now we have 10 or more plastic ones to bring into the house.
It's hard to keep pets from chewing on them too and I know that's got to be dangerous.

I hated that picture of the turtle. That's awful.