If China can ditch plastic bags, why can’t we?
January 11, 2008
Posted by CindyW in : Opinions & Thoughts , trackback
A couple of weeks ago, I lamented that China had a higher passenger vehicle fuel efficiency standard than the U.S. Chinese regulations require vehicle fuel efficiency of 43 mpg, starting this year. Our brand new “ground breaking” energy bill mandates that the average fuel efficiency level for vehicles sold in the U.S. increases to 35 miles per gallon by 2020.
In a smaller but still symbolic step, this Tuesday China launched a surprise crackdown on plastic bags, banning production of ultra-thin bags and forbidding its supermarkets and shops from handing out free carriers from June 1. Every day, China uses about 3 billion plastic bags. 37 million barrels of crude oil must be refined every year to make plastic bags. CNN reported that “When the ban goes into effect, China will join countries such as Uganda and South Africa.”
The supermarkets are still allowed to sell more hefty plastic bags to consumers, though the price has to be marked clearly on the bag. Already, in a very recent consumer poll, “When asked if they will use a cloth bag instead of plastic ones, 52 percent said they will (use a cloth bag).”
By no means I am implying that China is doing better than the U.S. when it comes to protecting the environment. China has a long windy way to go in order to catch up with many environmental standards in the west. But I can’t help but ask this question – if China can do it, why can’t we?
Since virtually everything is made in China, including a huge quantity of plastic bags, perhaps their ban will reduce our usage somewhat?
So far San Francisco is the only city in the U.S. that outlaws plastic checkout bags at supermarkets. But the concept is gaining more ground. Michelle at Green Bean Dreams saw a small local victory in the plastic bag fight. Apparently her local Whole Foods no longer offers plastic bags as an option. The company is phasing out plastic bags nation-wide.
Before a state-wide or a nation-wide plastic bag scenario changes, remember to bring your own bags. Small steps add to big changes.
CindyW at Organicpicks
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Comments»
Wow, that’s embarassing that China is passing us up yet again in terms of environmental measures. There is no reason in the world that we can’t at least significantly reduce our plastic bag usage. When bringing your own bags, remember to re-use your plastic produce bags and/or invest in some eco produce bags.
http://www.ecobags.com/Our_Products/Produce_Bags;jsessionid=ac112b2a1f4379791f54482b4ddf805dbddb1f4d157e.e3eSbNyQc3mLe34Pa38Ta38Ra3f0
You’ll feel positive European stuffing your little netted bag full of apples, oranges, what have you.
Thats nothing, Germany’s VW makes a turbo bio-diesel/electric hybrid car that gets 90 mpg and we still sell Hummers!
I really cant believe that you are praising the chinese….. they say they have a fuel economy mandate of 43 mgp ( which I believe is a propogandic lie) hello…..tienamen square…..they kill protesters and dissenters. In China its illegal to protest, its illegal to attend church, its illegal to speak out against the government. As for the government…China is the worst polluter int he world. There factories make ours look like surgery rooms.
So to ask your own question….If China can do it why cant we? Your so fast to put down the USA that you would lift up a communist tyrannical government
Uncle B: I think it is all about providing enough financial incentives for people to drive fuel efficient vehicles. The recent sharp rise of gas price is an effective disincentive. If that can be coupled with positive incentive for driving a more fuel efficient vehicle (e.g., Carpool lane stickers and tax break in California), there will definitely be a lot more smaller and fuel efficient cars on the U.S. road.
I Snider: Thanks for leaving your opinion on our blog. I think we are living in a global environment. Every country has its responsibility to our planet. It is undeniable that China has many human rights and environmental issues. However if China does something better, why shouldn’t we learn from them? I have never stated in my post that China should be our model and that it is not a serious polluter. The mandate of 43 mpg is from The International Council on Clean Transportation, an international council with the goal of “dramatically improving the environmental performance and efficiency of cars, trucks, buses, and transportation systems in order to protect and improve public health, the environment, and quality of life.” The ICCT is sponsored by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the Energy Foundation. So the 43 mpg statement is hardly a propaganda. In any case, we obviously have some philosophical differences. I will cheer for any country for making an effort to improve its environment because that is how we are going to solve global environmental issues.
43 MPG is good deal but till; not enough!!! We in the USA need to get off of oil.. However i believe that is coming 2 pass. We need to add a lot of incentives for developing different energies. I believe the market will dictate what kind of vehicles we produce . In todays world with gas looking at 5$ a gal and diesel pushing 6 a gallon. A hummer will be worth the price of scrap metal..at these prices does it make sense to wait until 10 yrs go by to raise fuel efficiency?? Good thinking HUH ???
BECAUSE COMMUNISM TAKES ORDERS FROM ONE AND WE HAVE A CHOICE. INFACT PLASTIC BAGS ARE BEING PULLED BECAUSE OF STUPIDITY. SOMEONE SAYS A ANIMAL DIED FROM SUFFOCATION OF A PLASTIC BAG. THATS IRRESPONSIBILITY. MOST OF EVERYONE THAT USES PLASTIC BAGS IS VERY RESPONSIBLE, BUT THERE ARE ALWAYS SOME WHO ARE NOT. I PLAN TO KEEP USEING PLASTIC BAGS. IF WE STOP USEING A GOOD THING EACH TIME SOMEONE DOES’NT LIKE SOMETHING WE WOULD’NT BE FREE TO USE WHAT WE LIKE, WE’D BE CONFINED TO SOMEONE ELSES STUPIDITY. I’M A FREE AMERICAN AND I LIKE PLASTIC BAGS AND PLAN TO CONTINUE USEING THEM.
Michael: Bangaladesh banned plastic bags because they clogged up their sewage systems and worsened their flood draining. If you go to Mexico, you can see almost every tree by the roads is “decorated” by plastic bags. I am traveling right now, a part of my travel includes China. So I have the first hand experience about this “communist” country and its plastic usage. I think you have to be in a country to understand the reality that is not through another channel of propaganda. Much to my disappointment, most merchants in China have not implemented the “plastic bag” policy by large. That defies your perception of “taking order from one”. The reality is that China is for the most part a capitalist society with less political freedom than the west. It is a capitalist society (in an economic sense) with much less than perfect regulations.
Anyway, I just want to point out that nothing is black and white. You obviously have the freedom of using plastic bags as you wish. In fact, you have the freedom to pollute the eartch as much as you wish within legal bounds. But to say that plastic bags have a bad reputation solely because a bag once killed an animal seems to be stuff of myth circulated by contrarians.