[ScoopLV]

Originally Posted by ddrhazy

So saving the dwindling fish population is something you're not interested in.

No, they're not. Most of them don't even know about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. And they're willfully ignorant if you try to tell them.

Taiwan, for instance, had this exact problem. And they solved it by mandating that plastic bags should cost -- ONE PENNY. Any charge whatsoever is enough to get most people to go with reusable bags.

[aggrofish]

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

No, they're not. Most of them don't even know about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. And they're willfully ignorant if you try to tell them.

Taiwan, for instance, had this exact problem. And they solved it by mandating that plastic bags should cost -- ONE PENNY. Any charge whatsoever is enough to get most people to go with reusable bags.

I think a minimal charge for the reusable bags would be ideal. I forget them most of the time and if I could get them for say $0.25 or even $0.50 vs $1.00 I would go that route.

[MediocreButArrogant]

Originally Posted by aggrofish

I think a minimal charge for the reusable bags would be ideal. I forget them most of the time and if I could get them for say $0.25 or even $0.50 vs $1.00 I would go that route.

I live most of the year in a city that has a plastic bag ban. If you forget your reusable bags, you can buy paper ones for $0.10 each. The ordinance is similar in other CA cities with plastic bag bans.

It's such a minor inconvenience and expense, and if it helps avoid stuff like this, all the better:

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

No, they're not. Most of them don't even know about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. And they're willfully ignorant if you try to tell them.

What I've read is that most of the garbage there is from debris blown into the ocean from landfills (My first guess was that it was dumping from cruise ships and commercial shipping traffic). So for marine debris, the ban would be seem most effective in cities who dump their garbage into landfills near the ocean. I'm surprised the ban only began six months ago in Santa Cruz, while it's been in effect for nearly two years in San Jose.

[ddrhazy]

It's just a wasteful practice. You're using the bag for just a couple of minutes and then you toss it.

[BBMW]

Actually, I reuse them as garbage bags.

Originally Posted by ddrhazy

It's just a wasteful practice. You're using the bag for just a couple of minutes and then you toss it.

[ddrhazy]

I guarantee you don't use them all.

[BBMW]

Not all (a lot tear at the bottom, making them useless as such), but most.

Originally Posted by ddrhazy

I guarantee you don't use them all.

[I_Love_LA]

Originally Posted by BBMW

Not all (a lot tear at the bottom, making them useless as such), but most.

Re-using plastic grocery bags for garbage is less than idea. They leak all over the place.

I compost ALL organic waste. Some weeks, I don't have enough actual garbage to place on the curb.

I would venture to say that most american households throw away 25-50% organic waste.

[clutchcargo777]

Of course with re-usable bags you have to wash them. Which uses up water and electricity. Don't want to put your veggies in a bag that had leaky raw meat in it last week.

I bet the solution to that would be stop eating meat.

No matter what you do, humans will have SOME impact on the environment. Hey, we belong here too!

[I_Love_LA]

Originally Posted by clutchcargo777

I bet the solution to that would be stop eating meat.

Bingo!