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March 12, 2008
Why Peter Garrett Wants to Ban Plastic Bags
Australia's Environment Minister Peter Garrett wants to ban plastic shopping bags. Why? As Andrew Bolt illustrates, it can't be for the reasons he's been giving:
"I think everybody agrees that having 4 billion plastic bags floating around Australia's environment is not desirable."
But only 0.8% are "floating around" as litter. Most are buried in landfills, where they have been found to minimize the greenhouse gas emissions we're supposed to take so seriously. The manufacture of paper bags produces five times as much of these emissions as for plastic bags.
"I remember that incredible story about a whale, I think it was beached somewhere in France, and it had 800 kilos worth of plastic bags and rubbish inside it, when they opened it up."
The whale in question had eaten 800 grams, not kilograms, of garbage — including a total of two plastic bags.
"There are some 4 billion of these plastic bags floating around … ending up affecting our wildlife…"
Apparently this refers to a claim that plastic bags kill over 100,000 marine mammals every year. It's based on a misreading of a study that didn't even mention plastic bags.
A little hyperbole can be expected from Garrett, who claims that Chernobyl "caused the deaths of more than 30,000 people." The real number: 50.
As for Garrett's actual motive for wanting to ban something so many of us find so useful, Bolt theorizes:
If plastic bags were used only to gather morning dew and wild berries, no green would rage against them as they rage now. But they are instead the ultimate symbol of wicked capitalism — a product made by oil and used to carry home factory-made goodies from bulging shops. No wonder they must be banned, and let us choke on that, we loathsome mammals of the mall.
As always, environmentalism boils down to a sneak attack on the capitalist system that has provided us with such excellent lives.
On a tip from Byron.
Posted by Van Helsing at March 12, 2008 1:49 PM
Comments
As for Garrett's later comments regarding the dreaded "mall", in my experience, the vast majority of plastic bags come from grocery and convenience stores, where they generally carry food and beverages, not "dry goods" from malls.
Posted by: on-the-rocks at March 12, 2008 2:16 PM
I'll give Garrett some credit for having some mean dance moves, but he's been a hardcore moonbat for years.
Didn't he want to give all of Australia back to the Aborigines or something?
Posted by: forest at March 12, 2008 2:23 PM
What we always suspected.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=56494
Posted by: MB at March 12, 2008 2:25 PM
It's full steam ahead for the shopping bag ninnies here in the UK at the moment, with our pathetic, feeble excuse for a Chancellor Of The Exchequer today warning that unless businesses "voluntarily" stop letting us use useful shopping bags, the government will force them to, which is the standard definition of "voluntary" in Big Guv circles of course.
I feel nothing but despair to be honest. I think we're truly doomed.
Posted by: Ian from the EUSSR at March 12, 2008 3:13 PM
I work at a plastic bag manufacturing company,in Canada.
It's going out of bussiness in about three
to four weeks
I hope everyone "feel's better"
Being on the frontlines is never easy,
and feeling like cannon fodder for the
lefties is hard to swallow.
But as I allway's say "what goes around comes
around"
Posted by: crackedactor at March 12, 2008 3:18 PM
Don't despair.
In the new world order you will have a comfy pre-fab apartment to share with fifteen strangers, a reliable job at the broom factory and a small plot of earth that you can till to try and supplement your Soylent Green allotment.
All will be well in the Global Workers Paradise™.
Posted by: Cake at March 12, 2008 3:22 PM
If he's serious about reducing the amount of plastic in the world, why not start by eradicating every one of the awful CDs he made with Midnight Oil.
Posted by: Refuter of Liberal Vermin at March 12, 2008 3:57 PM
Unless I get a full shopping cart of groceries, I use a medium-sized cardboard box for my shopping. I do this because I got tired of returning all those bags I get from the store. As for the bags I do get, they serve nicely as wastepaper basket liners.
Posted by: KHarn at March 12, 2008 4:48 PM
Please accept my sincere apologies for Peter Garrett. (Actually, I am not a great fan of his music either...)
He is well meaning but tends to engage his mouth before putting his brain into gear. A typical politician....
We will now see what a Labour (Socialist) government can do to our lucky country, if it is half as bad as last time (17%+ interest rates, 10%+ unemployment, a 'recession we had to have') it will be a real eye-opener to the younger generation who voted them in, and the older voters who have a short memory.
Posted by: (Aussie) John at March 12, 2008 6:21 PM
Won't be long before they use the danger of suffocation as an excuse to ban bags.
crackedactor, sorry to here about your loss. Look on the bright side, now you'll have more free time to picket the morons who lost your job for you.
Posted by: conservativeteen at March 12, 2008 8:38 PM
"Won't be long before they use the danger of suffocation as an excuse to ban bags."
I'd like you all to use it as an excuse to out and buy yourselves some!
Posted by: hashfanatic at March 12, 2008 9:23 PM
Potatoe,
You first.
Posted by: Farmer Ted at March 13, 2008 9:10 AM
"I feel nothing but despair to be honest. I think we're truly doomed."
Since we can always use good people who aren't infected with the "moonbat stupidity virus" here across the pond, don't lose hope... come on over Ian!!!
"Being on the frontlines is never easy,
and feeling like cannon fodder for the
lefties is hard to swallow."
I am sorry to hear of your loss. I hope you find new work soon. I have been there myself when I worked for GM and was laid off, I went back to college and things have been good ever since, but it certainly is no fun to go through it. God Bless crackedactor.
Posted by: HoosierArmyMom at March 13, 2008 1:47 PM
Thanks everyone, Life will go on, and This is just a bump in the road for me. I Am looking forward to finding guilt free job in the new
"green economy"
Posted by: Anonymous at March 13, 2008 2:36 PM
Aren't plastic bags recyclable?
Posted by: Adam at March 14, 2008 7:21 AM
Adam,
In about 5,000 years,kind of like a fruitcake.
Posted by: Farner Ted at March 14, 2008 6:08 PM
Adam,
In about 5,000 years,kind of like a fruitcake.
Posted by: Farner Ted at March 14, 2008 6:08 PM
I suspect Farmer Ted may have re-gifted more than a few fruitcakes in his lifetime! It's the Rum that makes em last for years. I have a friend who's family have been passing the same fruitcake back and forth for years as a joke! LOL!!!
Posted by: HoosierArmyMom at March 14, 2008 9:45 PM
