Let’s ban single-use bags
A lot of my actions are not green and seem difficult to change. But one change I can make is simple and important; I can bring my own reusable bag when shopping.
The average plastic bag consumption per person in the United States is said to be at least 10 bags per week, so in excess of 500 bags per year. In Stamford, a city of 120,000 residents, this equates to 60 million single-use plastic bags. Currently most of these bags get recycled or end up in the trash. But many plastic bags get littered on our streets, our parks the Long Island Sound, and the storm water drainage system. Worse, these bags may get consumed by our wildlife and subsequently wind up in our food chain. Anyone that has recently joined a beach clean-up can attest to vast amounts of plastic bags found on our shores.
BYO Stamford advocates for a plastic bag ban to address these undeniable problems. We also advocate for shoppers to bring their own reusable bags and a charge on paper check out bags to incentivize reuse of bags.
Our website (www.byostamford.org) has a link to a survey which asks Stamford residents to voice their opinion on a plastic bag ban and a charge on paper bags. A good majority is in favor of a single-use plastic bag ban but some have voiced concerns. Let me try to address these concerns.
Recycling or reusing plastic bags once is already good. Given our weather patterns, varying diligence of how we treat our waste, and the amount of bags that need to be moved around, plastic bags will inevitably end up in our waters. Recycling is better
In the end, other than inconvenience and not liking to be told what to do (I understand both emotions well) there are really no rational arguments against a single-use plastic bag ban and a paper bag charge, given the very serious problem of plastic pollution at hand.
than trash collection but not better than reusing a bag multiple times. Recycling is costly and inconvenient (bags need to be sorted, washed, melted, turned into new plastic bags etc). It is simply not a smart alternative when compared to reusing your own bag.
Why a charge: The ultimate goal should be a switch to reusable bags, not paper bags. Without a charge many may simply switch to paper bags. Paper production consumes more water and, due to being heavier, has higher transportation cost, possibly resulting in higher costs for retailers. We support the charge because it works! Studies of recently enacted charges in the United States confirm adjustments in consumer behavior, effectively increasing the share of reusable bags and reducing the amount of litter and clean up costs. Some European countries have had charges since the 1990s and have had far lower per capita use of plastic bags than the United States. Note that studies do not show the same positive results when rewards are implemented.
Hardship for low-income communities. Compared with the average household’s grocery bill, a 5- cent charge per bag wouldn’t be significant. An ordinance could also exempt food stamp recipients from the charge. A successful switch to reusable bags could reduce the city’s cleanup, trash and recycling costs and free up money which could support lower-income communities.
Sanitary. Whilst not a concern for most (fresh produce bags would likely be exempt and most items are prepackaged), one could designate one particular bag for meat purchases and wash it, or use a bag with aluminum lining and wipe it off after use.
Carbon footprint. The ban’s purpose is to reduce plastic pollution, not improve your carbon footprint. Yes, paper bag’s carbon footprint exceed that of a plastic bag. But the carbon footprint of a reusable bag will be lower, if used frequently. The majority of your carbon footprint is usually determined by your choice of energy consumed, the amount of meat you eat, the size of your house, whether you leave your lights on at night, etc.
In the end, other than inconvenience and not liking to be told what to do (I understand both emotions well) there are really no rational arguments against a single-use plastic bag ban and a paper bag charge, given the very serious problem of plastic pollution at hand.