The first point is valid, although there's an argument that the appropriate corrective action is against whatever causes the bags to get free. In our area, grocery stores are required to accept used plastic bags for recycling, which may be why I've never seen a plastic bag blowing in the wind here.Cormac wrote:But from at least two other points of view it makes sense:Warren Dew wrote:Grocery stores in my area provide a 5c rebate for each reusable bag you bring in to use.Gallstones wrote:I think people should be charged for the plastic bags at the supermarket and it should hurt--like a dollar each. Then get a dime back for every one of the reusable fabric ones they use. You can pack more in the fabric ones anyway.
The reusable ones are actually many times heavier and more expensive than the disposable ones, though, so it takes quite a few uses before it makes either environmental or monetary sense to use them.
1. It will reduce visual pollution, as there'll be fewer plastic bags blowing around, getting caught in tree branches etc.
and
2. It reduces the business case for plastic bag manufacturers, and therefore plastc bag production overall will fall.
To the extent that the total manufacture of reusable bags would use more resources than disposable bags, the second point is not valid. If a reusable bag uses more resources than all the dispoable bags it replaces, then the disposable bags are better for the environment.
My experience is that I remember to take my empty reusable bags to the store only about half the time. That appears to be considerably better than most other people, though, as there are plenty of reusable bags sold at the store, but virtually no one other than myself actually uses them.
people will argue and disagree about virtually everything here. 
