document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); A nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future. 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. What if they used solar or wind? How Do We Protect Avocados From Drought, Deforestation, and Drug Cartels? I mean, look at all the kids roaming the streets looking for water after eating a single Saltine. Not So Fast Like cigarettes, plastic bags have recently gone from a tolerated nuisance to a widely despised and discouraged vice. 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. (The crunchy rich should already have more than enough tote bags from PBS and Whole Foods.). After the break, well discuss where bag bans have shown shortcomings, the pros and cons of other types of grocery bags, and some other solution ideas that havent gained the same level of popularity as Dijon-crusted plastic. Plastic bags are made from non-renewable sources and on this account, highly contribute to climate change. The Massachusetts proposal may not become law this year, but it's the latest sign that the plastic bag industry is losing this war. Theyre just not very effective. Does it get recycled? Have a listen. And thats just not true. Bag bans seem to be all the rage, but its not the only option. If someone wants a straw, they can ask and get it, no questions asked. Because we do see such a strong response of having to pay for your bag, when you have to pay for your bag, it makes it an active decision, instead of just default, getting a whole bunch of bags that you dont really think about, we find that bag taxes are actually as effective as bag bans, and getting people to change their behavior, potentially without some of the unintended consequences of completely eliminating an option making people switch to other bags, which might actually be more harmful for the environment. Reader support helps sustain our work. Cities and states across the country are banning plastic bags, but those bans may be having unintended consequences. AD READER: Is it 12:01am on November 1st? Made from fossil fuels 3. READ MORE. The ideal city bag policy would probably involve charging for paper and plastic single-use bags, as New York City has decided to do, while giving out reusable recycled-plastic bags to those who need them, especially to low-income communities and seniors. And then sometimes theres these added responses that are unintended. All that said, paper is made from trees, meaning paper bags contribute to deforestation. Instagram, Follow us on There are also some challenges regarding the design of such a policy, as Dr. Taylor explains. Some are funded by plastic industry groups, like the ironically named American Progressive Bag Alliance. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy. [slam the wrong buzz several times, then rewind] Okay, okay cracker? But are bans on plastic bags or reusable alternatives like tote or canvas bags viable solutions to the worlds plastic problem? What do they think this is, a Ritz quick scheme? How Can Soy Reduce Its Environmental Impact? Were trying to get these deep dives a little bit shorter so you can listen to the whole thing during your commute or workout or walking your grandpa or what have you, and also make it a little bit more manageable for our team. ETHAN: After we drill and frack and insert other PG13 sounding term here, we have to actually turn our fossil fuels into polyethylene. That's why any good plastic bag ban attempts to avoid a surge in paper bag use by also implementing a paper bag fee, ideally nudging shoppers to bring bags from home instead. You get merch, bonus content, and more. [wild west sting] 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. 2- From a retailer's perspective, the thin plastic bags are the most economical of all. 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. Thats right, I said it. But what I do know I find so fascinating. [wrong buzz, rewind] Cracker? The Australian study concluded that the best option appears to be a reusable bag, but one made from recycled plastic, not cotton. Anyway, at a cracker plant, they use extreme heat to crack the molecular bonds in the oil or gas to produce a new gas called ethylene. Theres no easy answer, says Eric Goldstein, New York City environment director for the Natural Resources Defense Council, which backed NYCs bag fee. Back to those three Rs we learned when we were in elementary school, the reduce the Reuse and Recycle. Last month, the New York City Council passed a 5-cent-per-bag fee on single-use bags handed out by most retailers. How do we do that? Now, for various reasons, political reasons, taxes are often not favored by politicians, because people dont like the word tax. In fact, eight states have gone so far as to ban single-use plastic bags, and over 200 counties and municipalities have enacted ordinances either imposing a fee on plastic bags or banning them. Banning Plastic Bags Is Great for the World, Right? NADJA: Will you at least go and talk to it? Maybe call the manager over or fly the CEO in on a helicopter or pull the fire alarm so everyone starts screaming and running. Monthly or one-time, donate now when all donations will be matched by a generous group of donors. [string music, inspired by What We Do In The Shadows]. TAYLOR: Yeah, I would love to see the conversation, sort of move more. 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. How do we make polyethylene? Thats right, nothing like getting high on your own supply. The only newsroom focused on exploring solutions at the intersection of climate and justice. What she finds is actually leave the bag bonuses really dont have an effect. 