The bans have always been driven by a sentiment (even superstition): The environmentally conscious belief that they are wasteful.
However, a recent study conducted in California by researchers who support the plastic bag ban has revealed that the state’s ten-year-old law against single-use plastic bags has resulted in an increase in plastic consumption.
The evidence is clear: since the passing of the law in 2014, the amount of discarded plastic bags has increased by nearly 74,000 tons, reaching its highest level on record.
Jim Carrey has been facing difficulties in selling his California mansion for over a year, despite making several significant price cuts. The renowned actor has been trying to offload the property, but it seems to have been a challenging task. Despite slashing the price multiple times, Carrey has not been able to find a buyer for his luxurious mansion.
According to a recent study conducted in New Jersey, the consumption of plastic at checkouts has increased significantly since the state implemented a ban on single-use plastic bags in 2020. This finding highlights that the issue of plastic waste extends beyond just the Golden State.
Shoppers were faced with an unexpected change as their convenient, thin plastic bags were replaced with thicker ones that had to be purchased at the register. What made this change even more puzzling was the fact that the new bags were also made of plastic.
Many individuals chose to disregard the intention of the banners, opting to purchase these bags once and then dispose of them, much like they would with single-use bags. The option to reuse or recycle the bags was overlooked by a significant number of people.
The new and thicker bags, despite being an attempt by many consumers to do the right thing, actually contribute to more plastic waste in landfills. These bags use a significant amount of plastic compared to their criticized predecessors.
Many people are hesitant to allocate storage space for a constantly expanding collection of bulky plastic totes. Even those who plan meticulously struggle to accurately estimate the number of bags they will need for their groceries, especially if they remember to bring them along and if the shopping trip was not impromptu.
They continue to discard numerous heavier bags.
In an interesting turn of events, lawmakers in California are refusing to accept defeat when it comes to their failed attempt to ban single-use plastic bags. Instead of acknowledging their mistake, they are now proposing a new law that would make it illegal for stores to sell thicker plastic bags altogether. It seems that superstition and stubbornness prevail over reason and practicality in this case.
In 2020, New York attempted to address the issue of plastic bag waste by implementing a ban on both single-use and reusable plastic bags. However, it seems that this initiative has not been entirely successful, as many stores in New York continue to offer these thicker and potentially more harmful bags to their customers.
Bad ideas are the only things being recycled.
Will politicians who engage in green posturing ignore all of this and continue to pass laws that do more harm than good?
It’s a done deal.
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