Americans throw away one hundred billion polyethlene bags a year: They choke thousands of marine animals annually; the inks used to print all those smiley faces break down in landfills and create a toxic seep. Though plastic bags take up less than 4% of all landfill space (they're easily compressed), estimates on how long they take to decompose range from a hundred years to a thousand.
Clean up in aisle A2...
-From onearth. "It's Not My Bag, Baby!" by L.J. Williamson.
Treehugger: "Ban or No Ban: The Debate over Plastic Bags in LA" by Jeremy Elton Jacquot
World Is Green: "...Is there an Alternate Solution?" (Green Economics)
10/05/09
ReplyDeleteWeekly Statement #3
The most delicious granola ever is the Bear Naked Company right in Battle Creek. The one interesting thing about buying local in Michigan in comparison to most places around the country are that our water and cereal products are right next to us. My favorite granola company offers to do the recycling of their own product through TerraCycling. Many products like Caprisun, ClifBars, Honest Kids and others have joined the brigade by using the waste of their products mailed from their customers back to them and make things like pencil cases, backpacks and even natural house cleaning supplies. What’s also nice is that you are given $0.02 towards an organization and shipping is provided! $0.25 if it’s a cell phone for the upcycling. The idea behind reusing containers, or plastic containers is in fact interesting all by itself. TerraCycle makes these pitched containers into another form of containers, but piecing them together to make a bigger one like a backpack or purse. The state of Michigan and several other states have offered compensation for the collection of cans and bottles in order to encourage recycling behavior.
Professor Trumpey made a good point when it came down to the argument. For the paper bags vs. plastic bags argument, I normally reuse plastic bags instead of throwing them away. In fact I stuff them inside a plastic grocery bag and place it under my sink. I use plastic to carry everything ranging from art supplies and preserving wet paint or to carry my clothes around if they are wet and sandy from the beach to separating food from each other. The idea of paper bags is something I actually have to force myself to use, but I will reuse them if I have some laying around for smaller tasks like transportation rather then relying on it to keep my paints contained and wet. However, just the other day I purchased my first cloth bag from Trader Joes, very trendy and stylish on top of saving the environment!
The idea of reusing something once it’s used for it’s original intent is something that we must train ourselves to do. One thing I’ve noticed about my habits is that I always have taken paper out of the recycling bin here at the art school when I am sketching or am looking for inspiration to draw once in awhile. Just the other day I opened the recycling bin for plastic bottles and pulled out a water bottle that wouldn’t be salvaged for cash, cut it and filled it with paint and water for a mass painting project. I wouldn’t have thought of exercising this normally if it wasn’t for the situations I’ve been in where there was no spot to pour my water into or lack of sketching paper in my backpack at those times, they were inspired through the sudden desperation I felt when I needed them most.
Information on TerraCycling! Joining a team helps you earn money towards your organization or school.
http://www.bearnaked.com/sustainable.asp
http://www.terracycle.net/
Kyla Suchy
ReplyDeleteWeekly Statement: Week 3
Growing up, I was always trained to save and reuse plastic bags. At home, we still have a small bin on the pantry wall that can hold several dozen bags at a time. As careful as we were about recycling plastic grocery bags, we very irresponsible with the paper bags we consumed. Paper bags were only used once and subsequently trashed. Before coming into lecture today I had some knowledge of how both paper and plastic bags are bad for the environment, but no clue as to what degree. I agreed with Professor Trumpey when he stated that plastic bags generally have a longer life span than paper, because of their reusability, however, I was genuinely shocked when he enlightened us to the fact that this meant that paper bags consume more energy than plastic. I always pack a lunch in a brown paper bag to take to school. After lecture today I regret that decision and have switched to plastic bags until I can find a cloth bag that is even more environmentally friendly. Although this may not be a big step in helping the environment, I think that putting a tax on plastic bags in cities like Ann Arbor will be a huge leap in the right direction.
After reading the first three articles listed under the discussion topic, I felt that a complete ban of plastic bags would do the trick in reducing the amount of plastic that is pillaging our ecosystem. The fact that “Americans throw away one hundred billion polyethylene bags a year” (It’s Not My Bag, Baby! By L.J. Williamson) plus the idea of plastic bags sitting in a landfill for up to one thousand years is scary enough to make me want us to stop using plastic bags cold turkey. However, the fourth article explains everything in a very economic sense. By putting a tax on plastic bags, people are much less likely to use them. “Simple econ 101: price goes up, quantity demand goes down” (World is Green). The tax not only would reduce consumption, but also increase recycling rates with the refund incentive. Instead of having grocery stores and consumers throwing a tantrum about a ban, a great compromise can be made with a tax.
