One Word: Plastics (The Graduate)

[kejedo]

https://www.forbes.com/sites/trevornace/2019/04/23/new-york-officially-bans-plastic-bags/#55ab17e45b77

        Now several months into the ban on plastic shopping bags, I thought I'd offer a few observations:

I, for one, never used plastic-store-bags only once. I always recycled them in several ways including trash disposal, packing up off-season clothes, covering shoes in a suitcase, or puppy pickup. NOw, in most NY stores and shops, one can pay 5 cents per paper bag at the register. These new paper bags are much more flimsy than previous paper. We can also buy sturdier bags at checkout average $2.00 or so per bag.  I have many fabric type bags and try to keep some in my car, but don't always remember to bring them inside.

        I've noticed, if we don't buy bags at check-out, the front end person will NOT help pack your groceries. I've seen those 5 cent paper bags rip as soon as the first item is inserted. In the past, I also reused those paper grocery bags for trash disposal. Many of us remember using them as book covers, but they became less durable over time.The new paper bags seem to have less than one use.   So what is the New Yorker expected to do for trash bags, packing bags, or doggie bags? Why, we have to buy- Wait for it- plastic trash bags and doggy doo plastic bags. 

         I saw a show the other night where people in Lebanon crochet pieces of used plastic bags into very decorative accessories that seem to be popular and to sell for a considerable amount of LBPs. Wonder what those artisans will do if the bag ban hits them. 

                                                                                                                   Y (never bought a nickel bag)S

Edited November 6, 2019 by kejedo

[Lee49]

Well, here in Tennessee I recycle all plastic bags, cans, plastic containers, cardboard,  paper, glass (both brown & clear) this makes for my regular garbage to only be about one small bag a week! I do have to drive to the local recycling ( dump ) but I don't pay for trash pick up, instead I use the money saved to go play golf! 😉

[ChrisC]

We have our groceries delivered every 2 weeks and now Sainsbury’s no longer offer to have it in carrier bags for a small charge. Fair enough. But they also no longer sell reusable bags-for-life for delivery, so when this pile of carrier bags finally wears out I’m not sure what I will buy.

(Our son has to sort it for us and send it up on the stairlift. Maybe laundry baskets would be easier anyway.)

 

Do carrier bags have a half-life, or do they wear out in some other way? If you write a (recyclable) paper on this and add my name to it what will my Erdős number be?