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. And so when we think about these policies, were balancing these different environmental objectives. There are also policy options that dont involve bans. [deep echoey filter] ITS INSATIABLE! Wait, sorry, wrong kind of cracker. In fact, 79 percent of microplastics sampled in the marine environment originated from polyethylene specifically. I also got retail data from the store on what people were purchasing, in particular, what kinds of garbage bags they were purchasing. Even then, the question remains as to whether single-use bags are necessarily always worse than reusable ones. Choking the oceans with Plastics. Over Half of the Worlds Penguin Species Are Threatened, A New Natural Gas Project in Mozambique Gives Locals All of the Costs and None of the Benefits. Not So Fast." The New York State Plastic Bag Task Force, convened by Governor Andrew Cuomo in March 2017, found that a hybrid ban on plastic bags along with a fee on alternatives is more effective than a simple ban. Solar and wind companies are coming to rural Texas. Both authors of these essays specifically speak about how the use of plastic can be harmful for the mother-nature, and have introduced ways to compensate this loss. There was a 72 percent drop in grocery bag litter in the state just one year after it was fully implemented. I mean, look at all the kids roaming the streets looking for water after eating a single Saltine. 12:48 PM PDT March 16, 2023. ETHAN: Another thing I wanted to bring up part of why I was so excited to talk to you is that there is the word behavioral economics in your work. Thats right, go get that bag. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of Peril and Promise or The WNET Group. A single mom, or someone working two jobs, is more likely to have to do her shopping in a rush on the way home from work than to go out specifically with a tote bag in hand. [bell ring] 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. Its been more than five years since single-use plastic bags like these were banned from grocery stores, a ban advocates say made strides for the environment. "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 . Even then, the question remains as to whether single-use bags are necessarily always worse than reusable ones. Now, obviously, there are still benefits of reducing our consumption of plastic. Known as one of the greenest commercial buildings in the world, since it opened its doors on Earth Day in 2013 the Bullitt Center has been setting a new standard for sustainable design. TAYLOR: Thanks. 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. Now, a new law hopes to take things a step further by banning these: single-use plastic pre-checkout bags that are not recyclable and can contaminate compost facilities. Amid fracking boom, Pennsylvania faces toxic wastewater reckoning. This paper in particular was interested in a California policy, which is a ban on thin plastic, carry out bags, and a fee for paper bags of about 10 cents, usually, sometimes five cents. 4 Absent the fee, which provides the economic incentive to bring reusable bags to the store, simple bans tend to shift consumers from one type . So the unintended consequences. Throwing This Out Here: Plastic Bags Are Amazing and You Should Appreciate Them More, Trash Is Ugly, But Recycling Is Downright Beautiful. ETHAN: When environmentalists talk about plastic bags though, its often not about the production process, but rather what happens after we throw them out. ETHAN: Like, come on, we dont need more toxic chemicals in one spot! PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Again, Im not referring to carbon emissions, Im talking nitrous oxide, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, smog, Sagittariuses, really bad stuff. I hardly know her! In accordance with the budge bill passed last year, New York State retailers will be banned from doling out single-use plastic bags, starting on March 1. Advocates for plastic bag bans often neglect to ask what will replace plastic bags and what the environmental impact of that replacement will be. Again, because this is what I tell people all the time. You can learn more at pbs.org/perilandpromise. 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. 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. But University of Sydneys Dr. Rebecca Taylor says not so fast. [knock on door, door creaks open, then Laszlo starts coughing uncontrollably]. With respect to the bonuses we talked about. I guess the name does make sense. But for UPROSE, that concern is outweighed by the negative impacts of plastic bags on disadvantaged communities. Banning Plastic Bags Is Great for the World, Right? Businesses may be reluctant to engage in default choice modification because customers might not realize the law and think theyre just getting bad service. (Cindy) Works Cited. Thats where this gets interesting. ETHAN: Why does all that matter? 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. Thats primarily because more energy is required to produce and transport paper bags. It is the essential source of information and ideas that make sense of a world in constant transformation. And beyond that, ethylene itself is a dangerous pollutant. And so its the sort of carrots versus sticks story, the sticks of the taxes seem to be much more effective than the carrots of the bonuses. California and Hawaii banned them, then New York. They say Hanukkah gets eight nights as if its special, but with Christmas, you get six whole months! And beyond that, ethylene itself is a dangerous pollutant. 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. I happen to have a peer-reviewed study that suggests otherwise. ETHAN: I think this paper that you did goes to a larger conversation about plastic because we do often zero in on specific products, will complain about straws or about bags or about bottles. Many supermarkets have experimented with bag bonuses trying to get people to reuse their either bags by giving them five cents, and they havent found them to be particularly effective. Some people still keep streaks, I think! And in particular, stores start offering thicker plastic bags and sticker paper bags for free. They are not the largest sources of plastic pollution Plastic waste is indeed a. Not So Fast' by Ben Adler & 'Choking the oceans with plastic' by Charles J. Moore. 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. Last month, the New York City Council passed a 5-cent-per-bag fee on single-use bags handed out by most retailers. Heres just one tiny example: Does the paper for paper bags come from a recycled paper mill on Staten Island or a virgin forest in northern Canada? 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. Come with external costs 9. How Do We Protect Them? India followed the UK with a . Thats one idea that Ive seen floated all over the internet. 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.