And thats not purchasing garbage bags. One of the most comprehensive research papers on the environmental impact of bags, published in 2007 by an Australian state government agency, found that paper bags have a higher carbon footprint than plastic. That signals to customers that these arent reusable products. Special thanks to our Emperor Penguin patrons Lawrence Harris and Brownies Central. Then, that ethylene can be sent to a new plant where theyll add a catalyst which initiates a chemical reaction and forms our high-density polyethylene. LASZLO: Oh, alright, if itll shut you up. But for UPROSE, that concern is outweighed by the negative impacts of plastic bags on disadvantaged communities. And the question that I had was, how does banning this plastic carry out bag affect the use of other types of plastic bags, and in particular, garbage bags, because as a consumer myself, I knew that I reused many of my carry out grocery bags as garbage bags. Banning Plastic Bags Is Great for the World, Right? Whos building these things, Triscuit? When we got rid of the carry out bags, people had to start purchasing garbage bags. So I often tell people, if theyre choosing a bag, you want to choose a bag that you are going to reuse that could be a thin bag, then plastic bag, or it could be a nylon bag, which is technically still plastic, but is a woven plastic thats fairly lightweight, and thus, perhaps not going to have the same environmental impact as a heavier plastic or a cloth bag. People look at [paper] and say its degradable, therefore its much better for the environment, but its not in terms of climate change impact, says David Tyler, a professor of chemistry at the University of Oregon who has examined the research on the environmental impact of bag use. The adverse impacts of plastic bags are undeniable: When theyre not piling up in landfills, theyre blocking storm drains, littering streets, getting stuck in trees, and contaminating oceans, where fish, seabirds, and other marine animals eat them or get tangled up in them. Now a hybrid ban, where you ban a particular thin plastic or film plastic, as long as theres also consideration for the other types of bags such as paper bags, and reusable bags, and requiring stores to charge for those other bags. The Supreme Court Has Delayed Its Abortion Pill Decision. The reasons for papers higher carbon footprint are complex, but can mostly be understood as stemming from the fact that paper bags are much thicker than plastic bags. California became the first to introduce regulations banning single-use plastic bags in August 2014. Physicists Rewrite a Quantum Rule That Clashes With Our Universe. I mean, look at all the kids roaming the streets looking for water after eating a single Saltine. On one hand, we are reducing the amount of litter. Back to those three Rs we learned when we were in elementary school, the reduce the Reuse and Recycle. Obtain that grain. People still need bags to bring home their groceries. Two weeks ago, the Massachusetts State Senate passed a measure that would ban plastic bags from being dispensed by many retail businesses and require a charge of 10 cents or more for a recycled paper or reusable bag. It argues that while banning plastic bags may be good for the environment, it is not as simple as it seems. Or is it a little too nuanced to make that type of assessment? Thats primarily because more energy is required to produce and transport paper bags. As far as I know, nobody has done the definitive analysis, which would necessarily need to have a large number of caveats and qualifications. So some of my recent research was looking at to what extent do we actually see border shopping occur? Rather than automatically using a bag, just ask the customer for their bags, or maybe even stop keeping bags at the register at all. First, we transport our fossil fuels to a type of petrochemical plant called a cracker. Cracker? There are also policy options that dont involve bans. Capacitors. But what if reusable bags arent good either? Again, Im not referring to carbon emissions, Im talking nitrous oxide, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, smog, Sagittariuses, really bad stuff. How bad was Tucker Carlson for the planet. 