National Geographic News 04.04.08

 Across the globe politicians and corporations are debating the effectiveness of plastic bag bans versus plastic bag taxes. Ireland, Italy and Belgium all tax plastic sacks, while places like San Francisco and China are banning them all together. Other countries and companies are implementing or considering recycling programs. Each attempt to deal with the issue has its pros and cons. According to Vincent Cobb, founder of ReusableBags.com, the movement has gained momentum. “We all have the tendency to buy too much stuff, and I think the symbolic nature is what has made this such a powerful thing.”

Our Take: Our founder was interviewed for this article – here is a quote: “A tax charged at checkout is what we need to change consumer behavior. Plastic bags aren’t inherently bad; it’s the mindlessness and volume of consumption.”

Link: Plastic Bag Bans Gaining Momentum Around the World 

Comments

[Beth aka Fake Plastic Fish]

It's so ironic to me that National Geographic is all over the bag-banning band wagon when they wrap their own magazine in a plastic bag each month. Several people have written to ask them to stop this practice. You can too!

http://www.fakeplasticfish.com/2008/04/national-geographic-youre-green-but.html

Beth

[Vicky]

The comment posted by aka "Fake Plastic Fish" shows how many people the don't really "get it". Nat. Geographic is right on to raise awareness about plastic shopping bags which is a major consumption problem (1 TRILLION used world wide EACH YEAR) with sound fixes at hand e.g. plastax, reusable shopping bags, etc.. Taking issue with plastic bags used to protect magazines as they go through the postal system seems is off topic and trivial to say the least...