We use carrier bags as our kitchen bin. If I don’t get them free, I’m going to have to buy some. Net environmental saving – nil.

or not started calling him names, or not start making unsubstantiated claims, or not started making up things about him.

CharlieMungus said:

Quite apt that, about Wales. You just called him a carrot. 😀

and 12 pence on every syringe

For someone who clearly has a vague grasp of mathematics, you’ve exhibited some astounding stupidity if you think it’s just the oil in the bag itself that’s the reasoning. Sure, it’s a small part of it, as is the much larger amount required to provide the energy for the manufacture of said bag. What’s the issue is the damage they cause to the environment directly.

An obvious example is that when floating in the ocean, to a turtle, they look pretty much like a jellyfish….

a perspective

Where does the money go?

all for it, should go further and make all the money go to litter picking / recycling / tree planting / “green” charities and schemes.

then you should come here and buy your plastic bags

Zokes, thanks for your affectionate and reasoned reply.
You are right I didn’t include the energy to make the bag.
I do know enough about polyethylene production and extruded PE films to know that the energy input needed to make the bag is less than the amount of material in the bag. But lets assume its the same. So now you can drive your car 200m for the energy impact of a carrier bag.

As for the turtles, well I shop at Sainsburys, and frankly if the little ninja feckers can’t see a bright orange JS bag then I suggest Darwin is at work.

Do you get orange jellyfish with writing on?

Oh thats OK then, mine are always thrown away with Labrador poo in the bottom, so they would be the right way up, and probably sink.
Just googled, there are orange jellyfish! None look like a JS carrierbag.

On a more sensible note, can anyone quantify the effect on UK carrierbags entering the oceans of the world? Let alone killing Turtles? Compared with the brutal fishing methods employed accross the world I suspect the effect is minimal, but am happy to see evidence if someone has it.

The other thing to consider with all plastics is the effect of micronised plastics in the foodchain.

Still compared with the vast amounts of fuel and other plastic crud we use I stand by the point that carrierbags are just a sop to calm middleclass guilt.

Ok, back to the B&Q issue, i accept, I’d pay 5 pence to put my tools in that.

….and definately not a bag for life.

I can see the point of charging for plastic bags. And if it reduces the number full of dogshit tied to hedges all the better. I can’t, however, see the point of charging for paper ones. I mean, they’re already biodegradable, as soon as it rains they start to disintegrate. Seems utterly stupid.

Is that why there are no Welsh turtles now? 🙂

It’s just another tithe to Gaia.

without having to faff about with the free bags, and a lot more people bringing their own or just chucking back in trolley, I was banging stuff through the till at 22 items per min instead of about the usual 19 yesterday. That’s quite an increase. Makes it easier for me as a checkout chick. The supermarkets don’t have to pay for the production of the free bags anymore as this is taken out of the bag charge. They are laughing!

And more importantly the environment will win because…..