I ordered a drink at the New World cafe today (sitting down, not takeaway), which came with a paper straw. And a plastic cup.

Is it going to make a difference no, Is it going to make people feel that they doing something and say they have contributed yes.

Mspec:

 

Is it going to make a difference no, Is it going to make people feel that they doing something and say they have contributed yes.

 

In solitude probably not much but we NEED to start it is no longer optional, if we destroy the oceans and it's food chain we are doomed. The oceans are the foundation of OUR food chain. If you ever go out on a boat you will witness first hand what plastic is doing to this vital life support system. These thin bags travel large distances in air and in the water, they float below the surface in the main feed zone of the majority of marine life. They are mistaken for food and also become entangled in gills etc and on seabirds. 

it's a minor inconvenience to us but it is a slow agonizing death for many creatures both marine and land based.

MikeB4:

 

So you are ok with Whales, Dolphins, Turtles and other sea creatures having drawn out painful deaths so some can a thin plastic bag to take food home. All creatures are linked including Humans, we are destroying our oceans, when they die we will die.  Using re-useable bags is simple we have been doing it for years maybe I should write a how to. Honestly the opposition to the ban is a pathetic all about me attitude and bugger everyone and everything else. With that I am out.

 

Not sure what you do with your plastic bags, but mine go in the wheelie bin after they have been filled with rubbish, nappies etc...

The opposition to the ban, from me personally, is that is not going to achieve anything. The only benefits will be to the supermarkets who will now sell you a bag that was previously free. 

MileHighKiwi:

 

MikeB4:

 

So you are ok with Whales, Dolphins, Turtles and other sea creatures having drawn out painful deaths so some can a thin plastic bag to take food home. All creatures are linked including Humans, we are destroying our oceans, when they die we will die.  Using re-useable bags is simple we have been doing it for years maybe I should write a how to. Honestly the opposition to the ban is a pathetic all about me attitude and bugger everyone and everything else. With that I am out.

 

 

Not sure what you do with your plastic bags, but mine go in the wheelie bin after they have been filled with rubbish, nappies etc...

 

The opposition to the ban, from me personally, is that is not going to achieve anything. The only benefits will be to the supermarkets who will now sell you a bag that was previously free. 

 

They blow away very easily from land fills, trucks and bins. When airbourne they can get very high on thermals and travel large distances out to sea and into forests. When they land at sea they float below the surface in the feeding zone, the problem is well documented. You DO NOT have to use Countdown Bags at Countdown or NW bags at NW there is no real advantage to the grocery chain that really is a BS excuse, we use bags we purchased elsewhere and use them everywhere. Doing nothing of course guarantees that nothing will be achieved.

And those single use bags were never free, the chains are not that generous however the cost of using them is huge.

MileHighKiwi:

 

MikeB4:

 

So you are ok with Whales, Dolphins, Turtles and other sea creatures having drawn out painful deaths so some can a thin plastic bag to take food home. All creatures are linked including Humans, we are destroying our oceans, when they die we will die.  Using re-useable bags is simple we have been doing it for years maybe I should write a how to. Honestly the opposition to the ban is a pathetic all about me attitude and bugger everyone and everything else. With that I am out.

 

 

Not sure what you do with your plastic bags, but mine go in the wheelie bin after they have been filled with rubbish, nappies etc...

 

The opposition to the ban, from me personally, is that is not going to achieve anything. The only benefits will be to the supermarkets who will now sell you a bag that was previously free. 

 

For you, no change, but overall there will be an impact as the overall demand for bags will go down. There is no way the number of plastic bags purchased for bin liners etc will get anywhere near the multitudes of single use bags that were historically doled out by the supermarkets.

MikeB4:

 

In solitude probably not much but we NEED to start it is no longer optional, if we destroy the oceans and it's food chain we are doomed. The oceans are the foundation of OUR food chain. If you ever go out on a boat you will witness first hand what plastic is doing to this vital life support system. These thin bags travel large distances in air and in the water, they float below the surface in the main feed zone of the majority of marine life. They are mistaken for food and also become entangled in gills etc and on seabirds. 

 

it's a minor inconvenience to us but it is a slow agonizing death for many creatures both marine and land based.

 

Whilst I agree with the sentiment that we all need to do more, I think that this has been hyped out of all proportion. People have this image of a vast floating garbage heap the size of Australia made up of plastic bags.

The reality is that the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is the area where there are 4 or more particles of plastic per cubic metre of seawater. That's 4 particles, not 4 plastic bags. In a ton of sea water. The bounds of this "island" is an arbitrary line where it changes from 4 to 3 particles. There doesn't seem to be any rationale about why 4 is bad and 3 is good; it's just an arbitrary number. Cynically, I suspect that it's lower edge of what is detectable.

Similarly, the idea that these plastic bags last forever, or thousands of years. I have the remains of some old plastic grocery bags in my attic (I had used them to hold some old documents). The plastic bags have disintegrated to powder in a couple of years. I also re-use 2L ice cream containers; these seem to break down after a year or so. Whilst the particles that the plastic breaks down to may last for thousands of years, the same goes for sand.

