Italy Bans Plastic Bags

[Guest fountainhall]

Italy has become the first country in the EU to ban shops from using plastic bags from tomorrow. Some countries already make customers pay extra if they do not bring their own shopping bags (here in Asia Hong Kong is one), but Italy is the first to introduce a complete ban. Italians are estimated to use one fifth of all plastic bags handed out in the 27 EU countries

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/30/italian-shops-bin-plastic-bags

 

What chance of this ban coming to Thailand?

[Guest fountainhall]

The management of my apartment block in Bangkok give all the tenants a small gift at New Year. Usually it is a calendar, a diary, a notepad or something similar. This year we all received two large cotton shopping bags. An excellent idea that I wish more management companies would adopt.

[Guest]

Don't take this as personal, but you just picked one of my soapbox subjects...... My facts are right though.

 

The checkout girl at my local supermarket seemed quote keen on discouraging the use of plastic bags. I suggested it might be more beneficial to ban SUVs from their car park, or make them park at the far end. I did not get an intelligent response.

 

People like to pretend they are doing the right thing by making small sacrifices on insignificant things like plastic bags. What does it matter if the car that got them there does 20 mpg, when they could get there in comfort in a 60 mpg car? Never mind, the conscience of the ignorant is satisfied by re-using a plastic bag, even if their car wastes hundreds of bags worth of fuel. Count the number of plastic bag (equivalents) burnt by the car on the way to the store.

 

Even worse, they might have an unsustainable family size of 3 or more. Never mind, all is redeemed by re-using a plastic bag (not!).

 

I'd expect a corrupt half baked country like Italy to be leading the way on crap legislation like this. After all who will challenge it when the guy who runs the country controls the media?

[Rogie]

This year we all received two large cotton shopping bags. An excellent idea that I wish more management companies would adopt.

 

You may well already have a reusable bag or two fountainhall, but yes, shows they are a few steps ahead of the rest.

 

I have one made from jute fibre and its brilliant - especially useful for bottles of beer, wine and other 'fragile' items best not left to the tender mercies of a horrible plastic bag!

 

Even worse, they might have an unsustainable family size of 3 or more. Never mind, all is redeemed by re-using a plastic bag (not!).

 

You're showing true lateral thinking there z to link in family size to plastic bag usage. One ought to be expanding (think: a shrinking of those of working age versus a frightening increase in the ageing population) whilst it's the other one that's unsustainable.

[Guest fountainhall]

People like to pretend they are doing the right thing by making small sacrifices on insignificant things like plastic bags. What does it matter if the car that got them there does 20 mpg, when they could get there in comfort in a 60 mpg car?

I agree with your basic principle. But everyone has to start somewhere. Plastic bags are a known environmental pollutant and it's not just a question of saving CO2 emissions. Its the blocking of drains, fouling beaches and rivers - and a great deal more. Plastic bags take about 200 years to break down. Italians use on average of more than 300 plastic bags per person per year! I do think more people are aware they are bad for the environment than will admit.

 

You may well already have a reusable bag or two fountainhall

I did indeed purchase one at Central Chidlom more than a year ago. I entirely agree it is great for heavier items. The bag saves at least 2 plastic bags every time I use it. Now I can get all my shopping, bottles and all, into my cotton bags

[KhorTose]

Seattle, where Greenpeace got its start, has full mandatory recycling. However, too many people--including me--agree with z909 assessment of the pain in the butt that law would be. Not only did they try to ban plastic bags, but containers for meat, etc. It was passed by the city council. Thena petition was drawn up to revoke the law. It received all of the necessary signatures almost immediately and the appeal was a landslide win at election time. In this day of SUV and gas burning cars, this is a burden on the average person that does little in comparison. Ban the cars, make a heck of a lot more sense and platic bags can be put into normal recycle. By the way meat in a paper tray has a much shorter shelf life and I do not wish to shop daily.