Biodegradable Plastic Bags -- let's make it a new priority

[D-Lee]

I posted this suggestion to the White House website today:

Here is my suggestion for the subject of an important initiative: BIODEGRADABLE PLASTIC BAGS, including garbage bags.

They are available now but rather expensive. Launch a program of research and tax benefits. Look into encouraging waiver or reduction of local and state sales taxes on biodegradable plastic items.

Our earth, our waterways and our landfills will thank you.

________

You might not know these are available now. Here is a Google Shopping search link: http://www.google.com/products?q=biodegradable+plastic+bags&hl=en

Anyone else interested in this thought?

[NightWatcher]

1. nah, just use recycled bags. BYOB

they cost 99 cents and can be used over and over and over and over. Plus you can carry a ton in each of these

[hlthe2b]

3. Reusables part of solution: We still need biodegradable

I certainly don't want to REUSE a pooper scooper doggy bag, do you? ;)

[taterguy]

4. Bags? That's what neighbors yards are for

[hlthe2b]

6. I'm guessing your neighbors absolutely love you...

;)

[taterguy]

13. It's not like I'm dumb enough to do that when they're actually home

[hlthe2b]

15. Are they dumb enough not to know?

:crazy:

[taterguy]

24. Can you match dog waste to a particular dog?

[hlthe2b]

25. I'm betting someone has seen you--.

Forensics aside....

And if not, I'd bet they strongly suspect.

[kas125]

17. Chico bags are my favorite because they have a little pouch

that's integrated into the bag so they kind of fold up inside themselves. There's a clip on the outside of the pouch, too.

[handmade34]

21. better than regular plastic, but...

those .99 bags at the store are made from polypropylene and don't last as long as canvas or other fabric bags. I have been making cloth shopping bags(from previously used materials) for years and custom make them for people that ask (eco.Alter.ations). I figure the average family should have approx. 6-10 bags on hand. It takes approx. 21 days to break/make a habit and once learned, it is second nature to put empty bag by the door (or wherever) to remember to take it with you shopping. I am alarmed that so many people still expect to get a bag at the store. Unfortunately, we still are stuck using plastic other ways... still working on solutions for these applications...

[GoCubsGo]

2. Even better...

Let's start encouraging people to bring their own reusable bags to the grocery stores, etc. All of the grocery stores and Target sell them now. (On edit, see NightWatcher's example above..Beat me to it!) The Bi-Lo chain deducts a nickle per bag off of one's bill now for each reusable bag you bring, and Aldi makes you pay for them. I think Aldi has the right idea. It gets people to realize that those crappy plastic things are not free.

I think we would do yet even better if it was pounded into everyone's heads that plastic is made from oil, and we are running out of that stuff, as everyone knows. Maybe then people would start demanding less of it in packaging, etc.

[Honeycombe8]

5. Doesn't matter if they're biodegradable. Nothing degrades in a landfill. Recycling and banning are

the ways to go.

[Starry Messenger]

7. Good idea.

I've been making my own bags out of the non-biodegradable ones, but it would be nice to have biodegradable ones too. Thank you for the link.

Picture of one of my bags for crafty DU-ers to see:

[moez]

10. That is one fugly mess!

But, it would be a funny joke for my wife! Thanks for the idea!

[Starry Messenger]

12. Thanks.

I actually get a lot of compliments on them.

[pipi_k]

20. Yep

I've gotten compliments on mine too.

People are always so amazed at what you can do with plastic bags.

:)

[pipi_k]

11. Hey!!!!!

I did the same thing with a bunch of my plastic bags!!! :)


Mine looks similar to yours, even down to the bright yellow around the top and in the handles (on mine it's cotton yarn) to strengthen it.


I've also used that yellow yarn (bought like an 8 lb. cone of it on eBay really cheap) to make crocheted mesh bags that I've given to family.


Keeps me occupied and out of trouble (mostly) and saves money and is environmentally friendly


fun stuff!
:7

[Starry Messenger]

19. I love to crochet.

:) This is a great way to use up the extra bags, It's hard to resist the temptation to take plastic bags at shops that have a color I like, though. :D

[pipi_k]

22. Hee hee!

I'm sort of partial to the ones with lots of red, myself. Haven't yet considered bagnapping though... :7


I even use the (thicker) plastic that you get clothing in when you order through a catalog. Some of them are a nice shade of dark blue...others are white on the outside but silver on the inside.


Do you do the loop method, or do you do single strands knotted together?


I do the loops

[Starry Messenger]

29. I do single crochet,

I cut up the bags and knot them into balls of "yarn" and then just crochet them with a J hook.

My weakness is "Best Buy" bags. They now have them in a nice shade of blue...I acquired two on a random shopping trip and I want to crochet them, but don't really have enough for a good band of color. I'm trying to resist going back on little random shopping trips to get more. It kind of defeats the purpose of recycling. :D But if I didn't take them and crochet them, they would otherwise end up in a landfill by another consumer, so...

[Orangeone]

8. bio bags are great

I use the ones for food scraps.

[WinkyDink]

9. Isn't the problem in the initial manufacturing per se?

[Luminous Animal]

14. Yes.

That is why banning and using re-usable bags are the best solution. The hard part is remembering to bring them with you. I've solved that by putting re-usables in the trunk of my car, on my push-cart, and one on my front door knob.

[Beaverhausen]

16. I just got "Bio-Bags" for the trash.

http://www.biogroupusa.com/

I always take canvas bags for shopping though.

[winyanstaz]

18. Hemp can easily be made into a bio-degradable bag

and it is cheap too

[Teaser]

23. I want a CO2 plan implemented first.

Landfills and ecoquality are down on that crisis list.

[fortyfeetunder]

26. I am using them now -- Biobags

we can now recycle food waste with yard waste so Biobags are my method of collecting the food waste.
Still working on reducing the solid waste. I'll have to find the biobag extra large size.

[D-Lee]

27. To add to my original post

My concern is more about plastic bags used for garbage disposal and plastic items released into waterways.

Here is the link on plastic in the ocean and its effect on wildlife:
http://ourdescent.wordpress.com/2007/05/24/about-that-giant-mass-of-plastic-floating-around-in-the-ocean/

Thanks for the post on BioBags. Their website describes a project in San Francisco to encourage the use of biodegradable garbage bags: http://www.biogroupusa.com/biodegradable-bags.html
Looks as if one can get BioBags on Amazon at a discount: http://www.amazon.com/Boxes-BioBag-Biodegradable-Compostable-Kitchen/dp/B000ZUDNU4/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=miscellaneous&qid=1237671785&sr=8-1

It takes a while for developments in technology to work their way into the commercial products, and then to see an increase in use, so I don't see delay to pursue other goals (such as CO2 issues) as a reason to put off this sort of effort.

It is nice to see a plastic shopping bag awareness among so many posters!

Any recommendations for this topic?

[noamnety]

28. This should be a very low priority

Reusing is far better - and that should be our focus, accomplished through legislation to require charging for bags.

to simply substitute new plastics for old won’t be saving space in our landfills.
Although there is a popular misconception that biodegradable materials break down in landfill sites, they don't.

http://www.science.org.au/nova/061/061key.htm

If people use "biodegradable plastic" they are given the false sense that they are helping the environment in some way when really they aren't at all if they haven't changed their other habits - and are still throwing them in the regular trash. This gives them the false sense that they are being environmentally responsible, and gives them LESS incentive to reuse.

Every five seconds, 60,000 plastic bags are used in the US. We need to change that number, not throw 43,200,000 biodegradable plastic bags that don't really degrade into the landfills every hour.

Recycled tank tops sewn across the bottom make great shopping bags: