Plastic bags

[Deleted User]

Nick_C wrote: »

if someone thinks the reduction in sales of Single Use Carrier Bags is GREAT NEWS I have to disagree, and make no apology for doing so.

There is no doubt that the human race is doing untold environmental damage to the planet, however it is surely "great news" that any attempt to reduce this damage has been a success?

What would you suggest would be "great news" with regard overpopulation? That people were being compulsorily sterilised after parenting two children???

Lord_Baltimore

Pennywise wrote: »

Seeing as smaller/independent outlets are free to carry on giving out carriers, I can't see why there'd be any noticeable reduction in the countryside, oceans, etc. Most people who go shopping in Tesco will be taking their bags home and re-using or disposing properly. Whereas those frequenting off licences and fast food joints, i.e. the ones more likely to just chuck their carriers out of the car window or leave them under park benches, will happily continue to do so. I think they've targeted the wrong users!

Perhaps it's early days as far as England is concerned. The rest of the UK introduced the carrier bag charge years ago and all regions have seen considerable reduction in use. In Wales for example, a charge was introduced in 2011 and there is a visible difference in plastic bag littering. It just seems like a good thing to me.

I know over-population is a problem but I see no value in rubbishing a positive environmental issue to make a point about another. It is counter-productive, negative, pessimistic and frankly, tiresome. Bleating does not resolve anything; present solutions/suggestions and we can discuss them in tandem with the GOOD NEWS about the reduced use of plastic bags in the UK. It is so much better than a dismissive rant.

kwikbreaks

I've used the larger reusable bags for weekly shops for years as they stack better in the boot and you don't get shopping tipping out.

I miss the free disposable bags for small loads though as I used to use them for rubbish bags and now I have to buy those.

Lord_Baltimore

kwikbreaks wrote: »

I've used the larger reusable bags for weekly shops for years as they stack better in the boot and you don't get shopping tipping out.

When others make the adjustments you have made they will find it is of no real hardship.

kwikbreaks wrote: »

I miss the free disposable bags for small loads though as I used to use them for rubbish bags and now I have to buy those.

On the plus side you will no longer provide retailers with free mobile advertising and you will maximise the use of your own rubbish bags which won't end up blowing around our city centres and beaches.

Altarf

Lord_Baltimore wrote: »

Call me trivial but it still seems GREAT NEWS to me that there will be less plastic bags flying around the countryside, floating around our oceans and littering our urban environs. It will bring a small but noticeable improvement to our everyday lives.

Where I live it was rare to see a plastic bag littering the street (or in fact any sort of litter).

Presumably you live in an area where these plastic bags littered the environment. It must be depressing to live in such an awful place surrounded by such anti-social neighbours.

You have my sympathy.

Nick_C

Altarf wrote: »

Where I live it was rare to see a plastic bag littering the street (or in fact any sort of litter).

Presumably you live in an area where these plastic bags littered the environment. It must be depressing to live in such an awful place surrounded by such anti-social neighbours.

You have my sympathy.

Trouble is, in those areas people will still be paying for plastic bags or getting them free from the local shop when they get their six packs and fags.

Lord_Baltimore

Altarf wrote: »

Where I live it was rare to see a plastic bag littering the street (or in fact any sort of litter).

Presumably you live in an area where these plastic bags littered the environment. It must be depressing to live in such an awful place surrounded by such anti-social neighbours.

You have my sympathy.

Why not just be honest and admit it's the 5p charge that's bothers you because you're a tightwad

Nick_C wrote: »

Trouble is, in those areas people will still be paying for plastic bags or getting them free from the local shop when they get their six packs and fags.

I suspect that where you live tin foil hats are more of a litter problem. Still waiting for your global over-population solutions. Yawn .

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

What about coffee cups!

Norman_Castle

Perhaps we could reduce overpopulation and plastic bag litter by reusing bags as condoms.

kwikbreaks

Then the street would be full of sticky plastic bags...

Or not - apparently depending where you live.