Here's how plastic bags impact the environment
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- Опубликовано: 16 июн 2024
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In this Our Changing Climate environmental video essay, I look at the environmental impact of plastic bags. Specifically, I look at how plastic bags affect oceans via microplastics, their carbon footprint, and I also try to understand whether reusable bags are viable alternatives.
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Twitter: / ourclimatenow
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Resources:
1. Why our environmental obsession with plastic bags makes no sense: www.vox.com/2014/10/4/6901299...
2. English Environment Agency Plastic Bag Report: assets.publishing.service.gov...
3. National Geographic's Plastic facts: news.nationalgeographic.com/2...
4. NOAA's explanation of microplastics: oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/m...
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Music:
1. Candlepower by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Artist: chriszabriskie.com/
2. Midnight by Silent Partner
3. All the Answers by Lee Rosevere
#climatechange #plasticbags #ourchangingclimate
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So wait there are people who throw away their plastic bags once they get home from the store and don't ever re-use then again? Like you don't have a drawer in your kitchen where you put all you plastic bags so you don't have to buy them again or to use them on your bins? They must have grown up in a rich house
Fra Don't mess with beans I grew up pretty well off (not _rich_ but fairly wealthy) and we always kept our bags. I can't think of any reason not to, other than sheer laziness and a lack of care for the environment.
We keep the bags as well, but the problem is we get many more than we have any possible use for, so most still end up thrown out for us
@@cpufreak101 that shouldn't be a problem if you just use the ones you have instead of getting new ones
@@cosmosisrose we kinda don't, the store staff wouldn't really honor the request anyways as it's easier for them to just use the existing bagging method
Well I recycled all my plastic bags and now use only reusable bags for my shopping. Is that bad?🙄
Clear presentation and a straightforward and fresh point on plastic bag use.
My parents have been using the same reusable bags for over 25 years and they are still in good condition. I've had my own for about 5 years now and no sign of needing new ones. I also think it's worth mentioning that reusable bags fit many more groceries. Even when doing a large shop with my partner, we usually just carry two bags each. With single use bags, we would probably need at least 4 each Since the cashiers where I live always double bag, that would be about 4 times as many bags each time we would go shopping if we used single use.
What a parents
think this is an ameritard thing in europe most people use reusable bags for shopping
The plastic bag situation is always out of control. Many times I try to shop without having to use them, but not only the stores include them by default, but it is also being employed as an anti-theft security system where if you have your products in bags, they are not stolen.
That 131 uses is only a grocery trip a week for three years! I've had mine for nearly a decade. I was using a gemline bag twice last week to gather ice and fill a cooler, can't do that with a plastic grocery bag.
Just found this channel and i’m hooked. Your vids are eye openers to issues i wish everyone on earth should be aware of and taking action on.
Also I'm interested in the environmental impact of online shopping vs traditional shopping. Which one is greener?
I went to ikea and target today and used my own reusable bags 😎😎😎
What about the plastic packaging that envelopes the product? That instantly gets thrown away.
Okay and ?
@@drfusioncraft There is technology that is able to sort and recycle most packaging plastics. (Excluding PVC) There is a plastic recycling facility in Finland, that opened in 2016, that at the moment needs some imported plastic to function, because Finns aren't so used to recycling plastic yet. But that technology could be used in other countries. Someone would just have to invest and start a business.
Cristian Diaz YOU ARE GREAT ,
Keenan Mosdell I KNOW
If, like most ppl, you already have a coton tote bag at home, use that!
@Lana Joy I took this habit really fast when I spent a year in Finland, because each plastic bag was costing 50 cents. It helps to remember ^^ Now, I always have a tote bag and 2 produce bags in my handbag.
I wonder how bad gift bags are as well, my stock pile of them keeps growing every year even though I tell people I don't want presents.
You can use them as folders for magazines. Unless you don't subscribe to or keep any magazines.
Maybe u could donate them somewhere? Like a charity that gives out Christmas gifts to kids in need or something?
Ill take them lmao. jk, but yeah probably really bad
Will Aluminium Cans Replace Plastic Bottles? ……,…….,……
................
ruclips.net/video/GD9_OTeBL9o/видео.html
That was so eye opening.
Every single human needs to follow this channel. The information is so nicely organized.
Amazing video! Really makes me think about stuff I buy and how I use it.
nice, i like the reverse at the end. nice touch
And this is why I reuse my plastic bags to make plarn (it’s plastic yarn look it up) and knit my own tote bag from it. 😁
Love videos about environment, I live in a small country surrounded by countries 50 or more times larger than mine, we must by government do many expensive things to stop polluting the environment as waste separated, everything electric etc. separating plastics for instance a quarter cubic meter a month separated means buying quarter cubic meter for the next month because everything from a blister pack of 5 needles till a online bought dog lease + anti worm pils packaged in a separate plastic blister in a 30 x 30 x 30 box filled with plastic bubble wrap, is packaged in plastic or lined with it , Even if we, all 7.5 billion stop today using plastic, it wil effect the planets environment for thousands of years, even if humanity extincts today.
