Single use plastic bags to be banned.

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#2071374 10-Aug-2018 14:47

scuwp:

Well intentioned, and I am not against the idea, but it won't make a jot of difference to the environment. NZ was never the problem when it came to ocean pollution with plastics, and people will just go out any buy plastic bags for bin liners, dog droppings, and everything else these 'multi-use' bags were used for so it will achieve absolutely zilch, other than create 'look at me' headlines for the politicians.

I don't agree.

Our local supermarket banned plastic bags months ago, there's been a huge decline in visible "littering" in the area that has to be more than coincidence. Those bags blow around, out of recycle bins. They hang in trees in parks, on fences, get into the stormwater and end up on the foreshore.

While that might not be significant globally, it surely is to the local environment - and even if that's mainly visual, it still matters to me.

Not sure why, but there's also a wind-trap in a corner at the local supermarket that would create a vortex of litter - not just the occasional supermarket bag, but the paper receipts, lolly wrappers, all kinds of crap. That's stopped too - it looks as clean as a whistle. Unless there's some other reason I've missed, I suspect the ban has influenced littering behaviour for the better.

I can only speak for myself, but while the supermarket one-use plastic bag ban might not be "the" answer, it does help keep the matter more "top of mind", the inconvenience of having to remember to throw the reusable bags back into the car is a constant reminder, I'm probably taking a little more care with the stuff I buy at the supermarket as a result.

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#2071376 10-Aug-2018 14:52

Fred99:

scuwp:

Well intentioned, and I am not against the idea, but it won't make a jot of difference to the environment. NZ was never the problem when it came to ocean pollution with plastics, and people will just go out any buy plastic bags for bin liners, dog droppings, and everything else these 'multi-use' bags were used for so it will achieve absolutely zilch, other than create 'look at me' headlines for the politicians.

I don't agree.

Our local supermarket banned plastic bags months ago, there's been a huge decline in visible "littering" in the area that has to be more than coincidence. Those bags blow around, out of recycle bins. They hang in trees in parks, on fences, get into the stormwater and end up on the foreshore.

While that might not be significant globally, it surely is to the local environment - and even if that's mainly visual, it still matters to me.

Not sure why, but there's also a wind-trap in a corner at the local supermarket that would create a vortex of litter - not just the occasional supermarket bag, but the paper receipts, lolly wrappers, all kinds of crap. That's stopped too - it looks as clean as a whistle. Unless there's some other reason I've missed, I suspect the ban has influenced littering behaviour for the better.

I can only speak for myself, but while the supermarket one-use plastic bag ban might not be "the" answer, it does help keep the matter more "top of mind", the inconvenience of having to remember to throw the reusable bags back into the car is a constant reminder, I'm probably taking a little more care with the stuff I buy at the supermarket as a result.

or the supermarket has decided to keep the area clean

Common sense is not as common as you think.

trig42

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#2071381 10-Aug-2018 14:58

Our local Supermarket (Countdown) stopped giving Single Use plastic bags when it relocated a couple of years ago into a new store.

Everyone with a One Card got given 5 of their reusable bags at that time (so the Wife and I got 10) and we've been given a few more since then. We keep them in the boot of the car, and now it is just second nature to take them into the supermarket with us, and we now also take them to other stores as well.

I haven't heard any grumbling and moaning about missing free bags at the supermarket, except sometimes in summer when a tourist gets caught out by it. Most of them seem fine with it too.

I do feel, however, that they could do more about the amount of plastic they themselves (Countdown) use. All Deli, fish, bulk bin, fruit and veg and meat are in single use plastics still. They need to do something about the packaging. (We take reusable cotton bags for produce, but still have to buy the meat and deli items in plastic bags).

DarthKermit

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#2071382 10-Aug-2018 15:02

I sometimes take my elderly neighbour's newspaper in for her (The Manawatu Standard). All home delivered newspapers from the Stuff group are individually wrapped in clear plastic. These guys need to look at a better solution, methinks.

Talkiet

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#2071388 10-Aug-2018 15:17

Aliexpress...

https://goo.gl/SXMBUu

I'm not saying I _DEFINITELY_ will buy these... but I'll never remember to bring re-usable bags with me to the supermarket (I often stop in on a whim instead of taking a trip) but I WOULD remember to make sure that the car always had a couple hundred plastic bags in it.

Yes, I could try and remember to keep reusable bags in the car as a norm, but meh.

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

allan

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#2071391 10-Aug-2018 15:25

DarthKermit:

I sometimes take my elderly neighbour's newspaper in for her (The Manawatu Standard). All home delivered newspapers from the Stuff group are individually wrapped in clear plastic. These guys need to look at a better solution, methinks.

Used to be wrapped in waxed paper prior to that. Not sure if that's better or worse.

