Some critical thinking about plastic bags.
There is a vocal group that is "anti plastic bags", and virtue signals by NOT using plastic bags and wants the rest of us to know about it.
So, what is the problem with plastic bags? I surmise that there are actually 2 problems 'in play' here:
1) Plastic bags are part of a general "plastic problem" because they aren't "biodegradable". It's not clear why something that isn't "biodegradable" is a problem -- after all, cement isn't biodegradable, and most earth materials AREN"T, in fact, "biodegradable" --- but we'll leave it for now that the problem with plastic is that it's not biodegradable.
2) Plastic bag are sometimes not disposed of properly by people who litter, and the bags end up in places where litter isn't regularly cleaned up, e.g. "Sea Plastic".
Question: how does a few people not using plastic bags affect either of these problems?
1) Since plastics use is huge and our standard of living depends on it, how does a few people not using skimpy plastic bags in any measurable way reduce the consumption of plastic? Answer: it doesn't. Would "banning" plastic bags reduce the consumption of plastic in ANY significant way. Answer: no, it wouldn't.
2) Regarding Litter, does a few fastidious people not using plastic bags have any impact on Litter and Sea Plastic? Absolutely not -- people who virtue project over plastic bags don't Litter in the first place.
So "not using plastic bags" has
no effect on either of the problems associated with plastic, why do they do it?
I pose
that question to the Forum.
.