Mspec:

 

Is it going to make a difference no, Is it going to make people feel that they doing something and say they have contributed yes.

 

Yes it is going to make a difference. Over time behaviour will change and attitudes will adjust. Acceptance for other necessary changes will increase. There will be fewer people like you who don't see the point. It is an incremental process.

MikeB4:

 

Mspec:

 

Is it going to make a difference no, Is it going to make people feel that they doing something and say they have contributed yes.

 

 

 

 

In solitude probably not much but we NEED to start it is no longer optional, if we destroy the oceans and it's food chain we are doomed. The oceans are the foundation of OUR food chain. If you ever go out on a boat you will witness first hand what plastic is doing to this vital life support system. These thin bags travel large distances in air and in the water, they float below the surface in the main feed zone of the majority of marine life. They are mistaken for food and also become entangled in gills etc and on seabirds. 

 

it's a minor inconvenience to us but it is a slow agonizing death for many creatures both marine and land based.

 

I worked at sea for 27 years (all over the world) and I never once seen what the media is portraying , What I have seen though is the utter cr*p that we pump into our oceans from our town's and citys, Opps cannot go swimming today because of a overflow of effluence  directly into the ocean , how about the intensive dairy farming screwing all the water ways opps cannot go swimming in most of our rivers now because they are knackered.

The list can go on and on but banning single use plastic bags here is going to have zero impact on anything. Bigger stuff that would have a better impact should be targeted. This oh we have to start somewhere is utter BS go big or just go home.

Rikkitic:

 

Mspec:

 

Is it going to make a difference no, Is it going to make people feel that they doing something and say they have contributed yes.

 

 

Yes it is going to make a difference. Over time behaviour will change and attitudes will adjust. Acceptance for other necessary changes will increase. There will be fewer people like you who don't see the point. It is an incremental process.

 

 

 

As I just said in my precious reply. No it won't make any difference what so ever. Its to late to p*iss around on small stuff , as I said go big or go home.

We have witnessed the crying over the minor percieved inconvenience of removing one group of bags , imagine the hysteria if a large chunk of plastics were banned. It's pathetic really. I believe that mankind will never wake up beceause mankind is way to selfish. its teh all about me and bugger anything and anyone else.

Mspec:

 

As I just said in my precious reply. No it won't make any difference what so ever. Its to late to p*iss around on small stuff , as I said go big or go home.

 

How do you expect to get support for going big when we can't even get people like you to go small?

Having said that, I heartily agree with your observations regarding sewerage and dairy. New Zealand became 'wealthy' by hiding the real cost of its income-generating activities and deferring that for future generations to pay off. Guess what, people? We are future generations.

Rikkitic:

 

Mspec:

 

As I just said in my precious reply. No it won't make any difference what so ever. Its to late to p*iss around on small stuff , as I said go big or go home.

 

 

How do you expect to get support for going big when we can't even get people like you to go small?

 

Having said that, I heartily agree with your observations regarding sewerage and dairy. New Zealand became 'wealthy' by hiding the real cost of its income-generating activities and deferring that for future generations to pay off. Guess what, people? We are future generations.

 

 

 

 

 

I did not say I was against it I just said it would make no difference which it wont, better off using time resources and money on things that really would make a difference.

Mspec:

 

Rikkitic:

 

Mspec:

 

As I just said in my precious reply. No it won't make any difference what so ever. Its to late to p*iss around on small stuff , as I said go big or go home.

 

 

How do you expect to get support for going big when we can't even get people like you to go small?

 

Having said that, I heartily agree with your observations regarding sewerage and dairy. New Zealand became 'wealthy' by hiding the real cost of its income-generating activities and deferring that for future generations to pay off. Guess what, people? We are future generations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I did not say I was against it I just said it would make no difference which it wont, better off using time resources and money on things that really would make a difference.

 

What time and resources are being used tonot produce, not to distribute and not to dispose of an item?

MikeB4:

 

Mspec:

 

Rikkitic:

 

Mspec:

 

As I just said in my precious reply. No it won't make any difference what so ever. Its to late to p*iss around on small stuff , as I said go big or go home.

 

 

How do you expect to get support for going big when we can't even get people like you to go small?

 

Having said that, I heartily agree with your observations regarding sewerage and dairy. New Zealand became 'wealthy' by hiding the real cost of its income-generating activities and deferring that for future generations to pay off. Guess what, people? We are future generations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I did not say I was against it I just said it would make no difference which it wont, better off using time resources and money on things that really would make a difference.

 

 

What time and resources are being used tonot produce, not to distribute and not to dispose of an item?

 

They are still going to be produced regardless of if we use them or not, none of them are made in nz they are all imported, Suppliers from overseas could care less if we import them or not we would make up less than .1 % of their overall sales. All I am saying is all the money that was spent by the government on putting the ban in place the money would have been better spent on something that is really going to make a difference.

Do i see a few bags around the place yes of course I do but I see a lot worse around than supermarket shopping bags.