Just say no! to recycling!

seriously, wtf?

I'd make a joke about him having second offenders for dinner, but he's too busy feeding the worms.

Guess they better take paper when asked "paper or plastic?"

Following year's headline:

AIDS infections shoot through the roof after plastic bags banned in Uganda.

So wait, if they're time travelers from the first half of next year they have to go to jail or be fined, but people from any other time period are exempt? Sounds a little narrow-focused to me.

/DRTFA

Lots of places are looking at similar laws - I know out here in Hawaii various islands are talking about banning them.

The *only* advantage plastic bags have is that they're terribly light - so if you're a big chain store and go through thousands of bags a week, the cost of having them shipped in is low.

Other than that? Yeah, they suck. Not very reusable, not very recyclable (you can recycle that kind of plastic into something else maybe once if you're lucky), made from nasty stuff, making them probably releases nasty stuff, and yeah, they wind up in landfills - or, here in the islands, end up in the oceans where sea turtles think they're tasty delicious jellyfish.

Some stores (Aldi, Lidl) especially in Europe are like "oh, you need a bag? that'll be a few cents more." Encourages people to bring their own bags, or reuse bags. Two stores I shop at just don't DO bags - you're expected to bring your own, or to have a vehicle outside you can load stuff into (one of the stores is a warehouse store).

Oh, and just about every store in my town now has recycled plastic tote bags available for a buck or two, just in case you don't already have tons of bags.

In Uganda's case, they should be able to make bags from cloth or plant fiber instead, and yeah, everything they say about plastic bags ending up in trash mounds and stuff is true - been there, seen it. Worse yet, the trash mounds are usually smoldering. Hooray for burning plastic.

There is a great make.com article about someone turning all those bags into woven rope. Really strong too, apparently.

12.fl.oz.: How could they afford a $1500 fine?

Yeah... that's a LOT of money there. Like, you could have a decent job in government, nice apartment, car... and $1500 might still be like 3 months pay for you.

Wait 1500 dollars OR 3 years in prision. I'll pay the 1500.

Clearly plastic is Uganda's biggest problem...

dbirchall: Lots of places are looking at similar laws - I know out here in Hawaii various islands are talking about banning them.

In Ireland, there's a 22 cent tax for each one, which means that almost no one actually uses them any more. Very reasonable and effective environmental measure. $1500 fines and jail terms, not so much.

SolarisMarketing: So wait, if they're time travelers from the first half of next year they have to go to jail or be fined, but people from any other time period are exempt? Sounds a little narrow-focused to me.

/DRTFA
Haven't you heard? 2010-model plastic bags will be particularly eco-unfriendly. Kyle Reese told me so.

I guess the Ugandan Paper Bag Lobbyist have finally won...

I'm waiting on betting that the liberals will want to ban all plastic. I give it another 50 or so years.

If someone is using plastic bags from early 2010, then they are clearly in cahoots with Doc Brown.

Michael10101: Wait 1500 dollars OR 3 years in prision. I'll pay the 1500.

Not if you live in Uganda and 1500$ is you salary for those 3 years.

dbirchall: Lots of places are looking at similar laws - I know out here in Hawaii various islands are talking about banning them.

The *only* advantage plastic bags have is that they're terribly light - so if you're a big chain store and go through thousands of bags a week, the cost of having them shipped in is low.

Other than that? Yeah, they suck. Not very reusable, not very recyclable (you can recycle that kind of plastic into something else maybe once if you're lucky), made from nasty stuff, making them probably releases nasty stuff, and yeah, they wind up in landfills - or, here in the islands, end up in the oceans where sea turtles think they're tasty delicious jellyfish.

Some stores (Aldi, Lidl) especially in Europe are like "oh, you need a bag? that'll be a few cents more." Encourages people to bring their own bags, or reuse bags. Two stores I shop at just don't DO bags - you're expected to bring your own, or to have a vehicle outside you can load stuff into (one of the stores is a warehouse store).

Oh, and just about every store in my town now has recycled plastic tote bags available for a buck or two, just in case you don't already have tons of bags.

In Uganda's case, they should be able to make bags from cloth or plant fiber instead, and yeah, everything they say about plastic bags ending up in trash mounds and stuff is true - been there, seen it. Worse yet, the trash mounds are usually smoldering. Hooray for burning plastic.

This is true, except that the alternative they offer us (reusable bags, made from the very same plastic as the plastic bags) aren't better.

