Community | April 23, 2009 | 38 comments

Save The Plastic Bag

source: http://savetheplasticbag.com/

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ras_menelik
EXPOSING THE ANTI-PLASTIC BAG
MISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN
An editorial in the London Times states:

"Many of those who have demonized plastic bags have enlisted scientific study to their cause. By exaggerating a grain of truth into a larger falsehood, they spread misinformation and abuse the trust of their unwitting audiences."

* As a result of misinformation, many people believe that plastic bags kill large numbers of sea mammals and seabirds. NOT TRUE. The London Times has exposed this as a myth based on a typographical error! The report on which the myth is based mentioned discarded nets, not plastic bags. (Click here.)

* As a result of misinformation, many people believe that plastic bags are made of oil. NOT TRUE. They are made of ethane which is a waste product from domestically produced natural gas. If the ethane is not used to make plastic bags, it will have to be burned off. (Click here.)

* As a result of misinformation, many people believe that plastic bags are not recyclable. NOT TRUE. Special plastic bag recycling bins have been installed in large supermarkets and retail stores throughout California since 2007. Virtually all of the plastic bags deposited in those bins are actually recycled. (Click here.)

* As a result of misinformation, many people believe that plastic bags "clog up" landfills. NOT TRUE. According to the California Integrated Waste Management Board, plastic bags (including retail bags) use up only 0.4% of landfill space. (Click here.)

* As a result of misinformation, many people believe that it is a disadvantage that plastic bags do not decompose in landfills. NOT TRUE. Decomposing paper in landfills produces methane which is a greenhouse gas with 23 times the heat trapping power of CO2. (Click here.)

* As a result of misinformation, many people believe that paper bags are better for the environment than plastic bags. NOT TRUE. Paper bags result in 3.3 times more greenhouse gases than plastic bags and require much more fuel to transport. (Click here.)
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38 comments // Save The Plastic Bag

  • Avolyn
  • derk
    • 0
      derk  
    • Image

    • You have got to be kidding ... you can't really believe this corporate propaganda, can you?

      1. Almost 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worlwide each year.

      2. Once they break down they contaminate the water supply.

      3. The ones that are don't go to toxic landfills are used as ocean-fill.

      4. Where nearly 200 different species of sea life including whales, dolphins, seals and turtles die when ingesting them.

      5. It cost $4000 to recycle 1 ton of bags that are then sold on the commodities marked for $32.

      So think what you want just please don't try to defend the "plastic" bag. Time is too valuable ...

    • 3 years ago
  • kreddig
    • 0
      kreddig  

    • I have known about these plastic bag myths for a while, yet using a reusable bag should be an no brainer. In the long run, your $50 spent on threaded bags will pay off. However, it is hard to see this fact when people don't directly see how they actually pay for paper or plastic at the counter. The island of trash in the Pacific Ocean should also make you think twice.

    • 3 years ago
  • Highr0ller
  • Highr0ller
    • 0
      Highr0ller [removed]  
    • Image

    • Ban plastic bags in all shops....paper or fabric reusable bags only.
      ---------------------------------------------
      Here are some of the harmful effects of plastic bags:

      Plastic bags litter the landscape. Once they are used, most plastic bags go into landfill, or rubbish tips. Each year more and more plastic bags are ending up littering the environment. Once they become litter, plastic bags find their way into our waterways, parks, beaches, and streets. And, if they are burned, they infuse the air with toxic fumes.

      Plastic bags kill animals. About 100,000 animals such as dolphins, turtles whales, penguins are killed every year due to plastic bags. Many animals ingest plastic bags, mistaking them for food, and therefore die. And worse, the ingested plastic bag remains intact even after the death and decomposition of the animal. Thus, it lies around in the landscape where another victim may ingest it.

      Plastic bags are non-biodegradable. And one of the worst environmental effects of plastic bags is that they are non-biodegradable. The decomposition of plastic bags takes about 1000 years.

      Petroleum is required to produce plastic bags. As it is, petroleum products are diminishing and getting more expensive by the day, since we have been using this non-renewable resource increasingly. Petroleum is vital for our modern way of life. It is necessary for our energy requirements – for our factories, transport, heating, lighting, and so on. Without viable alternative sources of energy yet on the horizon, if the supply of petroleum were to be turned off, it would lead to practically the whole world grinding to a halt. Surely, this precious resource should not be wasted on producing plastic bags, should it?

