The ban on plastic bags has gained momentum internationally for some time, and 2011 starts major projects: From January 2, 2011 non-biodegradable single-use plastic bags will be banned in Italy. And while many questions remain about the rules of prohibition and effectiveness, it is a considerable leap, as Italy uses 25% of all plastic bags in Europe – around 25 billion bags a year.
Banning plastic bags like this has proven enormously effective elsewhere, China's ban has kept around 100 billion bags out of the landfill as it was put in place two years ago. The plastic bag tax enacted in Washington DC has had impressive results, as well, millions of bags a month stop going to landfills. So it's no wonder we're seeing more of these kinds of bans.
It's nice to see the overall decline of the plastic bag starting to take over the whole world after having been a modern consumer staple for so long. After all, the plastic bag is one of the symbols of modern consumerist excess – its sole purpose is to provide a convenient means of transporting the products you just bought in store to your home. Its usefulness lasts about 10 minutes. Yet it survives for hundreds of years, clogging landfills and destroying our environment.
If we were not all inculcated in the convenience of plastic bags, we must now inculcate stop using them.
Authors: Val
