Plastic bags: Yes or no?

Yes on Plastic Bags Plastic bags have been around since the early 1950’s allowing the transportation of groceries and other goods much easier. The introduction of the bag we know quickly replaced the paper bag because of its lightweight and durability for carrying high loads. Its thickness is less than that of a human hair, or even a human eye cornea, yet it has the ability to carry much more weight than one would have imagined. (Mangu-Ward, K.) As Caroline Williams would put it in her essay, the plastic bag became "a hygienic, odourless, waterproof, robust and convenient way of carrying goods". (Williams, C. 2004.) This allowed for people to have the opportunity to have a “free” tote because stores could afford these bags to provide to their customers. Yet, environmentalists quickly went to bash on their production and the effect it could have on the health of the ecosystem as a whole.

Through much debate, research has proved that although plastic bags aren’t entirely eco-friendly, they aren’t as impactful to the environment as some believe they are. Plastic bags are only a very small number of the overall litter that is disposed of by humans.

Katherine Mangu-ward in her essay mentions that through a study done back in 2009, only 1 percent of the total litter in drains was from plastic bags. Since only a minimal percentage of litter is from plastic bags, the problem of plastics isn’t as large as it has been made to look.

Marc Gunther in his article explains that banning plastic bags will not resolve the overall problem of the totality of plastic waste; he brings up the point that we should be recycling plastics more and disposing of them properly. The correct disposals and uses that take place with plastics will diminish the amount of waste in our drains and therefore would not be as big of a problem as we have made it to be.

On banthebag.com, some points were made to make a very appealing argument. It is mentioned that taxing a bag will not reduce landfill waste, much less the banning of bags will cause for customers to resort to thicker, less degradable bags such as those made from paper and cotton. (banthebag.com)