3 ms·
>You're being awfully high and mighty jumping around this thread to criticize what is, on the scale of typical human consumption, really quite minor. It may be
by bluntfang 8y ago
>You're being awfully high and mighty jumping around this thread to criticize what is, on the scale of typical human consumption, really quite minor.
It may be minor, but if OP is complaining about things as simple as "I don't know when I go to the store, so I MUST use plastic bags", then imagine what else they are unwilling to budge on. Not to mention, broken windows theory is real, remove plastic waste from the streets like plastic bags and people will modify their behavior.
>Apparently it's socially acceptable to look down on someone for using plastic bags
I am not looking down on someone for using plastic bags, I am looking down on them for making really bad excuses for continuing to use plastic bags. It's literally a lack of effort.
- reitzensteinm 8y agoThat's an unfounded assumption. They might simply be frustrated at politicians rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. I don't oppose banning plastic bags in a vacuum, but I think spending political capital to do so is insane. The vast majority of the waste comes from the products and packaging that go in to the bag, not the bag itself. So now the activity of shopping has essentially been greenwashed. I wouldn't be surprised if total consumption actually increased as a result, because it reduces the guilt one feels. You didn't reply to my list.
- bluntfang 8y ago>greenwashed lol? so you consider using your own bags instead of plastic bags greenwashing? and as to that list, i don't think this strawman needs attention. The issue we are talking about here is using plastic bags, if you want to start a different discussion on these things, feel free to dm me.
- reitzensteinm 8y agoYes, I do. By using reusable bags instead of disposable plastic bags, you might have reduced the environmental impact of your shop by a tenth of a percent. But you'll get a hit of dopamine for having done your bit, even though you actually haven't done shit. You are the one strawmanning. You decided that OP is completely unwilling to make sacrifices to benefit the environment merely because he is resisting making an insignificant, feel good change. Based on this you jumped around the thread harassing him or her. I then followed your line of argument and asked you if you personally had actually made a sacrifice for the sake of the environment, or are we just condemning OP based on a theoretical here. Frankly, if conservation is important to you, you're being a poor ambassador for the cause.
- bluntfang 8y agowe have to start somewhere. if we're unwilling to even budge on small things like carrying your own bag, do you think we're going to be able to stomach the large scale changes? There are things I can control and there are things I can't. I can't control how much fossil fuels are used when flying a commercial airline. But if everyone makes daily changes in their lives, we can force the capitalists to make larger impact changes by sheer lifestyle. THIS IS A TEAM EFFORT and you're on the team that loses the earth.
- reitzensteinm 8y agoYou can absolutely change how often you fly. If you're unwilling to make real sacrifices, get the fuck down off that high horse and realize you're also on the team that loses the earth.
- bluntfang 8y agosame can be said about plastic bags.
- kortilla 8y agoExcept not flying makes a meaningful difference. Banning plastic bags is only relevant to dipshits. Skip a single flight and you’ve saved more petroleum than a lifetime of plastic bag use (as far as co2 emissions goes). If you want to make a littering argument, that has legs to stand on. If you think it helps with co2, you’re in the same camp patting themselves on the back for saving water by banning automatic water at sit down restaurants.
- bluntfang 8y agoIf you are unwilling to change small things, how will big things ever change?