2- From a retailer's perspective, the thin plastic bags are the most economical of all. Wait, sorry, wrong kind of cracker. Nakuru, Kenya In the open-air Wakulima Market thin plastic shopping bags have disappeared, banished by Kenya's national bag ban. And sort of the bottom line, what I found with in terms of like the amount of plastic, was about a third of the plastic that was eliminated by the carry out bag ban came back in the form of garbage bags, which do tend to be a bit thicker than the carry out bags. A lot of the waste ends up in our communities, says Elizabeth Yeampierre, executive director of UPROSE, an environmental and social justice-oriented community organization in Brooklyn. Scientists are working on that, and according to a 2021 thesis study from LUT University in Finland, if that process were powered by clean energy, plastic bags made from carbon dioxide could actually be carbon negative. That said, it doesnt have to hit these communities hard if they have access to reusable bags. Studies of bags environmental impacts over their life cycle have reached widely varying conclusions. You can conceive of the possibility of collecting plastic bags from the ocean, but microplastics are almost impossible to remove from their environments. The only newsroom focused on exploring solutions at the intersection of climate and justice. Electrify everything, California says including trucks and trains. Cotton is a crop that requires massive amounts of water and energy to produce. "Exactly what happens to a plastic bag when it is littered depends very much on where it enters the environment and the mechanisms that cause it . But studies conducted in Australia or Europe have limited applicability in the US, particularly when youre considering climate impact, because every country has a different energy mix. And in particular, stores start offering thicker plastic bags and sticker paper bags for free. If they were going to use a slur for white people, why not name it Karen or Wonderbread? How Do We Protect Them? In fact, 79 percent of microplastics sampled in the marine environment originated from polyethylene specifically. And I think part of what intrigues me is a sort of principle of like free market economics is that people are rational actors. Cotton tote bags dont fare well either. That way youre reducing the amount of material thats going into the product, but you still want it to be something that youll actually find convenient and reuse with you. And as you mentioned, tote bags can be actually more harmful. The Bad Astronomer Takes You on a Tour of the Cosmos. Now theres a breakthrough. Any time someone needs bags, make a trip to the back to get them and have them wait. Thats primarily because more energy is required to produce and transport paper bags. Right now, one of the best ways to help Grist continue to thrive is by becoming a monthly member. Twitter, Follow us on (Cindy) Works Cited. But not just anywhere. YouTube. Christmas: no, were not going to stop. Twitter, Follow us on In addition to being my celebrity couple name with a girl named Polly, polyethylene is a string of carbon and hydrogen atoms. Have a listen. The larger takeaway is that no bag is free of environmental impact, whether thats contributing to climate change, ocean pollution, water scarcity, or pesticide use. And so I think, and subsidies can be quite expensive for governments to run or source to run. There was a 72 percent drop in grocery bag litter in the state just one year after it was fully implemented. Advocates for plastic bag bans often neglect to ask what will replace plastic bags and what the environmental impact of that replacement will be. But not just anywhere. [string music, inspired by What We Do In The Shadows]. In 2018 though, 68.1 percent of paper consumed in the United States was recovered for recycling, which is a really impressive number, although its worth noting that paper fibers become weaker each time theyre recycled, so there are still limitations to that. Oil and natural gas are also made of carbon and hydrogen, so in addition to using them for energy, we process them into plastic. But for UPROSE, that concern is outweighed by the negative impacts of plastic bags on disadvantaged communities. Single-use plastics seem to be disappearing. If someone wants a straw, they can ask and get it, no questions asked. Plastic, on the other hand, lasts for a long time. For example, because paper bags take up so much more space, more trucks are needed to ship paper bags to a store than to ship plastic bags. Not easy to recycle 7. On the disposal side, single-use plastic bags are currently not recyclable, but thats because the bags are so flimsy they can get caught in the machinery. The Australian study concluded that the best option appears to be a reusable bag, but one made from recycled plastic. AD READER: This episode of The Sweaty Penguin is brought to you by Christmas. "Banning Plastic Bags Is Great for the World, Right? Course Hero, a tutoring business last valued by investors at $3.6 billion, has cut 15% of staff, or 42 people its first round of layoffs . ETHAN: The Sweaty Penguin is presented by Peril and Promise: a public media initiative from The WNET Group in New York, reporting on the issues and solutions around climate change. The