tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4455700514377143758.post6288034132715132746..comments2024-03-28T07:00:06.844+00:00Comments on Now Appearing: Checkout hellBrian Clegghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12723555872580740773noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4455700514377143758.post-48095205353651108072008-10-13T15:11:00.000+01:002008-10-13T15:11:00.000+01:00Thanks, Simon, I'll watch out for Liz!We could cer...Thanks, Simon, I'll watch out for Liz!<BR/><BR/>We could certainly do with sensible alternatives on the shelves, so we don't need to use plastic bags for binliners and poo bags, if we don't want to. I've seen it suggested that we use newspapers, but a) they really don't make good bags, and b) I don't subscribe to a newspaper, so I'd have to buy one (bye-bye trees) just for the purpose, which seems counter-productive.<BR/><BR/>Of course, another problem is that the solutions tend not to be tailored to local needs. I was talking to the local council guy in charge of recycling. He said they'd prefer it if people used more plastic bags and less biodegradable bags, because in this area they have huge landfill capacity, but don't want the greenhouse gas emissions that come from biodegradable bags breaking down.<BR/><BR/>Now all I need is a solution to the girl guide problem...Brian Clegghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12723555872580740773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4455700514377143758.post-13928579059700470112008-10-13T12:55:00.000+01:002008-10-13T12:55:00.000+01:00Nice rant Brian! You should pick the till with Liz...Nice rant Brian! You should pick the till with Liz on it next time they ask you how many bags... Not that she'd do anything dishonest. What we should do is ban plastic bags. I believe Rwanda has... The blooming things are all over the place here. I'm in Dhaka at the moment and the street kids go around filling bags full of them presumably for recycling...? They blow around like those bushes you see in cowboy movies... Rather worryingly the same people refill water bottles... Make sure they are properly sealed next time you buy some water!v8villagerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10045391830656744910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4455700514377143758.post-8958295336471880792008-10-13T10:58:00.001+01:002008-10-13T10:58:00.001+01:00Ha! Nothing like a good rant. The other day a pack...Ha! Nothing like a good rant. The other day a pack of girl guides reported back to their akela (or whoever) and said they'd done a good deed - help that nice Mr Clegg pack his shopping. "But why did it tale all 537 of you?" she asked. "Because he didn't want any help," they said, "and it took most of us to hold him down".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4455700514377143758.post-51249918715368622312008-10-13T10:58:00.000+01:002008-10-13T10:58:00.000+01:00Bob - it's not just not quite the same thing, it's...Bob - it's not just not quite the same thing, it's not at all the same thing. <BR/><BR/>What the BBC is citing is usage of disposable carrier bags decreasing by 90%. However sales of binliners etc. shot up, and (I admit, I am doing this from memory, and can't be bothered to look up the source) overall plastic film use increased.Brian Clegghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12723555872580740773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4455700514377143758.post-53392950005173524732008-10-13T10:17:00.000+01:002008-10-13T10:17:00.000+01:00When Ireland enforced this a few years ago, the co...<I>When Ireland enforced this a few years ago, the country consumed more of the film used to make plastic bags, not less.</I><BR/>I'm curious to see the figures on this. Wiki cites the BBC as saying that plastic bag usage decreased by 90%, but of course that's not quite the same thing. A comparison would also need to be made with other countries: I suspect the amount of packaging has increased elsewhere too.Bob O'Harahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09924796617668384141noreply@blogger.com