Teafortwo:
This is true, except that the alternative they offer us (reusable bags, made from the very same plastic as the plastic bags) aren't better.

Only if you're throwing away the reusable bags.

/Needs a good "You're doing it wrong" image.

skinink: "Paper or jailtime?"

Reusable bags are awesome. More roomy than the plastic bags and much easier to carry.

Great! Can I borrow a few to pick up my dog's shiat?

Goldeneye007: I'm waiting on betting that the liberals will want to ban all plastic. I give it another 50 or so years.

Yeah yeah, everything is the liberals' fault, conservatives are alway right, we should all be able to do anything we want no matter how it affects anyone else, Constitutional, PETA, blah blah blah.

Seriously. What's left of the "conservatives" in this country is nothing but a bunch of stupid, whiney douchebags.

they came first for the plastic bags, And I didn't speak up because I don't use plastic bags;

And then they came for the wire hangars, And I didn't speak up because I don't use wire hangars;

And then... they came for me... And by that time there was no one left to speak up.

Teafortwo: This is true, except that the alternative they offer us (reusable bags, made from the very same plastic as the plastic bags) aren't better.

If you want to look into the facts... the reusable bags they sell you for $1 must last 200 times in order to be more green than the thin bags they replace. I haven't seen any last any where near that long. The are also not recyclable since they are a mix of the wrong kinds of plastic so unless you can remove the thread and ink, the green bags will end up in the landfill... unless they end up in the rivers like they do around here at about the same ratio as the stores are distributing them. I think this is yet another sign of shortsighted green enthusiasm.

Plastic bags are a waste and cause a big mess. The big plastic trash island in the Pacific is real. We really have to be more responsible. How hard is it to bring your own bag or at least reuse the plastic bags?

/not a liberal environmentalist nut.

you guys act like a country raped and pilaged by europeans can afford high quality recycling facilities. first they would have to return the favor and rape and pilleage europe to make up for 200 years of colonialism...

so why not solve the problem by removing it from the equation in the first place? plastic bags and even paper bags are a waste of resources, yes we all use them but re-usable items like hemp or cloth bags are much more environmental in the long run. also leaves us with plastic and oil to use elsewhere.

pre-1940s nobody used plastic bags. pre-1900s everyone used cloth bags.

sometimes we gotta go backwards to go forwards.

Flashbach to the Environmentalist, circa 1984;

"We all have to start using these new plastic bags! Our reckless use of all the paper bags is deforesting the planet, and destroying the earth!"

When people like me asked about them clogging landfills when they don't degrade, We were told to shut the hell up like they do with allot of the other wonderful plans they keep pulling our of their asses.

MadAzza: skinink: "Paper or jailtime?"

Reusable bags are awesome. More roomy than the plastic bags and much easier to carry.

Great! Can I borrow a few to pick up my dog's shiat?

Heh. Or you can not be a cheap ass yuppie, and go buy something to scoop up your dog's crap. Or teach your dog to use the toilet.

Mr. McGuire: I want to say one word to you. Just one word.
Benjamin: Yes, sir.
Mr. McGuire: Are you listening?
Benjamin: Yes, I am.
Mr. McGuire: Plastics.

I got takeout Chinese in Toronto this week and had to pay 5 cents a bag. New bylaw.

skinink: MadAzza: skinink: "Paper or jailtime?"

Reusable bags are awesome. More roomy than the plastic bags and much easier to carry.

Great! Can I borrow a few to pick up my dog's shiat?

Heh. Or you can not be a cheap ass yuppie, and go buy something to scoop up your dog's crap. Or teach your dog to use the toilet.

Not that hard for a Japanese style toilet. Harder with the Western kind, but doable with plywood and patience. And for those of you who need plastic to touch shiat, grow a pair. You bought the dog, it eats shiat and licks your face already. Better stinky fingers than the shiat already on your face. Use paper.

skinink: MadAzza: skinink: "Paper or jailtime?"

Reusable bags are awesome. More roomy than the plastic bags and much easier to carry.

Great! Can I borrow a few to pick up my dog's shiat?

Heh. Or you can not be a cheap ass yuppie, and go buy something to scoop up your dog's crap. Or teach your dog to use the toilet.

Not sure where you get "cheap-ass" or "yuppie" out of "responsible dog owner," but hey, whatever makes you feel superior.

My 12-year-old arthritic mutt with two herniated disks is not going to use the toilet. So after I scoop up the shiat, where do i put it? Just toss it into the park's trash bin, unwrapped? No, because I'm not an asshole.

