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By one of the 7 metrics analyzed, the lifecycle use of 3 organic cotton bags would have been considered higher by the Danish study (https://www2.mst.dk/udgiv/pu

By one of the 7 metrics analyzed, the lifecycle use of 3 organic cotton bags would have been considered higher by the Danish study (https://www2.mst.dk/udgiv/publications/2018/02/978-87-93614-73-4.pdf https://www2.mst.dk/udgiv/publications/2018/02/978-87-93614-...), but that's obviously the most extreme example and not representative. I also think that you reusing the same bags for 20 years and never forgetting them is an extreme example and not representative, and when you're at the cashier and realize you forgot your bags, the only realistic option if single use bags have been regulated away is buying another reusable-but-will-see-a-single-use bag. I have a drawer full of those, and I think I've already thrown one bag full of those out during my last move. More importantly, the annoyance from this and dissolving paper straws has made me swear to never vote for a "green" party that pushes these performative bans (plastic bag litter has never been a major problem in my area), even though I would agree with many of their other policies, both social and environmental. But I'm not going to vote for someone who will go out of their way to add annoyances to my life.

morsch 1y ago
From the study: Conventional cotton bags: Reuse for grocery shopping at least 52 times for climate change, and up to 7100 times considering all indicators; reuse as waste bin bag if possible, otherwise incinerate. 50 times seems real easy, all of mine have been used more often than that. 7000 seems hard to accomplish in a lifetime, though, to me anyway. If I forgot to bring one at a store, I buy a paper bag (which get good grades in the study) and reuse it for paper recycling. Or I reuse discarded cardboard containers available in the store.
padjo 1y ago
I do occasionally forget a bag and have to but a biopolymer or LDPE bag. That doesn’t really impact my totals over a lifetime since it’s a rare occurrence. My bags are woven polyproplene, which the study you linked indicates I need to use about 50 times. I have certainly used them many multiple times more than that. I think your stance on green politics is quite odd. I’m unaware of any Green Party pushing a ban on plastic straws, in my country signature Green Party policies have been levies on single use plastic bags, plastic container deposit return schemes, the phase out of incandescent lighting, development of renewable energy and reducing the cost of public transport. All of which have measurable impacts on energy use and pollution. In my experience the notion that they push “performative” policies just isn’t true.
- tgsovlerkhgsel 1y ago
  > and have to but a biopolymer or LDPE bag. As long as those still exist, that's fine. I'm talking about the scenario where they have been regulated away (or companies have removed them to look more "green" and make more profit on more expensive bags), so each time this happens, you have to buy a new "reusable" bag. Which quickly nullifies the benefit. The LDPE bags also have the advantage of being quite awesome for (limited) reuse. They certainly are no "bag for life" but they can be reused a couple of times, and fold down much more compactly than many of the other types. > unaware of any Green Party pushing a ban on plastic straws The EU actually passed that as legislation in 2018 or 2019, which also makes it hard to find sources for who pushed it (the final agreement was a compromise so it passed with wide support, and the initial proposal came from the commission which isn't very transparent). The best I can give you is this press release by the Greens/EFA (the EU parliament fraction encompassing many of the green parties) https://www.greens-efa.eu/en/article/press/single-use-plastics-have-no-place-in-the-eu-economy https://www.greens-efa.eu/en/article/press/single-use-plasti... This is directly related to the ban that is now in effect. In Switzerland, I've not seen attempts to ban straws, likely because they've seen how unpopular it is and it would likely get overturned by a referendum, but the Greens repeatedly show up with demands or attempts to ban plastic bags.

morsch 1y ago

From the study: Conventional cotton bags: Reuse for grocery shopping at least 52 times for climate change, and up to 7100 times considering all indicators; reuse as waste bin bag if possible, otherwise incinerate. 50 times seems real easy, all of mine have been used more often than that. 7000 seems hard to accomplish in a lifetime, though, to me anyway. If I forgot to bring one at a store, I buy a paper bag (which get good grades in the study) and reuse it for paper recycling. Or I reuse discarded cardboard containers available in the store.

padjo 1y ago

I do occasionally forget a bag and have to but a biopolymer or LDPE bag. That doesn’t really impact my totals over a lifetime since it’s a rare occurrence. My bags are woven polyproplene, which the study you linked indicates I need to use about 50 times. I have certainly used them many multiple times more than that. I think your stance on green politics is quite odd. I’m unaware of any Green Party pushing a ban on plastic straws, in my country signature Green Party policies have been levies on single use plastic bags, plastic container deposit return schemes, the phase out of incandescent lighting, development of renewable energy and reducing the cost of public transport. All of which have measurable impacts on energy use and pollution. In my experience the notion that they push “performative” policies just isn’t true.

tgsovlerkhgsel 1y ago
> and have to but a biopolymer or LDPE bag. As long as those still exist, that's fine. I'm talking about the scenario where they have been regulated away (or companies have removed them to look more "green" and make more profit on more expensive bags), so each time this happens, you have to buy a new "reusable" bag. Which quickly nullifies the benefit. The LDPE bags also have the advantage of being quite awesome for (limited) reuse. They certainly are no "bag for life" but they can be reused a couple of times, and fold down much more compactly than many of the other types. > unaware of any Green Party pushing a ban on plastic straws The EU actually passed that as legislation in 2018 or 2019, which also makes it hard to find sources for who pushed it (the final agreement was a compromise so it passed with wide support, and the initial proposal came from the commission which isn't very transparent). The best I can give you is this press release by the Greens/EFA (the EU parliament fraction encompassing many of the green parties) https://www.greens-efa.eu/en/article/press/single-use-plastics-have-no-place-in-the-eu-economy https://www.greens-efa.eu/en/article/press/single-use-plasti... This is directly related to the ban that is now in effect. In Switzerland, I've not seen attempts to ban straws, likely because they've seen how unpopular it is and it would likely get overturned by a referendum, but the Greens repeatedly show up with demands or attempts to ban plastic bags.