The world may be passing us by while we dither

Plastic is a wonderful invention. But plastic bags are a menace. It is the most idiotic way to use a material that has a life of 3000 years. Use it for stuff where its long life is an advantage, such as making boats that last longer, houses and roofs for the poor that don't decompose every time it rains, roads that last longer, not for making bags that will be used once and thrown away. The world has caught on and is taking action, but in India, even though we have a law banning throw-away plastic bags, you see them all over the place. Shops abandon plastic bags Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia - Oct 10, 2004 The State Government, City of Port Phillip and South Melbourne Market contributed $12,000 to help Elwood retailers bin plastic bags in favour of reusable paper ... Project aims to bin plastic bags Belfast Telegraph (subscription), United Kingdom - Oct 16, 2004 ... Plastic bags will still be available but anyone who uses them will be expected to make a small donation to charity when paying for their goods at the counter. ... Liberals would ban free plastic bags Ninemsn, Australia - Oct 13, 2004 ACT opposition environment spokeswoman Vicki Dunne said a Liberal government would ban single-use non-biodegradable plastic bags by 2006. ... Rwanda shuts businesses after banning plastic bags Reuters AlertNet, UK - Oct 4, 2004 KIGALI, Oct 4 (Reuters) - Rwandan authorities are shutting down shops and police are stopping people on the street for using plastic bags, which were recently ... Rwanda's war on plastic bags BBC News, UK - Oct 4, 2004 Thousands of Rwandans have taken the day off work to pick up plastic bags as part of a government attempt to clean up the environment. ... Rwanda clamps down on plastic bags Independent Online, South Africa - Oct 5, 2004 Kigali - Rwandan authorities are shutting down supermarkets and police are accosting people for using plastic bags, which were banned in August. ... Environment Society to launch campaigns Times of Oman, Oman - 10 hours ago ... A campaign, which aims at educating the public about the harms of plastic bags and how one can help save his/her surroundings by simply reusing the plastic bags ... Stores to be fined if offering free plastic bags 東森新聞報, Taiwan - Sep 27, 2004 ... Protection Administration launched another random check on stores to make sure that owners kept to the regulation of using only plastic bags thicker than 0.06 ... Meanwhile, in India, superpower, world’s largest democracy, a country that takes on the biggies where nuclear power and satellite technology is concerned; a country that has the best and brightest minds in the world, a ban on plastic bags exists but only on paper. Successive governments continue to make laws they can’t enforce. These are the truths of our great and confusing nation. Really sad. At www.badlani.com/bags/ we continue to sell cloth bags to people all over the world. Sadly we don't have any customers in India.