As positive of an idea as eliminating plastic bag refuse sounds, I don’t think it will be as easy as it sounds. The eco-friendly cloth bags may not be everything the common consumer could hope for. I have overheard many people in the supermarket complain about always forgetting their cloth bags in the car and ending up getting plastic anyway. One woman in particular said that bringing her own bag to the store made her feel like a hobo. We cannot expect people to adjust overnight. This plastic problem will not disappear immediately either. We cannot solely feel proud that we tax plastic bags at the supermarket. If we could start taxing other plastic goods, maybe we could begin to see a downturn in the amount of waste that creates the dead zones in the Gulf of Mexico or the Pacific Ocean garbage patch. “Nature doesn’t have a design problem. People do.” - William McDonough and Michael Braungart
Weekly Statement Three
ReplyDeletePlastic Bag: Reusable Bag
It is ironic that Ann Arbor is having trouble passing a proposal to ban one of the most hazardous, plentiful objects when the city is known for being one of the most “green” and liberal towns in Michigan. Companies like IKEA have successfully marketed recyclable bags made from recycled materials from plastic bags to customers. Plastic bags are available there for purchase if someone is in need of a bag however they are priced about the same as a recyclable bag so people typically will buy the reusable bag instead. Because there is a charge for bags at IKEA I feel like a lot of people don’t even bother to use either plastic or recycled bags if they do not absolutely require the use of one. Instead of being asked what kind of bag the customer wants at the end of the checkout lane, the option of even using a bag is given. Because the question of necessity is asked instead of the question of either or, people put more important thought into their decision. At most stores like Target, Meijers, most grocery stores and retail shops not having a bag to take your items home is not really an option. So many times I have went to a clothing store to buy a top or pants and after purchasing it the employee automatically stuffs it into a bag with its corporate logo plastered onto it. A few times I have said that I don’t need a bag because I am typically comfortable with just carrying items with me but the employee thinks that it is odd and make me take a bag anyway.
Ann Arbor banning plastic bags would set such a great example to other cities on how to conserve natural resources and use less over all. Plastic bags are terrible for the environment, waste money, energy and take an unreasonable amount of time to degrade naturally. I live with 7 other people and each of us buy our own groceries and share only larger items and condiments. Each of us go shopping for food about once every week or two weeks. Every time a person goes shopping one of us will come back with anywhere from 2-5 plastic bags or 1-2 paper bags. We recycle both plastic and paper bags but for the week that all of the bags are just pilled up waiting to be recycled I feel so wasteful.
I own two reusable bags that I bought from Trader Joes but I often forget to bring them to the market with me because often times I go at random. My mother and father use reusable bags constantly. Both keep 3-4 reusable bags in their car trunks so that they are always prepared to use.
An argument against banning plastic bags throughout the city of Ann Arbor is that there are not enough details on how people will be able to change their ways. To me, it is perfectly simple. People should buy canvas bags or other recycled reusable bags and bring them with them when they shop. Another option is that more stores can offer recycled bags or reusable bags at the counter. There are plenty of options, people are just afraid to change their ways because they believe it will be too much work. A lot of people seem to be unaware or simply do not care about the effects they are having on their environment and how simple changes could lessen their effects greatly.
Anastassia Fulmer
ReplyDelete10/6/09-Weekly Statement
Clean Up in Aisle A2?
In response to the article by the Michigan Daily titled “Clean Up in Aisle A2…” I think that maybe the council is going the wrong way with this whole ban on plastic bags. Yes they are horrid for the environment but most stores carry bags made from corn products that are biodegradable. Now yes this is still bad and it is probably better then people use reusable bags but they will not with out being coerced.
It does not make sense to me to have a town where it is “in” to be ecological be banned from plastic bags when instead those people should go to the corporations and have them stop using plastic bags and make it available to buy cheap reusable bags at their store. Most grocery stores, pet stores, and other convenient stores offer these options of reusable bags made out of recycled materials but they are still more concerned over gaining profit then helping the environment. Therefore these bags are sold for around five dollars instead of only a couple. Now five dollars may not sound like much but when most people use many bags and are supporting a family they cannot afford such things.
Most grocery stores have recycling programs that they encourage their customers to use. The grocery store Kroger has bins where customers can place their old plastic grocery bags and also if a customer brings in paper bags to be reused for their groceries they receive ten cents off for every paper bag. It is small steps like this that will encourage people to make a difference. People have to be affected by it personally to actually notice and do something about the problem. Doing something like banning plastic bags is negative and does not encourage improvement. Many studies show that people need positive reinforcement to make a difference.
