Archive for May 15th, 2009
Should grocery stores charge a fee if you want plastic bags? Green or Greed debate?
Posted by admin in Global Warming on May 15th, 2009

Where do we draw the line between the a green earth and greedy corporations?
Most people these days try and do their part to leave this planet somewhat healthy. Walk somewhere instead of taking a car, recycle their refuse and of course cut down on plastic use.
So now grocery stores are jumping in on helping mother earth (or so they claim). To do their part, some stores are now charging a fee if you want require a plastic bag. The stores are encouraging people to buy reusable bags to help cut down on the amount of plastic bags produced. If you go down to your local store, are you willing to pay 5-10 cents extra for every plastic bag you use?
At first glance one may say great, it is about time. If you give it more than a few minutes thought, a person may ask themselves a few things.
1) Where is the money collected from the plastic bags going?
2) If this is to save on using plastic bags, why have plastic bags at all. Why not only carry paper bags for their customers.
3) How much energy goes into making the reusable bags? Some contain a lot of plastic and do not look recyclable after you wear them out.
4) Wait a second, have we not been recycling those plastic bags already. Does this not help reduce the environmental impact?
Green or Greed? What are the true intentions and should they charge a fee for bags?
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