Chinese authorities announced that they're outlawing plastic shopping bags because of pollution and energy concerns. This is from the CBC website:
China's State Council said the ban will start June 1. Firms that continue to sell, make and distribute bags thicker than 0.025 mm thick will be given fines and authorities may seize goods and profits, the State Council said.
"Our country consumes huge amounts of plastic bags every year. While providing convenience to consumers, they have also caused serious pollution, and waste of energy and resources, because of excessive use and inadequate recycling," the government said in a statement, according to Reuters.
"We should encourage people to return to carrying cloth bags, using baskets for their vegetables."
"Our country consumes huge amounts of plastic bags every year. While providing convenience to consumers, they have also caused serious pollution, and waste of energy and resources, because of excessive use and inadequate recycling," the government said in a statement, according to Reuters.
"We should encourage people to return to carrying cloth bags, using baskets for their vegetables."
So will it make a difference? According to Worldwatch Institute, consumers worldwide toss about 500 billion plastic bags annually. Furthermore, it takes these bags over 1000 years to dissolve.
It's hard to visualize 500 billion plastic bags, so instead let me break it down for you: here in the Wintergreen house (2 human occupants and 2 feline occupants), we recycle our plastic bags. Each month we use enough plastic bags to fill one large garbage bag. Our household, therefore, produces approximately 12 garbage bags full of plastic bags per year. It's easy to visualize 12 garbage bags full - it's enough to fill my kitchen with plastic bags.
How much energy would it take to recycle 500 billion plastic bags per year? That's a lot of trips to the recycling depot. It occurs to me that recycling these bags does not even begin to solve the problem. The solution, then, is obvious: stop using plastic bags.
This idea seems to be catching on. In March 2007, San Francisco became the first North American city to ban non-recyclable plastic bags. In April 2007, Leaf Rapids, Manitoba, became the first Canadian municipality to ban plastic bags. And here in the Wintergreen house, we have purchased two sturdy reusable bags for our shopping.
A big shoutout to the great nation of China, the beautiful city of San Francisco, and the forward-thinking community of Leaf Rapids for not being afraid to let go of the convenience of these pesky bags.
It's hard to visualize 500 billion plastic bags, so instead let me break it down for you: here in the Wintergreen house (2 human occupants and 2 feline occupants), we recycle our plastic bags. Each month we use enough plastic bags to fill one large garbage bag. Our household, therefore, produces approximately 12 garbage bags full of plastic bags per year. It's easy to visualize 12 garbage bags full - it's enough to fill my kitchen with plastic bags.
How much energy would it take to recycle 500 billion plastic bags per year? That's a lot of trips to the recycling depot. It occurs to me that recycling these bags does not even begin to solve the problem. The solution, then, is obvious: stop using plastic bags.
This idea seems to be catching on. In March 2007, San Francisco became the first North American city to ban non-recyclable plastic bags. In April 2007, Leaf Rapids, Manitoba, became the first Canadian municipality to ban plastic bags. And here in the Wintergreen house, we have purchased two sturdy reusable bags for our shopping.
A big shoutout to the great nation of China, the beautiful city of San Francisco, and the forward-thinking community of Leaf Rapids for not being afraid to let go of the convenience of these pesky bags.
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