      So, What Can be Done about the Use of Plastic Bags?

      Single-use plastic bags have become such a ubiquitous way of life that it seems as if we simply cannot do without them. However, if we have the will, we can start reducing their use in small ways.
      A tote bag can make a good substitute for holding the shopping. You can keep the bag with the cahier, and then put your purchases into it instead of th

    • 3 years ago
  • budmayne
    • 0
      budmayne  

    • NO MORE PLASTIC BAGS!
      We should just make grocery stores make you come up with something to pack your own groceries. Maybe then people would start to buy less shit...

    • 3 years ago
  • brittsebastian
  • sgwhites
    • 0
      sgwhites  

    • Interesting that they try to frame this as a debate with only two choices--paper or plastic. Perhaps hoping that people won't think about reusable cloth bags?

    • 3 years ago
  • anglcazn
    • 0
      anglcazn  

    • Let's pick these statements apart.

      "*As a result of misinformation, many people believe that plastic bags kill large numbers of sea mammals and seabirds. NOT TRUE. The London Times has exposed this as a myth based on a typographical error! The report on which the myth is based mentioned discarded nets, not plastic bags. (Click here.)"
      This statement is not true because it has been documented that is DOES kill large numbers of sea animals. One of the main diet of turtles are jelly fishes. It has been reported that turtles mistaken a plastic bag to be a jelly fish and will try to consume it. As of now, there is a giant floating island that is completely made out of plastic bags, bottles, etc.
      http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/10/19/SS6JS8RH0.DTL&hw=pacific+patch&sn=001&sc=1000

      Also, if they're a danger to children. I think they're a danger to wildlife.

      "* As a result of misinformation, many people believe that plastic bags are made of oil. NOT TRUE. They are made of ethane which is a waste product from domestically produced natural gas. If the ethane is not used to make plastic bags, it will have to be burned off. (Click here.)"
      I have never heard of this one before. Posting a link that describes what are plastic bags made out of.
      http://pubs.acs.org/cen/whatstuff/stuff/8238plasticbags.html

      "* As a result of misinformation, many people believe that plastic bags are not recyclable. NOT TRUE. Special plastic bag recycling bins have been installed in large supermarkets and retail stores throughout California since 2007. Virtually all of the plastic bags deposited in those bins are actually recycled. (Click here.)"
      I don't think I've EVER heard anybody say it's not recyclable. Plastic bags cannot easily decompose in the landfills, but it's a well known fact that it's recyclable. I have not seen, heard, or read anybody advocating that plastic bags are not recyclable. They usually advocate that plastic bags are harmful to the environment.

      "* As a result of misinformation, many people believe that plastic bags "clog up" landfills. NOT TRUE. According to the California Integrated Waste Management Board, plastic bags (including retail bags) use up only 0.4% of landfill space. (Click here.)"
      Read the first "misinformation" statement. There is a GIANT FLOATING ISLAND OF PLASTIC.

      "* As a result of misinformation, many people believe that it is a disadvantage that plastic bags do not decompose in landfills. NOT TRUE. Decomposing paper in landfills produces methane which is a greenhouse gas with 23 times the heat trapping power of CO2. (Click here.)"
      Plastic bags do decompose but not at a very fast rate. Plastic bags take between 20 - 1000 years to decompose. That's way to long for it to decompose. Before it decomposes, it may have caused harm to the environment already. Luckily, there is a kid in Canada that has discovered a type of bacteria that can eat plastic.

      "* As a result of misinformation, many people believe that paper bags are better for the environment than plastic bags. NOT TRUE. Paper bags result in 3.3 times more greenhouse gases than plastic bags and require much more fuel to transport. (Click here.)"
      I agree somewhat with this statement. I'm not for paper or plastic. I'm for reusable bags. The idea that you substitute one object for another and continue with the destructive behaviors. Reusable bags are the best solution.

    • 3 years ago
  • keviar
  • davzap
    • 0
      davzap  

    • This article is bullsh**. I have seen photos of sea turtles with trailing plastic bags. Paper decomposition in a landfill is what is supposed to happen. This was written by Karl Rove.