Weekly Statement #3
ReplyDeleteLast discussion we talked a lot about what if situations. I do not change my stance on the fact that it is a bit unfair for our generation to have to clean up the pieces of the mistakes made before us, but I will say that there are things (little things) that we can do in order to help change our world.
I admire you ashley for changing your ways in order to become a less consuming individual, and would like to do so myself. Although, in our society it is a lot harder to do than it is to say you're going to change. For me personally, I feel like the main issue is consumption of stuff that is a want not a need. I used to shop back home with my best friend almost every weekend, not because I actually needed anything, but because it was something to do. We would go out to eat, we would go to Starbucks, we would go to all these places that each would give us a mass of stuff that was unnecessary.
Water bottles and plastic bags are my biggest weakness. During high school I had hundreds of water bottles in my car thrown all over the place, most of which were half full. I played 3 sports in high school so I would leave water bottles in there for after practice or whenever I was driving around and wanted a sip of something. I never knew that leaving them in the heat would cause any problems, and after finding this out now I wonder how much harm I've done to my body over the years drinking something I think would do my body good.
I mentioned last class that ADP 3 has made me a bit depressed every time I've left it so far, but actually it's opened my eyes to things and situations that I can hopefully for myself change, and maybe, if not bettering the entire world, at least better my life.
I meant #2 for my statement
ReplyDeleteIt’s Not My Bag, Baby
ReplyDeleteSam Schulman
The article “it’s Not My Bag, Baby” brought up many great points of interest about the plastic bag and thus consumerism in America. Americans have been trained to abide by the rules and regulations taught to them at a young age. Therefore, collecting bags as you check out at the grocery store seems like a normal occurrence that most people would think nothing of. The truth is, these bags are beginning to build up in our environment, polluting oceans, bringing danger to animals, etc. Though these bags take up a small percentage of space in landfills (because they are easily compressed) they are a huge issue. The biggest problem is, that average Americans are not informed about these seemingly insignificant plastic bags. If an affect was clearly presented in response to an American citizen using a plastic bag, it would give consumers a much bigger hint as to what wrong they are doing, but without warning, consumers will continue to act as they are. In countries such as South Africa, there have been additional costs added to plastic bags when checking out at the grocery store, discouraging consumers from using these bags. Though it may be a long time before any sort of tax is instated in America, it is important that we begin brainstorming and introducing ways to educate our public about the affect they are having on their environment. These matters need to be addressed close to the home so that consumers can see their affects right away. Commercials, advertisements, and other forms of media can be produced educating the public on something happening in their area such as a lake or river being too polluted to continue swimming in or an animal that is well-known in the area suffering. We as a community need to use to the power that resides in advertising and media to advocate better behavior in citizens. It is so interesting to me that small countries such as Bangladesh, Taiwan, and New Zealand have all already been taking steps towards reducing the number of bags and the United States has made none. A country so powerful, wealthy, and technologically advanced is so far behind in advocating a healthier, safer, and better environment. The power of education is underestimated. Americans do as they do because they are trained to. Citizens do as their parents as their parent’s parents do but this cycle needs to be broken at some point and a new cycle needs to be formed. Now that we are educated in what affects our behavior is having on our environment, changes should be made as soon as possible and it lies in the hands of the individual including something seemingly so small as bringing your own bags to the grocery store such as the woven baskets or bags seen in places such as Europe.
Samantha Levy
ReplyDeleteWeekly Comment #3
I have always felt some form of guilt when using those little frail plastic bags. I imagined them floating off into the ocean wreaking havoc on all of the marine life. Found at almost every major superstore (Target, Kmart, Walmart, etc.) and grocery store, plastic bags can easily accumulate and are produced and disposed of in mass amounts. In lecture we talked about how plastic may or may not be a better choice due to the tendency people to reuse the bags. The problem still remains, when we eventually throw out our “reusable” plastic bags, they don’t simply go away.
The paper option we are offered at the grocery store is not much of an improvement. While they are much easier to get rid of, they have many downfalls. Personally, I think that paper bagged groceries are more difficult to carry. Also, like any paper product, it destroys forest ecosystems. Some people choose not to recycle paper bags, therefore ruining the illusion of people being environmentally conscious.
