banning plastic bags is great for the world, right

Do single-use plastic bans work? - BBC Future Advocates for plastic bag bans often neglect to ask what will replace plastic bags and what the environmental impact of that replacement will be. The measure now under consideration in Massachusetts, for example, would mandate that single-use paper bags contain at least 40 percent recycled fiber. Two weeks ago, the Massachusetts State Senate passed a measure that would ban plastic bags from being dispensed by many retail businesses and require a charge of 10 cents or more for a. Not So Fast. Wait, sorry, wrong kind of cracker. Then, that ethylene can be sent to a new plant where theyll add a catalyst which initiates a chemical reaction and forms our high-density polyethylene. I know it sounds silly, but it would make a difference. The big difference is that paper does biodegrade eventually. In all fairness, every material has a climate impact, and high-density polyethylene is not that bad if you stack its carbon footprint against other materials or even other plastics. And so this was an unintended consequence of the policy. Thats right, I said it. People look at [paper] and say its degradable, therefore its much better for the environment, but its not in terms of climate change impact, says David Tyler, a professor of chemistry at the University of Oregon who has examined the research on the environmental impact of bag use. TAYLOR: Yeah, I think one thing that stands out, when we think about plastic bags, and when we think about sort of packaging, in general, is that theres this perception that its free, that theres no price, and that you can you know, youre not paying for the plastic bags that you use, thats not actually true, you actually do pay for the plastic bags that you use at the supermarket. Now, a new law hopes to take things a step further by banning these: single-use plastic pre-checkout bags that are not recyclable and can contaminate compost facilities. So is there anything you would suggest to policymakers as they tried to address the issue? And the most common substitute, paper bags, may be just as bad or worse, depending on the environmental problem youre most concerned about. 12 Compelling Reasons For Banning Plastic Bags [2023 Update] - MindsetEco And beyond that, ethylene itself is a dangerous pollutant. Its taken long enough. Harmful to human health 6. Different studies say different things, but the point is clear: even though paper bags are much better for the environment in the disposal stage, the rest of the supply chain is riddled with problems. ETHAN: Plastic bag bans also can negatively affect businesses. Often they need to be reused at least 100, if not more times, to be more environmentally friendly than those thin plastic bags that were so familiar with. And so I think, and subsidies can be quite expensive for governments to run or source to run. Its like time outs. How do we do that? ETHAN: Specifically, well be talking about grocery bags. Fees have a smaller, but still significant, effect. One reason plastic bags should be banned is that they hurt the environment. I collected data from supermarkets, on the types of bags people were using at checkout, both before and after the policy went into effect. The big difference is that paper does biodegrade eventually. One option you may have come across depending on where you live is a plastic bag fee or paper bag fee or reusable bag credit. Scientists are working on that, and according to a 2021 thesis study from LUT University in Finland, if that process were powered by clean energy, plastic bags made from carbon dioxide could actually be carbon negative. Winters are becoming less and less predictable due to climate change, but you dont have to worry because the second you put on a long sleeve shirt and jeans, youll be hearing Mariah Carey blast on every radio in town. Eastern Hemlocks Are Declining. This episode of The Sweaty Penguin explores a wide range of issues including plastic bag manufacturing and looks at the shortcomings of some proposed solutions. With a referendum in November 2016, California became the first state to ban single-use plastic bags, according to the National Conference on State Legislatures, which keeps an active list of American laws. In fact, it may not even be the most effective option. Choking the oceans with Plastics. TAYLOR: When I put my economist hat, the sort of first tool that I really think that policymakers should consider is a small fee, or a tax on all the different types of carry out bags. That way youre reducing the amount of material thats going into the product, but you still want it to be something that youll actually find convenient and reuse with you. But that tiny switch makes it so people dont feel different or left out if they dont have a straw. AD READER: Is it 12:01am on November 1st? I personally dont care much what kind of bag my groceries are in, Id even take a Hello Kitty bag if it meant my eggs got home without breaking, but Im sure some people really love their plastic bags, and for those that do, this is certainly an intriguing possibility. I took a look at a 2017 Congressional Report which found the petrochemical industry was, at the time, pursuing 48 new plastics-related projects in the Houston area. Thats leading to a split in the anti-bag movement. When we got rid of the carry out bags, people had to start purchasing garbage bags. The instinct to favor reusable bags springs from an understandable urge to reduce our chronic overconsumption, but the bags we use are not the big problem. And