    • 3 years ago
  • nursediesel
  • larock
  • kaps145
    • 0
      kaps145  

    • This reminds me of something I was thinking about the other day. What about polypropylene (PP or plastic #5) bags? They are reusable/recyclable but still technically a plastic bag... I bought some of these rather than canvas because of the price.

    • 3 years ago
  • Elevator
    • 0
      Elevator  
    • Image

    • This about sums up the loonacy. Wanna stop global warming? Boycott the ariline industry. Changing light bulbs and not using platics are like drops in the ocean. Besides many "green" things take more energy to produce.

    • 3 years ago
  • ras_menelik
  • neonbunny
  • Elligirl
    • 0
      Elligirl  

    • What a load of crap. Sure, the supermarkets ask for your bags back, but there is no facility in place to actually use the plastic. It goes back into the landfill. This is just spin.

      The site is written by a lawyer who was approached to fight plastic bag bans.

    • 3 years ago
  • brittsebastian
    • 0
      brittsebastian  
    • Elligirl:

      "How to Recycle Plastic Grocery Bags
      By eHow Home & Garden Editor
      Rate: (107 Ratings)
      Plastic grocery bags Type 2 (high-density polyethylene film - HDPE) and Type 4 (low density or linear-low density polyethylene film - LDPE/LLDPE) can be recycled at your local supermarket and other locations. Once the bags are recycled, they are made into lumber, trashcan liners or plastic bags."

      I can't say I'm an expert, but the information out there certainly leads me to believe they can be recycled rather easily at any general recycling plant.

      The problem lies in persuading people to place them in a recycling receptacle as opposed to simply throwing them away.

      Personally I believe that people will never stop using disposable items. The key is creating more household products that are rapid-rate biodegradable and making recycling receptacles as readily available as trash-cans.

      Convenience is king when it comes to people doing anything, and those who are not already environmentally conscious would choose the recycling bin over the trash-can for their water bottle if they are side by side.

    • 3 years ago
  • rhbakhit
  • Ayahuasca2012
    • 0
      Ayahuasca2012  

    • There is no purpose for plastic bags... why should we as a society use something once just to throw it away when there are perfectly acceptable multi-use bags out there? It makes absolutely no sense... and do you realize how little plastic bags actually get recycled? Most people won't be bothered to recycle and that's not even taking into account the cost involved in recycling. All in all just use a hemp or canvas reusable bag and stop adding to the throw away society mentality...

    • 3 years ago
  • SHAWN_RITTIMAN
  • krush_productions
  • scabbio
    • 0
      scabbio  

    • they still litter the landscape, they get caught up in tree branches, they get stuck in drains, they don't do well as garbage bags... THEY SUCK.

    • 3 years ago
  • stopnoise
    • 0
      stopnoise  
    • scabbio:

      Yes, they also get caught up underneath of vehicles exhaust pipes and polluting the streets airspace. So we do not need only to save them but in addition to be careful not to release; (litter); them out in the environment. Thanks for speaking out folks!

    • 3 years ago
  • leahl
    • 0
      leahl  

    • I have a hard time getting behind a piece like this when it is being pushed by plastic bag manufacturers. It's not about the details about how many mammals die, or about the percentage of land fills: it's about raising consciousness and awareness to a way of being that is a throw away culture.

    • 3 years ago
  • stopnoise
    • 0
      stopnoise  
    • leahl:

      Got the word out of my head. Thanks Leah! This post it is very irresponsible and does not reflect the reality of facts. Oh! Those PR companies. Be aware of information manipulation folks!

    • 3 years ago
  • leahl
    • 0
      leahl  
    • leahl:

      My point was that the point made in this post is arbitrary. The main message is bag the bags: all bags. It's about stepping away from the idea that we have disposable resources. It took a large scale macro effort: and made it into a quagmire of micro details that don't add up.

      The stats presented are fascinating: but doesn't change that we have a huge problem on our hands re: garbage and pollution.

    • 3 years ago
  • Herbal_Minded
  • MiguelSanchez
  • estee_arie
  • uroborus8
  • carmalite
  • SHAWN_RITTIMAN
  • estee_arie
  • cyman01
  • pjacobs51
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