A rant about plastic bags - Page 2

SuzeQuze · #16 03-27-2008, 03:27 PM

There's a pile of garbage (mostly plastic) in the Pacific ocean about twice the size of Texas. When I heard this I vowed to stop using the bags. I first switched to paper and then tried to remember the damn mesh bags which I finally have. Stop and Shop here now has a recycle bin for the bags. And petep I can't believe you have to get everything in plastic. We still have those containers you mentioned here in Boston! I think you might want to break down and get that man bag, baby.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl.../SS6JS8RH0.DTL

DavidMn · #17 03-27-2008, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

sue

That's all you damn lawyers ever think about!

God that made me laugh.

Sahara · #18 03-27-2008, 06:16 PM

In Ireland there's been a tax on plastic bags since 2003 -- it was 15c and now it's 22c. It's made such a difference, barely any shops even use them any more ... but they've changed to paper bags instead, so we're wrecking the forests now! Agh! How can we win?! >,<

jannieC · #19 03-27-2008, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sahara

In Ireland there's been a tax on plastic bags since 2003 -- it was 15c and now it's 22c. It's made such a difference, barely any shops even use them any more ... but they've changed to paper bags instead, so we're wrecking the forests now! Agh! How can we win?! >,<

Cloth!!!

desertangel · #20 03-28-2008, 02:39 AM

Garbage in the oceans is ridiculous. I went to a presentation by http://www.oceanfutures.org/ and consequently became an even more ardent recycler than before. Large waterfowl eat disposable lighters that wash up on remote shorelines. After they die, in the middle of their rotting corpse sits the lighters that stayed in the bottom of their stomaches.

If plastic shopping bags went away, I would be okay, I would adopt other methods of dealing with my garbage can. For a guy who doesn't have a car and wants to use reusables, you would almost have to put them in a backpack or manbag. Maybe the mesh ones that look like a fishing net might roll up small enough to stuff in a pocket... ?

Why can't they make these things out of biodegradeable products? And why can't the metal recyclers stop paying cash to meth addicts for roadway railings?

And if I were elected President...

strandinthewind · #21 03-28-2008, 06:28 AM

Why don't they burn them (and all grabage)?

petep9000 · #22 03-28-2008, 07:51 AM

Well, I made up my mind. I'm to take one of my mesh bags and roll it into a tight ball and tuck it into my knapsack that I carry to and from work. I'll just need to remember it's there LOL. I carry so much other junk anyway, I probably won't notice the extra bulk.

Hey, this sounds like the makings of a good 'getting to know you' type of thread. To be continued...

SuzeQuze · #23 03-28-2008, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petep9000

Well, I made up my mind. I'm to take one of my mesh bags and roll it into a tight ball and tuck it into my knapsack that I carry to and from work. I'll just need to remember it's there LOL. I carry so much other junk anyway, I probably won't notice the extra bulk.

Hey, this sounds like the makings of a good 'getting to know you' type of thread. To be continued...

That sounds like a good idea. I'm pissed because the building my condo is in does not recycle so I will have to drop off or something. I guess they tried it and tenants would just throw all kinds of crap in the chute and then the recyclers wouldn't take it. Why are people so dumb? Ugh.

rubytuesday · #24 03-28-2008, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jannieC

Cloth!!!

These are like the ones they sell at the supermarkets. They cost about $1 and you only need a few and just keep them in your car.

When I go to the stores it seems like nearly 50% of people seem to use them. They're great though, the perfect solution 'cause they're so easy to carry and fit a lot of items in them too.

jannieC · #25 03-28-2008, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rubytuesday

These are like the ones they sell at the supermarkets. They cost about $1 and you only need a few and just keep them in your car.

When I go to the stores it seems like nearly 50% of people seem to use them. They're great though, the perfect solution 'cause they're so easy to carry and fit a lot of items in them too.

Right- I have two very similar to this one. They cost .99 each.

desertangel · #26 03-28-2008, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

Why don't they burn them (and all grabage)?

Despite the claim that a high tech garbage burner in Marion County Oregon has scrubbers that clean the air before it goes up the stack and into the atmosphere, there is concern over what the residue from burning plastic (dioxin) is doing to the surrounding environment.

http://www.alternativesmagazine.com/02/twist1.html

I love the story about the Sheriff's department sending confiscated illegal fireworks to the burner. When they blew up and damaged the burner the company wanted to sue the Sheriff's department.

I find that

When it comes to plastic, I feel the only answers are to recycle and/or make it biodegradeable in an eco-friendly way.

DavidMn · #27 03-28-2008, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desertangel

I love the story about the Sheriff's department sending confiscated illegal fireworks to the burner. When they blew up and damaged the burner the company wanted to sue the Sheriff's department.

I find that

Now if that isnt a story right out of Deliverance, I dont know what is!

desertangel · #28 03-28-2008, 02:11 PM

Oh gawd, David, there's a million of those stories...

Tonya Harding
The Rajneesh who poisoned the salad bar at Wendy's and other fun stuff
Gov. McCall's motto: Welcome to Oregon, but don't stay
Blowing up the beached whale with TNT
Portland Shanghai tunnels
Diane Downs
First state to decriminalize marijuana
Legalized assisted suicide
The New Carrissa beached barge that still sits in the sand
and now the pregnant man...

From what I learned about the type of people who settled Oregon, it's no wonder.

There are a few nice stories too; the bottle bill, the public beach clean up event and beaches that continue to be public land.

Lee · #29 03-28-2008, 02:43 PM

Our grocery store recycles them, so I usually take all my plastic bags there.

And sometimes I put garbage in them.

I also have some grocery bags (not plastic) that the store sells that you can use over & over. I had a coupon to get them free, so I use them every week. They aren't insulated yet the clerks always put the cold stuff in there for some reason & they really load them up.

Lee