Massachusetts proposal may not become law this year, but its the latest sign that the plastic bag industry is losing this war. Its like trying to send paper through a really old copier. ETHAN: Obviously, bags are the only policy option like we talked about theres fees theres more voluntary approaches You know, with straws, something that intrigued me was default choice modification. As part of our commitment to sustainability, in 2021 Grist moved its office headquarters to the Bullitt Center in Seattles vibrant Capitol Hill neighborhood. Banning Plastic Bags Is Great for the World, Right? Cities and states across the country are banning plastic bags, but those bans may be having unintended consequences. Polyethylene, however, is recyclable. And so because of that bands have been more popular. Killing wildlife 5. New York's ban will take effect in 2020 but will apply to single-use plastic bags you can get at grocery stores or retailers. A pound of cotton requires more than 5,000 gallons of water on average, a thirst far greater than that of any vegetable and even most meats. Even studies conducted with the purest of intentions depend on any number of assumptions. Fees have a smaller, but still significant, effect. I hope at least one of those cracked you up. Its vital reporting made entirely possible by loyal readers like you. 1. What do they think this is, a Ritz quick scheme? But when ethylene gas escapes the facility and is exposed to sunlight, it turns to smog, which has been associated with increased rates of asthma, lung and respiratory infections, and cardiovascular problems. And the most common substitute, paper bags, may be just as bad or worse, depending on the environmental problem youre most concerned about. Shortly after, the Massachusetts State Senate passed a measure that would ban plastic bags from being dispensed by many retail businesses and require a charge of 10 cents or more for a. Even if bags arent the worst offender though, theyre a very hot topic and in my opinion, a really really interesting and misunderstood one, so Im very excited to talk about it today. Eat one less meat dish a weekthats what will have a real impact on the environment, says Tyler. Climate change, they say, isnt the only form of environmental degradation to worry about. A New Computer Proof Blows Up Centuries-Old Fluid Equations. Not So Fast." by John Stossel | May 5, 2020. If your chief concern is climate change, things get even muddier. For example, because paper bags take up so much more space, more trucks are needed to ship paper bags to a store than to ship plastic bags. Australia has had a plastic bag ban since 2018. Major funding forPeril and Promiseis provided byDr. P. Roy Vagelos and Diana T. Vageloswith additional funding from Sue and Edgar Wachenheim III,and the Estate of Worthington Mayo-Smith. Its like excuses for not doing your homework. (The crunchy rich should already have more than enough tote bags from PBS and Whole Foods.). Start with your washing machine. Were finding that hybrid bands can be as you know, as successful as the taxes, just standalone taxes. I know it sounds silly, but it would make a difference. the more right . You can order the T-shirt plastic bags in wholesale from Bags . Instagram, Follow us on As far as I know, nobody has done the definitive analysis, which would necessarily need to have a large number of caveats and qualifications. Donate today to keep our climate news free. If a plastic bag is reused in the home as the garbage bag in a bathroom waste bin, does that reduce its footprint by eliminating the need for another small plastic garbage bag? Plastic bags are not biodegradable and can do great harms to wildlife. ETHAN: Given all this nuance weve explored pertaining to carry out bags, grocery bags, is there any advice you have for individuals who want to do their part? In fact, we can take it a step further. Our world faces increasingly severe hurricanes, wildfires, floods, heat waves, and more, but grocery bags have somehow become one of the hottest environmental topics. Yes, this was a paper that was interested in how sometimes we dont always think about how people respond to policies, theyre sort of the obvious response. If a plastic bag is reused in the home as the garbage bag in a bathroom waste bin, does that reduce its footprint by eliminating the need for another small plastic garbage bag? And so this was an unintended consequence of the policy. If we do that, well see less polluted oceans, improved public health, and maybe, for the first time in history, Polly wont want a cracker. In addition to being my celebrity couple name with a girl named Polly, polyethylene is a string of carbon and hydrogen atoms. Even then, the question remains as to whether single-use bags are