all of these materials do better? (Cindy) Works Cited. Even then, the question remains as to whether single-use bags are necessarily always worse than reusable ones. ETHAN: Hopefully ethylene makes its What We Do In The Shadows debut in season five. Despite the good intentions of these new rules, plastic bag bans are problematic for a few reasons. Here's How. The Massachusetts proposal may not become law this year, but it's the latest sign that the plastic bag industry is losing this war. Banning Plastic Bags Is Great for the World, Right? Not So Fast - Pinterest Donate today to keep our climate news free. But not just anywhere. ITS PAPER. Because with any product, its important to think about all those three dimensions, can we as consumers reduce the amount that were using? [end filter] Never mind, that was underwhelming. But it turns out that charging people to use bags is not the same as paying them to bring reusable bags. Its like excuses for not doing your homework. Still, many environmentalists argue that plastic is worse than paper. Heres just one tiny example: Does the paper for paper bags come from a recycled paper mill on Staten Island or a virgin forest in northern Canada? And the question that I had was, how does banning this plastic carry out bag affect the use of other types of plastic bags, and in particular, garbage bags, because as a consumer myself, I knew that I reused many of my carry out grocery bags as garbage bags. Both authors of these essays specifically speak about how the use of plastic can be harmful for the mother-nature, and have introduced ways to compensate this loss. PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Like blueberries or trips to the bathroom, not all plastics are created equal, and single-use plastic bags are typically made from a material called high-density polyethylene. I hope at least one of those cracked you up. Not only are there these human health concerns, but crackers and other petrochemical facilities are not located very fairly. In addition to being my celebrity couple name with a girl named Polly, polyethylene is a string of carbon and hydrogen atoms. But University of Sydneys Dr. Rebecca Taylor says not so fast. Aw, dammit, I was so close! High costs for cleanup 8. But what if reusable bags arent good either? Thats the intended goal of the policy. Did you just finish trick or treating? Single-use plastics seem to be disappearing. Cities and states across the country are banning plastic bags, but those bans may be having unintended consequences. Cracker? Paper bags do have some pros over plastic theyre biodegradable, recyclable, compostable, reusable, all the fun -ables. Not So Fast Like cigarettes, plastic bags have recently gone from a tolerated nuisance to a widely despised and discouraged vice. ETHAN: Given all this nuance weve explored pertaining to carry out bags, grocery bags, is there any advice you have for individuals who want to do their part? Shortly after, the Massachusetts State Senate passed a measure that would ban plastic bags from being dispensed by many retail businesses and require a charge of 10 cents or more for a. In fact, we can take it a step further. Cracker? WIRED 181k followers More information Banning Plastic Bags Is Great for the World, Right? Follow us on A pound of cotton requires more than 5,000 gallons of water on average, a thirst far greater than that of any vegetable and even most meats. People look at [paper] and say its degradable, therefore its much better for the environment, but its not in terms of climate change impact, says David Tyler, a professor of chemistry at the University of Oregon who has examined the research on the environmental impact of bag use. What Comes Next for Venezuelas Oil Industry? [wind blowing, floors creaking, various night time sounds]. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy. Studies of bags environmental impacts over their life cycle have reached widely varying conclusions. Single-Use Plastics 101 - NRDC Electrify everything, California says including trucks and trains. Thats leading to a split in the anti-bag movement. Facebook, Follow us on But for UPROSE, that concern is outweighed by the negative impacts of plastic bags on disadvantaged communities. TAYLOR: Yes. Paper does have its own environmental consequences in terms of how much energy it takes to generate, acknowledges Emily Norton, director of the Massachusetts Sierra Club. I mean, look at all the kids roaming the streets looking for water after eating a single Saltine. The good and the bad of plastic bag bans: Research review Right now! How do we do that? Very broadly, carbon footprints are proportional to mass of an object, says Tyler. And then sometimes theres these added responses that are unintended. What do they think this is, a Ritz quick scheme? Others, like in New York City, treat all single-use bags equally. Plastic bags are not biodegradable and can do great harms to wildlife. Only 2.4 percent of the worlds cropland is planted with cotton, yet it accounts for 24 percent of the global market for insecticides and 11 percent for pesticides, the World Wildlife Fund reports. Even if bags arent the worst offender though, theyre a very hot topic and in my opinion, a really really interesting and misunderstood one, so Im very excited to talk about it today. ETHAN: Obviously, bags are the only policy option like we talked about theres fees theres more voluntary approaches You know, with straws, something that intrigued me was default choice modification. As great as it is to see policy efforts get going, we