Back in my day as a "paper boy", no wrapping was required of course. Hand delivered to the letterbox, or taken to the back door in anticipation of afternoon tea, or handsome tips at Christmas

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#2071397 10-Aug-2018 15:34

Pumpedd:

It was brown sturdy paper bags. Sure, they wern't perfect but acceptable. Why are we not going back to them? They are surely far more environmentally friendly that reusable bags?

You obviously haven't read about the environmental debate over paper bags and the fact many believe they have a much higher carbon footprint than plastic bags. It's become pretty topical again in the UK with Morrisons introducing them again last month for loose produce and being slammed by many environmental groups for doing so.

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#2071399 10-Aug-2018 15:36

trig42:

I do feel, however, that they could do more about the amount of plastic they themselves (Countdown) use. All Deli, fish, bulk bin, fruit and veg and meat are in single use plastics still. They need to do something about the packaging. (We take reusable cotton bags for produce, but still have to buy the meat and deli items in plastic bags).

What do you suggest as a solution?

Talkiet

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#2071403 10-Aug-2018 15:38

Presumably these groups won't be happy until we're all converted to veganism and growing our own fruit and vegetables at home, only venturing into the village centres for organic non GMO seeds on our sustainably grown bamboo bicycles.

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

clevedon

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#2071406 10-Aug-2018 15:42

I see the Countdown online home delivery service is going to paper bags.

MurrayM

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#2071410 10-Aug-2018 15:47

Sounddude:

MurrayM:

I've seen those but wondered how they work in practice once you fill them up and get to the checkout. You start removing the items from the bags and the checkout operator starts scanning the items and then where does the scanned items go? Not back into the bags because they're still full of stuff that you're emptying out onto the conveyor belt. Or is the idea that you have to completely empty the bags out before the operator can start scanning the items and putting the items back into the bags (surely this would slow things down and be impractical for people that buy lots of stuff that couldn't all fit on the conveyor belt at once)?

Store the bags in the back of the trolley so you re putting all your food directly into the trolley. When you get to the counter, put the bags into new trolley, set them up and get the goods loaded into them. (We use pack and save so it works very well).

Ok, that makes more sense. I was under the impression that you were meant to load your grocery items directly into the bags while you were doing your shopping.

I've shopped at Pack n' Save for a few years and never had any problem remembering to bring some bags with me. It's now part of my shopping process:

Poke around fridge and pantry to figure out what I need and use shopping app on phone to record list
Grab bags out of cupboard
Jump in car and head to supermarket
Do shopping, being careful to only buy what's on the list and not be tempted by yummy looking sauces and snacks
Go back home and unpack everything
Put bags back in cupboard

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#2071412 10-Aug-2018 15:56

Kyanar:

The Queensland experience would tend to indicate supermarkets may need to invest in a temporary increase in security guards - we have literally had instances of checkout girls in tears while customers scream at them about why they are being charged 15c for thicker plastic bags.

Though New Zealanders are more used to it already what with Pak n Save having charged 10c a bag since forever.

Not to mention Coles backtracking last week on their initial decision to not offer plastic bags at all due to the massive numbers of complaints from customers and then within 24 hours backtracking again on that decision due to social media outrage at their backtracking.

MileHighKiwi

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#2071413 10-Aug-2018 15:57

allio:

The way I see it, our role as a progressive small country is to show the rest of the world that it can be done. Because we're small, it is much easier for us to make this change than it is for the US, or India, or China. Why would those countries even try if the rest of the world hasn't? Imagine a politician in the US trying to gather support for real environmental change when even "clean, green New Zealand" hasn't done it. We can force their hands by leading by example.

Like when all the super powers abandoned nuclear weapons and power stations because we said no to nukes?

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#2071415 10-Aug-2018 15:57

Lastman:
DarthKermit:

It's overall a good thing to ban them and reduce our overall use of plastic and plastic packaging. However to call them single use is actually inaccurate.

Using them again, for something like a bin liner, is more a convenience, surely.

There's no reasonnot to take most of them back to the supermarket next week and load them up with another lot of groceries.

MileHighKiwi

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#2071416 10-Aug-2018 15:58

MurrayM:

Ok, that makes more sense. I was under the impression that you were meant to load your grocery items directly into the bags while you were doing your shopping.

I've shopped at Pack n' Save for a few years and never had any problem remembering to bring some bags with me. It's now part of my shopping process:

Poke around fridge and pantry to figure out what I need and use shopping app on phone to record list
Grab bags out of cupboard
Jump in car and head to supermarket
Do shopping, being careful to only buy what's on the list and not be tempted by yummy looking sauces and snacks
Go back home and unpack everything
Put bags back in cupboard

My Pak n Save has shop and Go. I pack directly in to reusable bags, I get re-scanned occasionally and its a minor inconvenience unpacking and packing again but it happens like 3 times a year.

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