Environmental issues, this as what the govt is trying to decide for us at the moment, what does overseas govt think on the plastic bag issue? March 20, 2008
PLASTIC bags should be banned across Australia, rather than introducing a levy, Australian Greens senator Kerry Nettle says.
A leaked report for the Federal Government shows more than four billion plastic bags were used in 2007, up from 3.3 billion the previous year.
Environmentalists say the report highlights the need for a 25 cent levy on the bags to reduce the number being produced.
Senator Nettle says a levy would not go far enough to phase out the environmentally-damaging bags.
"I think you need to look at a range of options but I think the ban is probably the best way to go," sahe said.
"We've seen it work in particular towns and cities in Australia and around the world.
"It works really effectively there and I think the government should take heed from that and see if it can be implemented across the board."
But Greens Leader Bob Brown said a levy would be the best way to start cutting back plastic bag usage.
Senator Brown will introduce a new bill to parliament today to push for a 25 cent levy on plastic bags.
"It is time for action on this - it's way past time," Senator Brown said.
He said the Greens had been campaigning on the issue for five years.
"The Howard Government sat on its hands on this issue - it blocked it - it's time for Labor to take some action on it."
Democrats Leader Lyn Allison said Australians could afford to pay a little extra for the plastic bags.
"At the end of the day, 25 cents is not a huge amount on top of your bill," she said.
"I know for some people it would matter but for those people these (cloth bags) are the bags for them."
People needed to remember how plastic bags were made, Senator Allison said.
"We need to get used to the idea that oil makes plastic bags and, sometime soon, oil is going to be in far less supply than it currently is."
Nationals senator Barnaby Joyce said the Government must ensure big grocery companies did not benefit economically from the levy.
"If what you're going to do is just allow the supermarkets to make more money out of the shopper I don't think that's a good idea," he said.
Family First senator Steve Fielding told reporters he would not push for a levy on plastic bags.
"But I think the plastic bag issue is something that needs to be looked at to find out how Australia should deal with the issue."
I hate plastic bags. I have been using cloth ones since last May. Some of the stores in my area give you a $.05 credit for every bag of your own that you use. More have brought out their own bags for sale, usually $.99. No levies around here but some of the cities on the coasts(NYC & San Francisco) have or are going to have bans on them. They always are ahead of the rest of the country.
The reasons that I don't like them are: oil useage & people just throw them away & they are an environment/landfill mess. Plus wildlife have been known to eat them or get caught in them.
I had been shopping at Aldi's for years so it was just a matter of getting used to remembering to bring my bags to the regular grocery stores.
Gloria
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We all need to help save our planet before it's too late
I forgot to add that I have been seeing ads on TV for Earth Hour. I am about 1 hour from Chicago, which is one of the US cities taking a big part in it. We get Chicago TV programming.
I have also gotten e-mails from Earth Hour,too.
Gloria
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We all need to help save our planet before it's too late
I hate plastic bags, too. I use paper or cloth whenever possible, and most times refuse a bag at all if only buying several things. I haven't heard anything that the government is doing to discourage use of plastic bags. Most of the movement is from businesses. I have heard quite a bit about plastic bottles (especially for water). I try to avoid buying things in plastic bottles as well. When I take drinks with me, I always use a re-usable bottle.
I have refused bags,too, if I only have one or two items. In San Francisco it is the government passing the plastic bag ban. I have been hearing a lot more about using your own re-usable bottles for water(& saving the plastic-a lot of people DON'T recycle them). I do use my own.
I have gotten 2 or 3 e-mails from Earth Hour since I signed up. We get Chicago TV(1hour from Chicago) & since Chicago is one of the four main US cities for Earth Hour, they have done commercials for it. One showed the Blue Man Group flipping a switch & Chicago lights going off. Chicago is really into "greening up" their city so they are really into Earth Hour & giving it a lot of advertising. I will watch the news on Sat. nite & see what coverage is given.
Gloria
__________________
We all need to help save our planet before it's too late
I signed up for Earth Hour and received a confirmation e-mail and then haven't received anything else. I wonder if it was routed to my spam file? I will have to check and see.
I wish there was a ban on plastic sandwich/storage bags. I used to buy them and wash & reuse them. I got so frustrated with DH, though, because he would never bring them back home and throw them away every day. Now, I use reusable containers for all of his packed lunches. He has had to switch to a larger lunchbox, but at least he's not throwing away so much plastic.
Check on the e-mails because I have had 2 or 3 & one the other day saying 1 week til Earth Hour(was Fri. or Sat.).
Any plastic you can save is great & one less thing in the landfills. I am going to start to take a mesh bag for loose fruits & veggies. They can be washed out.
Changing the subject, if you need any sewing patterns, JoAnn has Simplicity ones Thurs-Sat. for $.99 limit of 10. I get their flyers in the mail.
Gloria
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We all need to help save our planet before it's too late
Gloria, thanks for the info on the Simplicity patterns. I do want to get a few. I have to go to that area of town tomorrow so I will definitely stop there.
Wal-Mart had a sales flyer in our newspaper today and had an "Earth Day" section. It looks like they are starting to carry quite a few environmentally-friendly products. One that caught my eye is Coca-Cola Drink to Wear T-Shirts. Each t-shirt is made from 52% cotton, 48% recycled plastic bottles - 4 bottles in every shirt! You can get them at Walmart.com with free shipping from Site to Store. (You pick them up at your local Wal-Mart). They will be available at select stores April 14.
The ad says that if every Wal-Mart customer bought one t-shirt, it would keep 21,000 TONS of plastic waste out of landfills!
Extra bags are great I make them myself also, I cut up old jeans legs and panel/checker them together and they are nice and strong.
I always have them in my car, cause you just never know and I have a small/med sized one I roll up and put arubber band around and keep in my handbag so that I have a bag for the small stuff you seem to accumulate here and there while out.
