Plastic bags can poison kids

At a recent gathering of kindergarten mothers in Seattle, Shawn Lilley told the women that plastic bags and other containers can leach chemicals into food. Since then, a few more kindergartners have shown up with sandwiches in other containers. "Shawn researches these kinds of things, and it's not that much more expensive, so we switched," said Linda Walker, who packs lunch daily for her three children. Because of their lower body weight and proximity to the ground, where residue may linger, children feel the effects of chemicals more than adults. The main suspects are a group of chemicals called phthalates which are used in making plastic bags. These have been found to be harmful in animal studies, said Dr. Wade Welshons of the University of Missouri in Columbia. And the Centers for Disease Control has detected them in the urine of a majority of the thousands of people it has tested in the United States. Among other damage, these have also been branded gender benders as they inhibit the full genital and sexual development of male children. Parents' buying patterns can lead to industry changes. While phthalates can be used in some children's toys in the United States, parental pressure led the Consumer Product Safety Commission in 1998 to ask manufacturers to take them out of teething rings and pacifiers.

The Guardian UK says give up plastic bags

This morning’s Guardian online carried an article on 10 things Britons ought to give up. These include giving up forwarding amusing emails, being buffered behind an IPod all the time, leaving things on standby and consuming unnecessary electricity, and a few others, but No.1 on the list was: 1: GIVE UP... PLASTIC CARRIER BAGS (Here’s what the article says): Polythene plastic bags are dangerous to make, take centuries to decompose, and clog drainage systems. Even so, Britons use 8 million plastic carrier bags every year, equivalent to 133 per person. For a little over a month, you need not be one of them. It's pretty easy to ditch the plastic. Bags-for-life are available from many large chains, but it's just as simple to bring your own bag to the shop. If supermarkets see there is demand for a more responsible attitude to plastic bags, they will be more inclined to take permanent action. "Landfill sights are now practically full in this country, and plastic has to be shipped all round the world to be dealt with," says The Independent's Green Goddess, Julia Stephenson. "If you use a reusable bag like we used to - everyone used to use string bags - the problem could be alleviated." "I carry a string bag everywhere and it folds up to nothing. You just have to remember it along with your mobile phone and wallet. Bags-for-life are a good idea, but only if you reuse them. People seem to be taking their bags-for-life, but not bringing them back. They've become another thing that we consume." I’m so happy to read this. It’s nice that the mainstream press is taking cognizance of the harm that plastic bags are doing. String bags are one and we have a number of other good ideas on how it can become easy to carry your own bag. Write to us at info @ badlani.com and we’ll offer you some amazingly affordable and convenient options.

A plastic bag tax is a must it seems

I came across a disturbing article in the Australian Northern Star. Australia has been at the forefront of the battle against plastic bags, but on a strictly voluntary basis and I thought that was admirable. Taxation works wonders (Ireland reduced consumption of plastic bags 90% in just one year of introducing a tax), but I there’s nothing like all the citizens getting involved and avoinding plastic bags because they are harming our living environment. But Dee Tipping in Byron Shire, who began a ‘bring your own shopping bag’ campaign in 2003 with the aim of making Byron Bay free of plastic bags by 2005, now advocates a levy. She said the campaign initially took off, but had since hit a plateau and she was now planning to lobby the Federal Government to introduce a policy of a 25cent levy on plastic bags. "Activists can do so much, but government policy is what will make or break the environment," she said. "People do have the best intentions at heart, but we’re notoriously forgetful, she added "Some people have 85 of those green bags at home, which defeats the purpose. If people had to pay 25 cents per plastic bag they would make more of an effort to remember their green bag." Looks like taxation is the most effective thing. If we can tax food and medicines, we ought to be taxing harmful things like plastic bags.