necessarily always worse than reusable ones. What she finds is actually leave the bag bonuses really dont have an effect. ETHAN: After we drill and frack and insert other PG13 sounding term here, we have to actually turn our fossil fuels into polyethylene. TAYLOR: Yes. ETHAN: But first, its time for Plastic Bags 101. You start growing weird pimples at 10, youre crying five times a week at 15, and by 20, someone has to carry you into a therapists office, throw you on the couch, and say its broken, fix it. For plastic though, 20 years is much less time than most other single-use plastic products. [booo] Oil and natural gas are also made of carbon and hydrogen, so in addition to using them for energy, we process them into plastic. Come on, why have we not tried this yet? But University of Sydneys Dr. Rebecca Taylor says not so fast. Once ethylene is turned into plastic, its not harmful, youre not going to get a disease just by touching a plastic bag, unless its March 2020 when every cashier in America was convinced thats how Covid spreads. Last month, the New York City Council passed a 5-cent-per-bag fee on single-use bags handed out by most retailers. And when I no longer had access to those carry out bags, it meant I didnt have this quote unquote, free source of garbage bags anymore. Not So Fast Like cigarettes, plastic bags have recently gone from a tolerated nuisance to a widely despised and discouraged vice. Plastic bags should be banned as it pollutes the water and land. Plastic bags could also be more sustainable from the production side. Nearly one year after New York became the second state in the nation to pass a ban on grocery store plastic bags the law is going into effect on Sunday. In fact, every region of the U.S. has a different energy mix. And an estimated 10 million tons of plastic are discarded in the ocean yearly. Yeah, that was even rough for my standards. Those are the kinds of topics that I focus on in my research. You would think five cents to reuse a bag would have a state similar behavioral response is five cents to not use a bag to have to pay for than plastic bag. Often they need to be reused at least 100, if not more times, to be more environmentally friendly than those thin plastic bags that were so familiar with. ETHAN: Welcome to episode 106 of The Sweaty Penguin: Antarcticas Hottest Podcast. Fees have a smaller, but still significant, effect. But on the other hand, paper has a much higher carbon footprint than plastic, its much more water intensive, its much more energy intensive to produce. If they were going to use a slur for white people, why not name it Karen or Wonderbread? TAYLOR: Yes, how much people actually reuse the various types of reusable bags has a big impact on their environmental impact. The U.S. is the number two producer of polyethylene in the world behind China, and in the U.S., 80 percent of our primary petrochemical supply is in Texas and Louisiana. Natasha Mascarenhas. Ad Choices, Banning Plastic Bags Is Great for the World, Right? ETHAN: So where do we go from here? Increasingly, environmentalists are pushing for laws that include fees for all single-use bags, and that require paper bags to be made with recycled content, which could lower their carbon footprint. But when ethylene gas escapes the facility and is exposed to sunlight, it turns to smog, which has been associated with increased rates of asthma, lung and respiratory infections, and cardiovascular problems. In the case of using a tax, the government is also then able to raise some money, which can be used to either lower taxes elsewhere or go toward environmental cleanup efforts or most importantly, turning Niagara Falls into a waterslide. Still, many environmentalists argue that plastic is worse than paper. This really needs to be top priority. Like blueberries or trips to the bathroom, not all plastics are created equal, and single-use plastic bags are typically made from a material called high-density polyethylene. And thats actually increasing the carbon footprint. Then, that ethylene can be sent to a new plant where theyll add a catalyst which initiates a chemical reaction and forms our high-density polyethylene. Theyre less than five millimeters across and they are everywhere, from the oceans to mountaintops to the Arctic to our food and blood. Adler, Ben. Its taken long enough. Its right up there with Taylor Swifts jet, Beyond Burgers, and figuring out which soup is best for throwing at artwork. Studies of bags environmental impacts over their life cycle have reached widely varying conclusions. But sales of garbage bags increased substantially and especially those small garbage bags that you know, are around the same size as the carryout back.

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