want to hold them accountable and make sure they actually make the biggest positive impact possible. The larger takeaway is that no bag is free of environmental impact, whether thats contributing to climate change, ocean pollution, water scarcity, or pesticide use. There are many factors to consider when looking at the environmental impact of plastic bags, and also paper bags may not be as environmentally friendly as people think. Banning Plastic Bags Is Great for the World, Right? Not So Fast This really needs to be top priority. And just a few weeks ago, California took it one step further, banning not just single-use plastic bags at checkout, but those smaller produce bags as well. Banning Plastic Bags Is Great for the World, Right? Not So Fast' by Ben Adler & 'Choking the oceans with plastic' by Charles J. Moore. And so in terms of ranking those, that would be my order, taxes, hybrid bands, and then least preferred standalone bands. Plastic is a toxin that stays in the environment, marine animals ingest it, and it enters their bodies and then ours.. Plastic bags not only destroy the physical infrastructure, she says, referring to the way they clog up storm drains and other systems, they contribute to emissions. And she points out that marine plastic pollution is a threat to low-income people who fish for their dinner: So many frontline communities depend on food coming from the ocean. Thats why her group supported New York Citys bag fee even though its more of a burden on lower-income citizens. Again, Im not referring to carbon emissions, Im talking nitrous oxide, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, smog, Sagittariuses, really bad stuff. Not So Fast" by Ben Adler focuses on the states attempting to end giving out plastic bags for free hoping to reduce plastic waste. But what if reusable bags arent good either? 'Banning plastic bags is great for the world, Right? Increasingly, environmentalists are pushing for laws that include fees for all single-use bags, and that require paper bags to be made with recycled content, which could lower their carbon footprint. I hope at least one of those cracked you up. These residents are trying to keep them out. And an estimated 10 million tons of plastic are discarded in the ocean yearly. Its vital reporting made entirely possible by loyal readers like you. ETHAN: Beyond climate though, crackers cause a lot of issues for surrounding communities. And to be fair, it is an issue. As longtime plastic bag adversary Ian Frazier recently reported in The New Yorker, In 2014, plastic grocery bags were the seventh most common item collected during the Ocean Conservancys International Coastal Cleanup, behind smaller debris such as cigarette butts, plastic straws, and bottle caps. The New York City Sanitation Department collects more than 1,700 tons of single-use carry-out bags every week, and has to spend $12.5 million a year to dispose of them. ETHAN: But first, its time for Plastic Bags 101. And in particular, stores start offering thicker plastic bags and sticker paper bags for free. I mean, I know it loves to hang at the cracker plants and all but wouldnt it have more fun hanging out with other creatures of the night? Rather than automatically using a bag, just ask the customer for. And do you think that it is more broadly true that cracking down on one specific plastic product can have rebound effects with other plastic products, or is this maybe a more isolated case that you found? To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. Natasha Mascarenhas. Spoiler alert: plastics parents got divorced at age eleven and it still isnt over it. A New Computer Proof Blows Up Centuries-Old Fluid Equations. A substantial shift to more durable bags would deliver environmental gains through reductions in greenhouse gases, energy and water use, resource depletion and litter, the study concluded. Amid fracking boom, Pennsylvania faces toxic wastewater reckoning. On one hand, we are reducing the amount of litter. So what was this paper about and what were your findings? And thats not purchasing garbage bags. TAYLOR: So an interesting thing with local policies, and theres a lot of debate about whether policies like these should be implemented at the state level or at the local level. If a plastic bag is reused in the home as the garbage bag in a bathroom waste bin, does that reduce its footprint by eliminating the need for another small plastic garbage bag? In Staten Island, perhaps? Ironic.plastic is still better than cloth, but it just has to be more than single-use. Those are the kinds of topics that I focus on in my research. The WIRED conversation illuminates how technology is changing every aspect of our livesfrom culture to business, science to design. Banning Plastic Bags Is Great for the World, Right? Phytoplankton: How Too Much of a Good Thing Causes Problems. A single mom, or someone working two jobs, is more likely to have to do her shopping in a rush on the way home from work than to go out specifically with a tote bag in hand. First, we transport our fossil fuels to a type of petrochemical plant called a cracker. Cracker? But studies conducted in Australia or Europe have limited applicability in the US, particularly when youre considering climate impact, because every country has a different energy mix. ETHAN: Its true. But in terms of plastic, you are correct. Donate today tohelp keep Grists site and newsletters free. There was a 72 percent drop in grocery bag litter in the state just one year after it was fully implemented. And I think part of what intrigues me is