"Plastic bags are free... for real?"
to see the real cost of this we must look at these 3 important phases:
-the production of plastic bags requires petroleum and often natural gas,both non-renewable resources !
"since our beloved country Kuwait depends highly on oil we should be worried specially when it comes to producing "unimportant"products such as plastic bags,which we can switch using them by with alternatives such as reusable bags,saving millions of dinars and petrol."
-the toxic chemicals ingredients needed to make plastic produces pollution during the manufacturing process.
-the energy needed to manufacture and transport plastic bags drains our resources and creates global warming emission.
phase 2: consumption cost?
- Annual cost to US retailers alone estimated at $4 billion.
- An article written in local Al-Nahar (22-10-09) news paper issue 765, written by Khaled Al-Zaid: "The records points out that each local Co-op market use 3 million plastic bag a year. if it were multiplied to the total 54 of local co-ops, it would reach 150 millions a year."
"can you believe such thing! other countries are suffering from hunger and wars, while we are producing trash costing us billions!"
-when retailers give away free plastic bags their cost are passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices! X_x
"which means: product X cost lets say 3KD but because I'm giving away plastic bags I'll charge you more 3.250 KD"....this sounds bad don't you think?
phase 3:disposal and litter costs?
-in a landfill,plastic bags takes up to 1,000 years to degrade.as litter,they break down into tiny bits,contaminating our soil and water.
"To make it clear..(PLASTIC NEVER DISAPPEAR !)"
-collection , hauling and disposal of plastic bags waste create an additional environmental impact.
" I think this is very clear in Kuwait heard of Um Al-himan problem?"
In US alone it is stalemated to be 8 billion pounds of plastic bags,warps and sacks enter the waste stream every year.
"So imagine what unnecessary burden on our environment..land fill with trash, air polluted with toxic gas, water as well. Picture this: fish eats plastics and we end up eatting it, thinking about other ways around... not helping we are drinking the same water. Wana make even better add Chlorine yummy..NOT!!"
-When plastic bags ,break down ,small plastic particles can pose threats to marine life and contaminate the food web.
+This is for you!!+
-"a 2001 paper by Japanese researchers reported that plastic debris acts like a sponge for toxic chemical,soaking up a million fold greater concentration of such deadly compounds as PCBs and DDE (a break down product of the notorious insecticide DDT),than the surrounding seawater.these turn into toxic gut bombs for marine animals which frequently mistake these bits for food."-
-hundreds and thousands of sea turtles ,whales and other marine mammals die every year from eating discarded plastic bags mistaken for food .
-on land , many cows ,goats and other animals share the same fate of the marine animals by accidentally ingest plastic bags while foraging for food.
-recycling requires energy for the collection ,processing ,etc. and doesn't address the above issues.
Do you still think its OK to keep using plastic bags?
SO GRAB YOUR GREEN BAG AND START SHOPPING WISELY
this mostly is made by
© 2003-2010, reuseit.com. All rights reserved.
but i added stuff about Kuwait on it
real article link :
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:qU54iuOPdYoJ:www.reuseit.com/learn-more/myth-busting/plastic-bags-are-free+myth:plastic+bags+are+free&cd=1&hl=ar&ct=clnk&gl=kw