Bags for life,....., a misnomer!

grahamg

grahamg

Old codger
Location
South of Manchester, UK
We've all heard the term "bag for life", ......., but I have to argue, good idea and all reusing shopping bags is of course, a less catchy and yet more accurate name for them is required perhaps, (having had two fail on me in a week, though consequences fairly mild, no human or groceries destroyed in the process!).

"Bags for a long time " or "Bag till it drops apart" lack catchiness but you can't argue much with the accuracy of the terms, and of course, "Reusable bag" fits too, (albeit even flimsy plastic shopping bags can be repurposed as bin liners, or as I've discovered, "filing invoices, bank statements" and the like in, rather than buying plastic sleeves, even if they don't fit so well in a folder).

All that said, as the western world has moved to reduce the use of thin, single use shopping bags, the shopping we put in it has seen the amount of plastic packaging on products mushroom, (including your supermarket mushrooms, and other veg or fruit. :(. ).
 

I personally see no positive direction or movement being initiated by any packaging firm or product manufacturer related to less waste.

Take Christmas for instance, toys and things come hermetically sealed in a stiff, hard plastic bubble form, capable of inflicting a nasty gash on ones hand if not careful, then under the hard plastic bubble is another layer of security plastic, and that doesn't include all of the needless paper and cardboard presentation splattered with colourful dyes and bling to garner the attention of perspective buyers.

Here in Canada, we've seen the banning of plastic drinking straws, and according to reports, by the end of 2021, the likes of grocery bags, cutlery, along with other single-use items will also be banned, but let's continue allowing disposable diapers to clog our landfills, because there's no plastic waste or associated single-use problem with them.

It's all a big crock of (you know what). :poop:

Speaking from a personal standpoint, I reuse, reduce, and recycle whatever I can, and I do it because it makes me feel better inside, not because I believe it's saving the world or the environment, and until our governing parties approach the waste problem with integrity, as in head-on and with conviction, this world will continue to be nothing more than a cesspool of waste and garbage.

The reality of it all, nothing is going to change in our lifetime, and my bet is, nothing will change in our children's lifetime.
 
Aunt Marg said:
I personally see no positive direction or movement being initiated by any packaging firm or product manufacturer related to less waste.

Take Christmas for instance, toys and things come hermetically sealed in a stiff, hard plastic bubble form, capable of inflicting a nasty gash on ones hand if not careful, then under the hard plastic bubble is another layer of security plastic, and that doesn't include all of the needless paper and cardboard presentation splattered with colourful dyes and bling to garner the attention of perspective buyers.

Here in Canada, we've seen the banning of plastic drinking straws, and according to reports, by the end of 2021, the likes of grocery bags, cutlery, along with other single-use items will also be banned, but let's continue allowing disposable diapers to clog our landfills, because there's no plastic waste or associated single-use problem with them.

It's all a big crock of (you know what). :poop:

Speaking from a personal standpoint, I reuse, reduce, and recycle whatever I can, and I do it because it makes me feel better inside, not because I believe it's saving the world or the environment, and until our governing parties approach the waste problem with integrity, as in head-on and with conviction, this world will continue to be nothing more than a cesspool of waste and garbage.

The reality of it all, nothing is going to change in our lifetime, and my bet is, nothing will change in our children's lifetime.
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It can change though, how we can debate, and i agree human society may not accept whatever measures needed, but there is no debate that everything can change, for example, or to use an extreme example, by going back to the days before the invention of plastic, when greaseproof paper, and brown paper bags sufficed! :)
 

grahamg said:
It can change though, how we can debate, and i agree human society may not accept whatever measures needed, but there is no debate that everything can change, for example, or to use an extreme example, by going back to the days before the invention of plastic, when greaseproof paper, and brown paper bags sufficed! :)
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I've actually mentioned the option of reusable glass jars and bottles for the likes of ketchup, mustard, relishes, as well as a host of other food products that typically are found in plastic bottles of bags, and yet I am met with, "no way, too expensive, won't fly", which not only tells me what a small-minded society we live in, but it also relays to me just how lazy consumers are.

I for one think any/all current recycling programs and initiatives that have been established and implemented in cities and smaller communities is a farce. The joke is on us and has been from day one, with stories that tell of truckload after truckload of separated material being dumped in landfills with other common household waste, and that's after consumers have taken the time to diligently collect, separate, and even take the time (on their own dime) to visit recognized facilities in order to drop-off household plastic, paper, metal, and glass waste accordingly.

There's zero honesty and integrity tied to recycling, reducing, reusing, and the management of the environment. You know when it will all change, Graham? When this planet called Earth, starts running out of non-renewable resources to feed the lazy inhabitants on this planet, and then and then only will change take place, because at that point in time there will be no other option left other than to seek change and improve upon the old.
 
We're simply getting back to how things used to be. Items such as sugar, biscuits, etc were sold loose and weighed out and put in paper bags. Everyone took their own shopping bag or basket (remember those) with them to the shops. We used newspaper to line waste bins. Glass jars and bottles were returned to the shop and re-used.
No need for plastic bags.
 
Here in Sweden the government placed an extra tax on all plastic bags in supermarkets. Most plastic bags and other plastic packaging are recycled and come out as either new plastic bags or plastic bottles and so the circle continues.
 
Aunt Marg said:
I've actually mentioned the option of reusable glass jars and bottles (Break)
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Aunt Marg said:
There's zero honesty and integrity tied to recycling, reducing, reusing, and the management of the environment. You know when it will all change, Graham? When this planet called Earth, starts running out of non-renewable resources to feed the lazy inhabitants on this planet, and then and then only will change take place, because at that point in time there will be no other option left other than to seek change and improve upon the old.
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There is always hope, there has to be somewhere a reason for it, and we mustn't forget in my school days we were told quite regularly mankind would blow up the planet by 2050, but my old wise boss said he never believed that pessimistic outlook! :)
 
I have never heard of "bag for life" either.

I do recycle what I can and hope it is doing some good but I admit I am not a fanatic about it. For example,, we are supposed to rinse out all our cans before we recycle (which I do) but my sister-in-law puts everything in the dishwasher before she recycles it!! Wouldn't that waste more water, energy etc. and offset any good the recycling would do?

Another friend who was a fanatic that every little bit had to be recycled told me she visited a recycling sorting place and was shocked at how much was rejected and sent to landfills.
 
Jeweltea said:
I have never heard of "bag for life" either.
I do recycle what I can and hope it is doing some good but I admit I am not a fanatic about it. For example,, we are supposed to rinse out all our cans before we recycle (which I do) but my sister-in-law puts everything in the dishwasher before she recycles it!! Wouldn't that waste more water, energy etc. and offset any good the recycling would do?
Another friend who was a fanatic that every little bit had to be recycled told me she visited a recycling sorting place and was shocked at how much was rejected and sent to landfills.
Click to expand...
Here are a few examples for you:

Bag for life.3.jpg

bag for life.2.jpg

https://www.google.com/search?q=bag...BAgREAE&biw=1362&bih=698#imgrc=Wq6CKYZdXwIA2M
 
Our method of shopping is a square cart with wheels and an extendable handle which groceries are put in. Once at the checkout, items are scanned and put back into the cart. We have several canvas bags that we load our groceries into once we reach the car. The bags are fitted back into the rolling cart to bring up to our unit.
 
grahamg said:
There is always hope, there has to be somewhere a reason for it, and we mustn't forget in my school days we were told quite regularly mankind would blow up the planet by 2050, but my old wise boss said he never believed that pessimistic outlook! :)
Click to expand...
Honestly, I believe very little these days, and I have faith in even less.
 

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