| As more municipalities struggle with the disposal | | | | less energy to make a plastic bag versus a paper |
| of plastic bags, many consider a tax or even | | | | bag, and the freight costs are seven times more |
| outright plastic bag ban to reduce usage. | | | | to deliver paper bags to the stores. Stores prefer |
| Unfortunately, there are some unforeseen | | | | plastic bags because they do not take up as |
| consequences to these actions, which can actually | | | | much space as the paper bags, and because |
| harm, rather than help, the environment. Reusable | | | | paper bags can cost retailers ten times more than |
| bags are the ultimate solution. However, | | | | plastic bags. Ironically, when disposed, paper bags |
| converting consumers to making it a regular habit | | | | often don't break down: when a paper bag is |
| has been the real challenge. | | | | tossed in the landfill, it often cannot decompose |
| The EPA estimates that the US consumes over | | | | due to lack of air and moisture. |
| 100 billion plastic bags each year, and less than | | | | Millions of reusable bags are sold each year, |
| 2% are recycled. Most recycle centers reject the | | | | indicating the good intentions of many consumers. |
| flimsy bags because they gum up the recycling | | | | The problem is that people forget them in their |
| equipment. Some estimates say that it can cost | | | | cars, and don't realize it until readying for |
| thousands of dollars to recycle a ton of plastic | | | | check-out. Another problem is that many of the |
| bags that are worth less than $30 per ton on the | | | | bags sold are difficult to properly sanitize, as most |
| commodities market. New York has laid out an | | | | are spot or hand wash only. People who have |
| ambitious recycling effort which will hopefully lend | | | | switched to a reusable bag that folds into a |
| insight to this dilemma. | | | | pocket or pouch have had better success in |
| When San Francisco became the first major city | | | | converting to a reusable bag habit, as the bags |
| to ban plastic bags in 2007, it was hailed as a | | | | are stored or clipped to a purse or pocket. |
| triumph. Unfortunately, since paper bags are still | | | | Both a plastic bag ban and tax lead to increased |
| being offered at no charge, there is only a | | | | use of paper bags, higher costs and a negative |
| 'bragging rights' incentive to use a reusable bag. A | | | | environmental impact. If municipalities were to tax |
| study by Use Less Stuff found that reusable bag | | | | both plastic and paper bags, this would be the |
| use in San Francisco was about the same as | | | | 'stick' necessary to alter behavior. By keeping one |
| other municipalities without a plastic bag ban, | | | | time use bags available, a shopper would still have |
| indicating a plastic bag tax by itself may not be | | | | that option at checkout, in addition to those times |
| enough of a 'stick' to alter consumer behavior. | | | | that she may forget her own bags. Increased use |
| Paper bags, which many assume are good for the | | | | of reusable bags with a self-storing pocket would |
| environment, are surprisingly worse. According to | | | | help eliminate those times she forgets. |
| the American Chemistry Council, it takes 70% | | | | |