Just a thought on Plastic bags
By Lakota12
@Lakota12 (42600)
United States
April 23, 2008 9:19pm CST
I know they take alot to break down in the dump but think of all the trees that will have to be cut down to make paper bags. How is that going to help keep land green. They cut down enough now and dont put back this they need to do . If we are having a global warming cutting more trees dont help
2 people like this
16 responses
@Cajunhellcat (2073)
• United States
25 Apr 08
Yup ya are sure right but we use our plastic bags until we can't no more then we burn them but I guess that is bad to cause it is going into the air
2 people like this
@whiteheron (4222)
• United States
26 Apr 08
I end up reusing and then recycling the plastic bags from the supermarket or discount store. The bags are normally too frail to be reused and go straight into recycling.
I have heard that the paper bags were a bit better than plastic as they came from a renewable resource. Yet trees are living things and there are some studies that indicate that they may even have feelings and may communicate to each other via chemicals when there is danger to themselves or to other trees in the area. I mourn when trees are cut down.
There are those who are coming up with plastic bags that have something in them to make them biodegrade quicker.
What seems to be the best option is the provision of cloth and plastic bags that are made to be reused over and over again instead of thrown away. We are going to have to move away from our consumerist ways and actually make things like bags last. Otherwise, we will have some difficulties in the future.
1 person likes this
@whiteheron (4222)
• United States
27 Apr 08
Here in California they have curb side recycling bins for houses and large recycling bins for apartments... I stick them in there with other things to be recycled like all junk mail, paper packaging, plastics, newspapers, etc. so they do not get thrown in the rgular trash. I usually recycle two thirds of my garbage.
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
24 Apr 08
They don't want you to use paper either. They want you to carry the canvas reusable bags. I cannot see me carrying in a whole bunch of them in a store to carry out a weeks groceries.
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
24 Apr 08
I think they've found that if they shred the plastic bags, they are able to recycle them. We've been informed by our local council that they will soon be added to the recycle list, so waiting with baited breath, my friend. We can already take them back to Sainsbury's, one of our main supermarkets, for recycling, so let's hope a lot follow suit.
Brightest Blessings, my dear friend. xxx
@mummymo (23706)
•
24 Apr 08
I know that some places have regeneration policies - for every tree that is cut down for making paper another is planted to replace it! That is the responsible and ethical way of doing things though I know that not all companies do this but if they did it makes paper a far more renewable resource than plastic! xxx
1 person likes this
@tessah (6617)
• United States
24 Apr 08
i personally.. recycle them myself, sorta. i use the grocery bags as trash bags instead of the "regular" ones. theyre thinner and break down easier than those youd buy for trash.. and theyre freebie cause ya get a new stock of em everytime you buy groceries 

1 person likes this
@flowerchilde (12529)
• United States
24 Apr 08
Crazy ain't it? I'm hoping to be able to buy the fabric bags soon.. Luckily the store I go to the most has heavy duty plastic bags I can reuse a number of times..
@plumwish07 (4057)
• Indonesia
24 Apr 08
i also concern about this kind things. cause of plastic bag can't be recycled in earth then some of us produce paper bag which mean should cut some of trees. in my opinion the people who manufacturing paper bag should do any kind reboization so, when they cutting down a tree, they also put new plant to growth with
@minnie_98214 (10557)
• United States
24 Apr 08
Alot of people have started using cloth shopping bags for each visit that way you just reuse the same bag. Me I reuse my bags for garbage bags so I dont waste by buying trah bags. I have used the reusable bags but I always seem to forget them.
@highflyingxangel (9225)
• United States
24 Apr 08
People need to stop using paper or plastic bags and start using a resuable bag. There are plenty of options on the market, such as canvas bags, nylon bags and many others that can be bought for a small fee that can be taken along during a shopping trip. These bags prevent you from using paper or plastic and help cut down on the waste we put out each day.
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
29 Apr 08
1) Forests cleared for housing developement and mining is the problem.
2)Plantations for wood production are controlled and managed business operations. Should we also not use furniture made from wood or build homes with wood frames?
3)For paper bags it would probably be recycled paper.
4)Shopping with your own cloth bags is a great alternative.
If people must use plastic bin liners, buy the very cheap bio-degradeable ones which break down in a fraction of the time that shopping bags do. The reason for the difference is that the shopping bags have to be made stronger in order to carry the weight of the shopping. Using shopping bags for rubbish and picking up dog poo is NOT recycling them because they still end up on the tip and don't break down for years and years. Lots end up all over the countryside and in the oceans where they look awful and are a horrible danger to wildlife and marine life.
Recycling plastic bags is a good thing but the majority of people don't return them for this to be done. They can be made into all sorts of things as well as new bags. The cost of doing this is quite high though I believe.
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
30 Apr 08
what I am saying that the trees should be planted back but they dont do it any more so even if ya want a house built in years to come there mihght not be any trees left to do it.
also yes people should return the bags dont know why it should cost more to do it but probably does.
@Perspectives (7131)
• Canada
26 Apr 08
Good thoughts alright. The way our government is approaching the reduction of plastic bags is to encourage shoppers to purchase the reusable fabric bags and to bring them into the stores rather than using paper...or plastic.
That works for me! The challenge we are finding is to remember to carry them into the store. They are in the car...but it takes awhile to get into the habit of using and re-using them.
If everyone did it we'd have less plastic and hopefully more trees! Time will tell I guess.
Raia
@Perspectives (7131)
• Canada
27 Apr 08
We did a major shop at Super Store today and we got everything in our recyclable bags. The more we do it...the easier it is to remember to take them in with us. It was a real groaner when we'd forget them on a stormy day/evening groc shop during our winters.
We are stockpiling them and buying more as we go...and it is becoming a workable solution to the piles of plastic we used to collect. There is a recycling center in our town...but using these bags is way easier overall.
Hope it works for you too!
Raia
@Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
31 Aug 08
hi lakota12 I save the plastic bags I get my groceries
in and reuse them . Some I use to cover leftovers in
the refrigerator and some I use to put partly used
packages of frozen fruits and veggies in and toss
them back in the refrigerator. Others I used for small
garbage sacks. I always finds uses for them.
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
27 Jun 08
we already recycle paper I see big truck loads going some where full of cardboard boxes and we have bins to put newpapers in but we do go thru alot of paper no matter what we do but when the cut the trees for this they should have replanted the ones they cut 20 to 30 years ago would have been big enough now to cut again but they arent doing it they take every thing and the forests are going away
@tigerdragon (4297)
• Philippines
24 Apr 08
i hope you don't mind if i may correct you. paper bags are not made from trees. it is made of pulp from leaves and grass. you gather all the fallen leaves and cut grass ,soak it in water ,let it drip and dry press it na there you have it, paper. and once it has made into paper and once it has been used it can be recycled into paper again and if it ends up in the dump then it goes back to earth since it is biodegradable. though, it is better to recycle it than to let it rot.
@whittby (3072)
• United States
24 Apr 08
The only thing I can think up is trees are renewable - they can plant more, but like you said they don't do it. I saw some bags made from some kind of recycled material and that helps a little - then I start thinking eventually these will be thrown away too.