a sort of principle of like free market economics is that people are rational actors. NADJA: After much deliberation, Nandor and I have invited a new resident into the house. As longtime plastic bag adversary Ian Frazier recently reported in The New Yorker, In 2014, plastic grocery bags were the seventh most common item collected during the Ocean Conservancys International Coastal Cleanup, behind smaller debris such as cigarette butts, plastic straws, and bottle caps. The New York City Sanitation Department collects more than 1,700 tons of single-use carry-out bags every week, and has to spend $12.5 million a year to dispose of them. Theyre less than five millimeters across and they are everywhere, from the oceans to mountaintops to the Arctic to our food and blood. Solar and wind companies are coming to rural Texas. Banning Plastic Bags Is Great for the World, Right? Not So Fast And thats just not true. Banning Plastic Bags Is Great for the World, Right? Not So Fast Advocates for plastic bag bans often neglect to ask what will replace plastic bags and what the environmental impact of that replacement will be. The ideal city bag policy would probably involve charging for paper and plastic single-use bags, as New York City has decided to do, while giving out reusable recycled-plastic bags to those who need them, especially to low-income communities and seniors. Youre being ridiculous. ETHAN: After we drill and frack and insert other PG13 sounding term here, we have to actually turn our fossil fuels into polyethylene. [knock on door, door creaks open, then Laszlo starts coughing uncontrollably]. Three reasons why banning plastic bags is problematic - The Conversation And I think thats the topic I dont know enough about. These US states have banned plastic bags | World Economic Forum What I found was a net benefit, we were still reducing more plastic than this rebound effect. ETHAN: And that wraps up episode 106 of The Sweaty Penguin. Plastic bags could also be more sustainable from the production side. But that carbon footprint could also very easily be lower, which is why I bring it up. Every so often, our star fires off a plasma bomb in a random direction. Still, many environmentalists argue that plastic is worse than paper. Heres Dr. Taylor discussing some of her research on that front. Or is it a little too nuanced to make that type of assessment? Banning Plastic Bags Is Great For The World, Right Not So Fast ETHAN: Obviously, this is a ridiculously nuanced issue, and while it might not be the most pressing concern of our generation, its absolutely worth discussing, especially given how popular the topic has been. The Australian study concluded that the best option appears to be a reusable bag, but one made from recycled plastic. ETHAN: And youve written several papers on plastic bags, Ill start with your paper that won the Journal of Environmental Economics and Managements Best Paper Prize in 2020, which discussed some of the unintended consequences of plastic bag bans. Problematic degradation 4. Very broadly, carbon footprints are proportional to mass of an object, says Tyler. Salt Marshes Are Essential Climate Solutions. Some are funded by plastic industry groups, like the ironically named American Progressive Bag Alliance. ITS INSATIABLE! TAYLOR: Yes, how much people actually reuse the various types of reusable bags has a big impact on their environmental impact. ETHAN: I think this paper that you did goes to a larger conversation about plastic because we do often zero in on specific products, will complain about straws or about bags or about bottles. As part of our commitment to sustainability, in 2021 Grist moved its office headquarters to the Bullitt Center in Seattles vibrant Capitol Hill neighborhood. Then Christmas is for you. bags, or maybe even stop keeping bags at the register at all. If someone wants a straw, they can ask and get it, no questions asked. All three counties are majority minority, the first two are over a third low income, and according to data from Texas Rising, if you rank all 254 counties in Texas for the overall environmental and social burdens they face, these three counties come in at #3, #8, and #53. Plastic bags should be banned as it pollutes the water and land. Why Banning Plastic Grocery Bags Could Be A Bad Move : NPR The Permian Basin Hosts the Highest Emitting Oil and Gas Project in North America. A lot of the waste ends up in our communities, says Elizabeth Yeampierre, executive director of UPROSE, an environmental and social justice-oriented community organization in Brooklyn. LASZLO: What I want to know is why I wasnt consulted in inviting this creature into our home. Heres why thats a big deal. ETHAN: Now, it is worth noting that a single-use plastic grocery bag takes about 20 years to break down in the environment about as long as it takes the average to break down. the Massachusetts State Senate passed a measure that would ban plastic bags from being dispensed by many retail businesses and require a charge of 10 cents or more for a recycled paper or reusable bag. But are bans on plastic bags or reusable alternatives like tote or canvas bags viable solutions to the worlds plastic problem? Thats primarily because more energy is required to produce and transport paper bags. So I wont rehash it all today, but if you listen to our episodes on fracking or the Permian Basin or the Haynesville Shale, youll learn a little bit about the villain origin story of plastic bags, and some of the many issues to which they contribute.

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