The newest alternative is reusable bags. It removes the environmental wear and tear of wasteful bags and is much easier to use than both paper or plastic. Some bags are even designer friendly. Over the past few years, I have seen the production and consumption of these reusable bags increase. The only issue is that people are still using the plastic bags, which are usually free and readily available. Although the most practical solution has come upon us, most of the population still gravitates towards the non-degradable bags.
It seems that the only way to herd the population into more environmental shopping bags is to make it more difficult or illegal to use the toxic plastic bags. Some countries have already implemented rules concerning bagging, and it is rumored that there has been talk within the US to start following suit. In some areas (as described in lecture), stores are charging about a nickel per bag for plastic bags. In this case, not only are you deferring people from using the bags, but you profit from those who wish not to change. In a more extremist fashion, some areas have completely banned the plastic bag. This forces the buyer to find a reusable bag or not use a bag at all. Both of these methods are a great way to help decrease our environmental impact on Earth.
In my mind, the only sure-fire way of turning around the mess caused by the plastic bag is to completely remove it from the market. I hope that the United States goes all the way and makes plastic bags illegal. Some people, or at least many that I know, would continue to pay the nickel price for each bag. By ridding the world entirely of this product, those who are still willing to spend the money won’t even have the option.
Eventually I hope that the US decides to enforce one of the ideas. While I think making the plastic bags illegal will create more of an impact, charging for the bags would put us in a better place than we are in now.
Weekly Statement #4
ReplyDeleteWe need to use less plastic bags because they take so long to degrade and they end up in our landfills for many years. Not only does the plastic take a long time to degrade, but the chemicals in the ink used to print on the plastic are harmful as well. Stores are trying to initiate change by having reusable bags in stores available for people to buy but it is mainly in grocery stores. There are many other places where reusable bags could be put to use, and companies would be happy because they could still print their logo, or brand name on the bags.
The problem is that only a few people are using these new methods. It is a hassle to remember to bring the bags with you to the store every time you go. And it is even more of a hassle because it takes longer for people to bag your items when you are not using their system of paper or plastic that is already set up. Another problem is that you may not have enough bags for everything you need to buy, and you don’t always know how much you need or want to buy. I think these are the main reasons why people defer from changing their ways and using reusable cloth bags.
Although there seems to be some annoying aspects to the bags there are a lot more things that would benefit from using them. First of all the amount of plastic that is consumed and thrown away would be dramatically reduced, which goes down the line effecting many other systems. Second would be that people might be inspired to consume less because they don’t want it to take a long time, or they are limited on the amount that they can buy because of the amount of bags that they have. I think both of these reasons are very strong arguments for applying reusable bags to every store.
We have talked in class about how reduce is the most important part of “reuse-recycle-reduce” and this would be two big ways that we can reduce what and how much we consume.
Stephany Schafer
ReplyDeleteWeekly response 3
10/11/09
Plastic bags have caused more problems than I could have possibly imagined. Not only are they harming the environment, but animals as well. Learning that they have caused so much trouble hasn’t really changed my habits though. Every time I go to the store I still get things in bags, though I do think of the things I’ve learned, it just doesn’t persuade me enough.
I think the U.S needs taxes, or even a ban on the plastic bag. There is no other way people will be responsible for their own garbage. Plastic bags are just too convenient to let go of otherwise. Stores even persuade customers to take them, and are surprised and suspicious of those who do not use them. The government needs to step in when the people cannot make the right decisions for themselves. A tax of at least 15 cents needs to be put in to stop plastic bag usage and help prevent the breakdown and dispersion of plastic particles into the environment. These particles could be having effects we do not even know of.
I couldn’t be prouder to live in the United States and have all the rights and privileges that go along with living here. After reading recent articles though, sometimes I wonder if the freedom granted in the United States gets in the way of saving our environment. For example, other countries around the world set laws and restrictions on how much someone can consume or when electricity can be used. I thoroughly believe in people having the ability and the right to make their own decisions, but sometimes I think that our government could implement a few more rules in order to make our culture a bit more green-friendly. As stated in the Treehugger article, China has banned thin plastic bags. One city in L.A. has also banned the use of plastic bags.
ReplyDeleteSmall regulations such as these will not change the lives of Americans, but they will make a big impact on our environment. It would be a gentle push to use reusable bags, something that would benefit the environment.
While I don’t think that our society is in need of drastic laws, such as limiting the amount of children per family like in China, I think that small steps should be taken to improve our environment. These small steps will help to prohibit larger laws such as this one for ever needing to come into play. They would also serve as a reminder to the public that we must always have the environment on our minds and allow it to impact the decisions we make. If we can keep a balance on our environment and society with small rules now, it could play a big part in our future.