Can we do without plastic bags?

The New Straits Times in Malaysia opened a debate on the issue. Some interesting comments came up: “We can’t completely do without them. Only a really naive person would think so. It would be great if we could reduce 80 to 90 per cent of irresponsible usage”. — is the sensible suggestion from reader Gurmit Singh. He’s bang on. Ireland put a tax on them and usage dropped 90% in one year. “THERE’S no way we can live without plastic bags today” says Cindy Chin, “why” she asks “would I swap for something else, especially when plastic bags are given free everywhere?” That’s the problem. They’re perceived to be free. They’re not, of course. The retailer buys the bag at a low price, but the real cost is what happens after the bag is used and thrown away. Since we use one or two plastic bags at a time, we can’t see the staggering numbers that are thrown away and are becoming a blight on our world. They don’t biodegrade for hundreds of years so they pile up and pile up and choke either pant life or animal life. Thousands and thousands of innocent creatures are dying painful, premature deaths every day. But like most people, Cindy doesn’t see the consequences and she thinks they’re free. Reusable bags are the only answer. Even when they are made from water resistant plastic coated polyester. Because the number of times they are reused makes them far more environment friendly than the use-once-and-throw-away variety. At http://www.badlani.com/bags we offer a vast range of bags made from cotton, jute, polyester, and polypropylene. Reuse is what we say. Expecting people to perceive the whole problem and switch voluntarily appears to be naïve. A tax, like Ireland imposed, is the sensible answer.