I often, but not always, reusable bags for grocery shopping; I get poop bags from friends and coworkers who don't. But the strident anti-plastic folks haven't thought things through. Too busy insulting those who have, apparently.

I meant "reuse," not "reusable" in that last paragraph. Duh.

MadAzza: skinink: MadAzza: skinink: "Paper or jailtime?"

Reusable bags are awesome. More roomy than the plastic bags and much easier to carry.

Great! Can I borrow a few to pick up my dog's shiat?

Heh. Or you can not be a cheap ass yuppie, and go buy something to scoop up your dog's crap. Or teach your dog to use the toilet.

Not sure where you get "cheap-ass" or "yuppie" out of "responsible dog owner," but hey, whatever makes you feel superior.

My 12-year-old arthritic mutt with two herniated disks is not going to use the toilet. So after I scoop up the shiat, where do i put it? Just toss it into the park's trash bin, unwrapped? No, because I'm not an asshole.

I often, but not always, reusable bags for grocery shopping; I get poop bags from friends and coworkers who don't. But the strident anti-plastic folks haven't thought things through. Too busy insulting those who have, apparently.

Here ya go

i agree... as a dog owner i save all the bags and reuse them for dog shiat. biodegradable bags are nice... but thats about .000001% of the landfill's problems. we need longterm solutions.

dogshiat in a dog park kills off the environment too.

What would Idi Amin do?

taobananaboat: MadAzza: skinink: MadAzza: skinink: "Paper or jailtime?"

Reusable bags are awesome. More roomy than the plastic bags and much easier to carry.

Great! Can I borrow a few to pick up my dog's shiat?

Heh. Or you can not be a cheap ass yuppie, and go buy something to scoop up your dog's crap. Or teach your dog to use the toilet.

Not sure where you get "cheap-ass" or "yuppie" out of "responsible dog owner," but hey, whatever makes you feel superior.

My 12-year-old arthritic mutt with two herniated disks is not going to use the toilet. So after I scoop up the shiat, where do i put it? Just toss it into the park's trash bin, unwrapped? No, because I'm not an asshole.

I often, but not always, reusable bags for grocery shopping; I get poop bags from friends and coworkers who don't. But the strident anti-plastic folks haven't thought things through. Too busy insulting those who have, apparently.

Here ya go

Thanks! I knew they were out there. I live on an island (Oahu) that probably will soon ban plastic bags because of problems with sea turtles and other marine life, so I'll definitely be seeking out more alternatives to the dreaded grocery store bags. Of course, if the local culture here discouraged littering rather than enthusiastically participating in it, the stray bags clogging our waterways and floating over our streets wouldn't be such a big problem.

DON.MAC: Teafortwo: This is true, except that the alternative they offer us (reusable bags, made from the very same plastic as the plastic bags) aren't better.

If you want to look into the facts... the reusable bags they sell you for $1 must last 200 times in order to be more green than the thin bags they replace. I haven't seen any last any where near that long. The are also not recyclable since they are a mix of the wrong kinds of plastic so unless you can remove the thread and ink, the green bags will end up in the landfill... unless they end up in the rivers like they do around here at about the same ratio as the stores are distributing them. I think this is yet another sign of shortsighted green enthusiasm.

Good thing my reusable bags are fabric then.

My store just recently started selling those plasticy ones. The only appeal seems to be the pretty colors.

\If you're worried about poop bags, just start taking the newspaper.

MadAzza: taobananaboat: MadAzza: skinink: MadAzza: skinink: "Paper or jailtime?"

Reusable bags are awesome. More roomy than the plastic bags and much easier to carry.

Great! Can I borrow a few to pick up my dog's shiat?

Heh. Or you can not be a cheap ass yuppie, and go buy something to scoop up your dog's crap. Or teach your dog to use the toilet.

Not sure where you get "cheap-ass" or "yuppie" out of "responsible dog owner," but hey, whatever makes you feel superior.

My 12-year-old arthritic mutt with two herniated disks is not going to use the toilet. So after I scoop up the shiat, where do i put it? Just toss it into the park's trash bin, unwrapped? No, because I'm not an asshole.

I often, but not always, reusable bags for grocery shopping; I get poop bags from friends and coworkers who don't. But the strident anti-plastic folks haven't thought things through. Too busy insulting those who have, apparently.

