The plastic waste has been the great issue that countries around the world have tried to find the solution. We all know well that plastic is hard to collect and cannot be decomposed. Burning it makes pollution, we need to only bury or recycle.
However, plenty of plastic bags have never passed the proper collecting and disposing, let alone the recycling process, but fly away, get into a sewer, or fall to waters, through to the sea and ocean. This has been killing a large quantity of sea lives, and failing the marine ecosystem, which is linked to others, until it comes back to harm us all.
Countries with shorelines especially must realise this problem more than others.
Today, we will take you to see how Australian could reduce 80% of plastic bag usage within just only three months, or equals to over 1.5 billion bags!
The government of Australia has cooperated with the two largest chains of shopping malls for more than a year, before they could come up with the law prohibiting giving single-use plastic bags to customers.
Failing to comply results in a costly fine. If a customer wants one, or forget to bring their reusable bags, they can buy a new one, selecting from a thick reusable plastic bag, polyester, cloth, tote bag, and even bags weaved from plants.
However, there is the concern on the thick reusable plastic bag that is sold for only 15 Aus cents (11 US cents / 9 EU cents) that if the consumer use it only once and throw it away, it will be even worse for the environment.
Thus, the chains found the solution for don't-care people that they can return the bag, and they will recycle it for a better use.
Fortunately, from their observation, Aussies are obviously using more cloth bags, showing that a conscious mind is the more important key to solve this problem than the law.
Australian authority has planned that the consumption of plastic bags will be reduced for over 6 billion pieces in a year. This change has widely made smaller chains and groceries not afraid to stop giving plastic bags to customers.
Currently, the two giants also stop handing plastic straws and even stop selling them.
However, the issue does not end at just plastic bags and straws.
The other alarming plastic problem is how to reduce plastic packaging, especially food wrapping and films. This is to be continue being solve.
Let's see which bags can be your alternatives:
Reusable Thick Plastic Bag
Better if you use ones from recycled plastic.
Polyester-mixed Bag can be used for a long time.
The even better solution is using a Cloth Bag or Bag made from plant because they are 100% from nature. The price might be a little bit higher, but it lasts longer, catchier, and you can go anywhere carrying your stuffs in it.
Biodegradable Bag is really good for the nature only when you choose the new innovation that it can be completely degraded by sunlight and oxygen within 1-2 years, and continue to be beneficial to the environment as the picture above.
The old biodegradable bags are just slightly less harmful to the nature, or sometimes even worse when some types of bag can only be degraded if they go through the certain process.
If Australian can begin, we all can as well. Just start at yourself today!
ACTs Of Green
ONE SMALL CHANGE
-can make-
ONE BIG DIFFERENCE
Collected and Summarised Data from: