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Paper or plastic, Mr. President-elect?
EXPOSING THE ANTI-PLASTIC BAG
MISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN
An editorial in the London Times states:
"Many
of those who have demonized plastic bags have enlisted scientific study
to their cause. By exaggerating a grain of truth into a larger falsehood,
they spread misinformation and abuse the trust of their unwitting
audiences."
- As a result of misinformation, many people believe that plastic bags are made of oil. NOT TRUE. They
are made of ethane which is a waste product from domestically produced
natural gas. If the ethane is not used to make plastic bags, it will
have to be burned off. (Click here.)
- As a result of misinformation, many people believe that plastic bags kill large numbers of sea mammals and seabirds. NOT TRUE. The
London Times has exposed this as a myth based on a typographical error!
The report on which the myth is based mentioned discarded nets, not
plastic bags. (Click here.)
- As a result of misinformation, many people believe that plastic bags are not recyclable. NOT TRUE.
Special plastic bag recycling bins have been installed in large
supermarkets and retail stores throughout California since 2007.
Virtually all of the plastic bags deposited in those bins are actually
recycled. (Click here.)
- As a result of misinformation, many people believe that plastic bags "clog up" landfills. NOT TRUE.
According to the California Integrated Waste Management Board, plastic
bags (including retail bags) use up only 0.4% of landfill space. (Click
here.)
- As a result of misinformation, many people believe that it is a disadvantage that plastic bags do not decompose in landfills. NOT TRUE. Decomposing paper in landfills produces methane which is a greenhouse gas with 23 times the heat trapping power of CO2. (Click here.)
- As a result of misinformation, many people believe that paper bags are better for the environment than plastic bags. NOT TRUE. Paper bags result in 3.3 times more greenhouse gases than plastic bags and require much more fuel to transport. (Click here.)
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MISINFORMATION IS BEING SPREAD
ABOUT PLASTIC BAGS AND LITTER
Two Los Angeles County Supervisors have published an article in the LA Times stating: "About
$375 million each year is spent in California on cleanups and other
efforts to mitigate the environmental effect of disposable bags,
costing each household about $200."
The statement is NOT TRUE. It is utterly absurd. Simple arithmetic proves them wrong:
- The
California population is 36.4 million.
- $375 million divided by 36.4
million is $10.30 per person.
Moreover, the $375 million
figure is apparently the entire California cleanup budget for ALL
litter and litter related programs. Plastic bags are only a very small percentage of total litter. The Supervisors are willfully ignoring cigarette butts (the biggest source of litter), cans, bottles, newspapers, etc.
Other anti-plastic bag activists also routinely attribute all litter cleanup to plastic bags. This is intentional misrepresentation.
Click here for a link to the Supervisors' article and our full response.
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AN AMERICAN SUCCESS STORY UNDER THREAT
85%
of plastic bags used in the United States are manufactured in the
United States. Taxing or banning plastic carryout bags will result in
the direct loss of approximately 4,000 American jobs, including in
California. In addition, there will be thousands of resin and
distribution company job losses. Destroying an American manufacturing
industry based on myths and misinformation is irresponsible, absurd,
and tragic.
Most reusable bags are made in China, including those sold by Trader Joe's, Safeway and Whole Foods.
Los
Angeles-based plastic bag manufacturer employees visiting the
California Senate. They are deeply worried about the misinformation
being spread about plastic bags.
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Thanks to Natural News Network/Mike Adams
for permission to use the above cartoon.
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THE CITIZENS REVOLT!
The
City of Seattle recently passed an ordinance imposing a 20 cent fee on
plastic and paper bags. This was a highly unpopular move in the city.
Now the citizens are fighting back!
The City Clerk sorts through the petitions.
Will the politicians get the message?The city verified a sufficient number of the signatures. The ordinance will be subject to a citizen's referendum in August 2009.
Remember the Boston Tea Party!
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In California, 58% oppose a 25 cent plastic bag tax
More than two-thirds of those polled in
Los Angeles and San Diego oppose the tax
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In Seattle, 63% oppose a plastic bag ban
74% of plastic bag users oppose a tax
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