The USS Quad Damage

This isn’t new. I think this has been ALP policy since 2004.

Besides, it may not end up being a blanket ban on plastic bags, but perhaps a levy on each bag handed to consumers.

If you had to “buy” a plastic bag, surely this would make you more likely to re-use it rather than knowing you got it for free. Or at least it should make you remember to take your “green” bags back to the supermarket when you go.

Personally, I think anything to reduce the billions of plastic bags we use every year is a good thing.

From what I’ve read, I believe it’s only going to apply to supermarkets, which would probably be where at least 75% of the ‘standard’ plastic bags we use come from.

IMO, anything to reduce the billions of plastic bags we use every year is a good thing.

Michael: Are you saying they aren’t going far enough in banning plastic bags? Seeing their completely shit internet policy makes me wonder how reasonable their other policies are, even though they sound OK at the surface.

While the retailers are generally trying to be good about plastic bags, a government push will give those retailers who really try and do the right thing a leg up, either by providing financial disincentives to comptetitors who don’t really care, or incentives to the ones which do.

Personally I think Peter Garrett is just trying to score points for passing feel good legislation which ignores or perhaps sees reality through rose tinted glasses and ignores the end cost to the wider community. Much like Malcom Turnbull’s ban in incandecent light bulbs.

More pessimistically I think it’s another sign that environmentalism is moving away from facts and logic to becoming a faith based system of beliefs.

The problem with politics is that, at the federal level, and to some extent the state level, it appears to be driven by morality than by practicality. It’s like PETA, who, on the one hand, do great things like ensure animals are treated well during life and killed humanely, even when they’re going to be eaten, coupled with a borderline psychotic push telling people to become vegan and not do things like drink milk.

The problem is that the good (the desire to reduce the number of plastic bags, or other things which cause long term problems with animals and rubbish) comes with the bad (no realistic plan on how to achieve this, or maybe some straw men to attack)

Hmmm, I still think a legislative introduced levy is the way to go though.

From personal experience, I think this idea could work. Bunnings already charges 10c to give you a plastic bag. If I buy a couple of items, say, perhaps a packet of nails, a hammer, and a paintbrush, and I look at the sign and see a 10c charge for a plastic bag, I actually think to myself, do I NEED a plastic bag to carry these items or can I just carry them to the car myself?

Perhaps it’s because I’m a cheap bastard, but I never buy the plastic bag as extra. But I think it also does its job – it makes me think; all I am using this plastic bag for is to carry these things to the car, and then from the car into the house (in total something like 50 metres). Then the bag gets thrown away.

I reckon most purchases from hardware stores are usually a couple of little items like that, and I don’t think a little inconvenience is such a big deal. Besides, you have a choice – and 10c isn’t much.

Unfortunately, I have never yet remembered to take a “green” bag with me to Bunnings, but I still think their incentive has reduced the amount of plastic bags being used.

Michael, thanks for the stats as well – didn’t read all of it (will later), but was interesting to find out estimated 55% of plastic bags now non-supermarket. I’m surprised actually – I mean, just from personal experience, if we didn’t use our “green” bags every week, our grocery shopping would easily use a dozen plastic bags – and that’s just for two of us. In general purchases (take away, other retail), I guess we might use 2 bags a week.

From the ARA: “At present there is no regulatory prohibition on the use of plastic bags however if we are able to significantly reduce the number of bags using a voluntary approach, we can help protect the environment and our businesses from the damaging effects of a levy or ban.”

I don’t really understand though what the damaging effects would be if, say, a 5 or 10 c levy was introduced that had to be collected. I mean, it may mean a little more work, but certainly not enough to ruin businesses.

Here’s an article on news.com.au which has all the major points against Peter Garrett’s war on plastic bags.