Here ya go

Thanks! I knew they were out there. I live on an island (Oahu) that probably will soon ban plastic bags because of problems with sea turtles and other marine life, so I'll definitely be seeking out more alternatives to the dreaded grocery store bags. Of course, if the local culture here discouraged littering rather than enthusiastically participating in it, the stray bags clogging our waterways and floating over our streets wouldn't be such a big problem.

I was using plastic shopping bags to pick up after the dog for years, but when they introduced charging for the bags I figured if I'm paying for them I may as well switch to the biodegradable kind.

While reusable shopping bags are great, there are uses for disposable bags. Why they don't switch all plastic bags to biodegradable is beyond me. I do realize there is a higher cost involved, but it makes far more sense than 3 years of jail time.

Some politician in San Francisco is jealous of Uganda's ability to use such draconian punishments.......

"Plastics"

I seriously doubt that they are doing this to be "green" as in you and I are thinking of the term. They are doing this to cut down on the serious litter that clogs the cities. Like some farkers mentioned, Ive been there, seen it too, and no, smoldering plastic mixed with shiat, rotten food, and aluminum does not make a good smell. On a camping trip to the country, we stopped by a beautiful waterfall to have a picnic. Being the westerners that we were, we brought garbage sacks to pack out what we brought in. Our driver, OTOH, just took his empty fanta can and chucked it in the river. When he saw us packing our garbage, he looked disgusted and confused. He just couldnt figure out why we would want to lug that garbage all the way back to the city. Such is life there.

I reuse plastic bags to dispose of kitty waste. So if you have too many bags around get more kitties.

Seriously. What's left of the "conservatives" in this country is nothing but a bunch of stupid, whiney douchebags.

umm - no. The loud-mouthed whiny morons that make up the republican party are mostly people that aren't fiscal conservatives and who are just doing the same crap that the leftists did for the past 10 years. (They are picking up where you guys left off and giving you some of your own medicine.) We're supposed to be better than that. I don't know what happened. The majority of us are tired hearing it and are ignoring all of you morons - resigned to watching the country fall into apocalypse. I know i've given up hope that it will ever get any better now. The silent majority will continue to die off without being heard - I'm sure.

/and I like my plastic bags - you can't have them

badhatharry: The big plastic trash island in the Pacific is real.

No actually the Pacific plastic island is NOT real. There is a large concentration of debris and plastic particles but it does not form an island. More like soup.

At one point not that long ago, ya know about the time they were predicting global cooling and the next ice age and just after that (20-30 years ago), it was said that plastic was supposed to save the environment because paper requires trees, and you cant cut down all the trees for the bags.

Sometimes I just wish people would make up their minds or admit they dont know enough about it (like the IPCC did when they excluded 98% of greenhouse gasses and the effects of the sun saying they didnt know enough about either of the two to comment). Instead we get conflicting policies stated as fact and anyone who does not agree gets a browbeating, names called, and everything else to try to change their mind or villify them if they dont agree with whomever happens to be talking at that moment.

Plastic bags are definitely a problem in Uganda, since there is no one dealing with trash in general. Even in more rural villages, plastic bags wind up collecting on riverbanks and the people who depend on revenue from white folk (expecting the African wilderness to be pristine, of course) have to go out in boats and collect the trash. Plus, there's nothing like seeing your potential evening meal (goats and chickens) standing atop a pile of refuse and chowing down on some grocery sacks.



That was a pretty tidy street in Entebbe. Since we have no smell-o-vision, just try to imagine that intoxicating scent permeating everything under the equatorial sun. You can't see 'em well in the photo but there are huge ditches running everywhere in which more refuse and sewage stagnates. At night, the piles are set on fire for a myriad of purposes, including cooking, light, warmth, and to try to get rid of them. Banning plastic bags is all fine and dandy but it is NOT going to make the mountains of garbage in the neighborhoods go away.

tzzhc4: badhatharry: The big plastic trash island in the Pacific is real.

No actually the Pacific plastic island is NOT real. There is a large concentration of debris and plastic particles but it does not form an island. More like soup.

Oh shiat, it's not an actual, literal island? I guess that makes it OK then.

Plastic bags are damned convenient. The handles allow me to carry four or five of them in one hand, so I only need one trip to take all my groceries inside. This green BS is going too far.

Plastic Trash Vortex: tzzhc4: badhatharry: The big plastic trash island in the Pacific is real.

No actually the Pacific plastic island is NOT real. There is a large concentration of debris and plastic particles but it does not form an island. More like soup.

Oh shiat, it's not an actual, literal island? I guess that makes it OK then.

Yes, it's not so much an island as a patch of polluted water the size of Texas.