For the Blog Stage 5 assignment, my colleague Maria Flores posted an editorial about why Austin should not ban plastic bags, taking the opposite point of view that I took in my Blog Stage 5 post. I respect the fact that others have managed to form an opinion about this issue, as it is apathy which, I believe, is killing youth involvement in politics. However, I have to disagree with the points made as to why Austin is better off with plastic bags.
Maria states that Austin should not ban the bags because the issue affects the majority of Austinites. This is true, as I can't imagine very many people who never go grocery shopping (besides maybe the homeless). However, the ill effects of chronic plastic bag use radiate through Austin and beyond. This is not just a city issue; it's a global one that wreaks havoc on our planet's ecosystems above ground and pollute the space beneathe our feet.
Her second argument is that the reusable bags are too large compared to the plastic bags. I believe this is actually a gain, as bigger bags means more groceries can fit in each bag and the buyer will have less to carry. The unreasonable volume of plastic bags requires up to dozens of them to be used per grocery trip. National Geographic estimates here that between 500 billion and one trillion plastic bags are used each year worldwide, or about 8 billion pounds according to this article on Reuseit.com. While Maria's comment that plastic bags can be reused is true, more often than not the bags are thrown away or end up littering the environment. If thrown away, they'll end up in landfills, where Reuseit.com admits they can take a thousand years to degrade. If not properly disposed of, they will drift their way into oceans and twist around tree branches, polluting the Earth with toxic chemicals and potentially killing innocent creatures.
The level of product safety between the bags may differ slightly. I highly doubt product exposure or loss will be affected by switching to reusable bags. Cold or frozen goods may stay cold a little longer, however, since the handles of plastic bags can be tied into knots, keeping the temperature within them more stable. The argument that's risen about possible bacteria living in the reusable bags is the only reasonable one I've yet heard of for not using them. The Chicago Tribune reported here that much of the bacteria found in the bags is a result of using the bags to carry more than just food products (such as textbooks) and not regularly washing them. I understand it seems like a hassel to have to scrub-a-dub-dub the container you use to bring home your soaps and sponges, but it really is a breeze compared to many other household chores. Reusable bag buyers can wash their grocery bags regularly just like they wash their laundry (the Tribune states they can be machine washed, but I assume it depends on the material) or dishes.
Can you even imagine how much bacteria rests on the interior and exterior of the purses of millions of women in our country? Yet, no one has risen up in arms demanding they Clorox their Coach (I know plenty of women who carry bacteria-prone products in their purses, from make-up to food and drinks). Plastic bag advocates should stop pointing fingers at reusable bags and start pointing them instead at our food industry, in which bacteria growth most often starts, and at our own daily health habits, striving to better them in every possible way.
As far as the statement about "big plastic bags that are used to wrap big items like mattresses," I've never encountered anyone who's attempted to bag any item close to that size. There's been no ban on garbage ban use, which is what Maria seems to be referring to when she says "those [used] to dispose the trash or clean the yard".
Places like South Africa, Australia, and England have already either banned or taxed the use of plastic bags due to their excessesiveness as an "environmental nuisance", says National Geographic. There really is no better current alternative than to ditch these toxic products and jump on board toward a cleaner world. Small sacrifices will have to be made, but the outcome is worth them all.
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