In the meantime our closest neighbours countries do nothing about the environment burning wood and oil stoves, power plants that burn brown coal etc. Do they ( our government) relay thing that a small country like ours makes a cleaner Earth environment if nobody else does?
Very good info. THanks!
This video deserves more views :)
The better option is really to avoid plastics as much as possible. Sadly, biodegradable plastics might not be as biodegradable as you might think. The ''biodegradability'' advertised by companies is mostly (by no means have I read enough papers on this topic to call myself an expert) based on lab studies conducted in controlled environments and under optimal conditions that might never be met in the natural environment. Although they are a greener option because they can at least degrade, their cost of production is higher than for those more ''traditionally produced'' plastics. That cost of production is the reason why the most common types of plastics produced are still petroleum based ones like polyethylene and polypropylene.
Great video and great information.. I reuse plastic bags in many different ways.. I now use them sealing items and wrapping items around the house and work place..
In Australia there is only 1 state that has no sing-use plastic bag ban and all 4 major grocery store chains no longer use single-use plastic bags, instead opting for thicker reusable plastic bags that cost 15 cents each
I feel like now people are just throwing away thicker plastic bags - even if you do reuse them a few times. The plastic bag lobby sim this somehow.
I'm from Jamaica and at the beginning of january our Government placed a ban on plastic straws, the importation of Styrofoam boxes used for food and single use plastic bags so when we go to the store we get paper bags or clothe bags. i think this is a good step in taking of the environment.
Thank you so much for the big clarification
what if everyone was convinced of using one cloth bag for 5 years ? will that be good
I would imagine so. Ideally, they would search for a cloth bag in their closet or ask a friend for an extra and use that for the next 5 years. Cloth bags are not necessarily bad, they just shouldn't be bought new, used once, and then left in a drawer to gather dust. Part of the reason why plastic bags are such a target is that they are so easy to throw away.
Yeah, that's what I thought - 131 times for clothes bag is actually not that much. I'm sure I've already used mine more times than that.
I'm american, I can just about fit my milk in one of those. My family uses 6 to 10 reusable bags, so one bag isnt going to work for some of us.
Actually I think I said something stupid earlier. I agree we should all use cloth bags, but get them from thrift stores instead of buying them new. That way the damage is already done and instead of hurting everything more you can use the bag multiple times until it's been used enough. Plus it is WAY cheaper. I did this and I can carry most of my food items in there, however I live in america and the produce is super large so I end up using Plastic bags anyway. I'm happy I can cut down on bags but I do want to do more.
@may day But most people will if they are given such an item.
Informative video thank you.
Please, please do a video comparing different activewear brands (ie Under Armour, Nike, Puma, Adidas, Reebok, etc)!!!
Love your vids, inspiring
We do appreciate your job.
In the old days (before plastic bags became so commonplace), people were more resourceful and less wasteful. Cardboard boxes were often reused to put your groceries in, fish was wrapped in newspaper and bags were often made of straw or paper.
Whenever I go food shopping, I take a cardboard box off the shelves to put my shopping in. I will then repurpose some of the boxes to be used as parcels.
Thank you for this video ♥️
NICE PRESENTATION!!!
Very interesting video OCC!
very interesting, thank you !!
Amazing insights!
Love your videos!😍 Can you make one explaining the debate on the wind turbines because here in Greece a lot of people are against it and say that they really harm the environment. I'm really confused because we have to lower our carbon emissions so as to save the planet and if the renewable energy is debatable, then what??😣
Wind turbines contain some metals in them called rare earth elemants that are not only unbelievably harmful to the environment, but just so to the workers extracting them. However, cars and as I understand many other machines that make atomic power plants etc. work also contain rare earth elements (I wouldn't stake my life on this). Hence, they still are the better choice, especially when looking at climate change.
Well described
Also screw styrofoam
Yeah, I got take out kebab the other day, and was surprised to see it in styrofoam, like they still use this? So I'm not going to have take out there anymore, unless it's pizza, I'm going to eat in.
@@raapyna8544 can't you bring your own Tupperware and tell them to put it in that?
There are bugs that can eat styrofoam (mealworms)
www.popsci.com/mealworms-can-safely-devour-plastics/
Will Aluminium Cans Replace Plastic Bottles? ……,…….,……
..............
ruclips.net/video/GD9_OTeBL9o/видео.html
Bruv just finish your food 🧐🧐
great job
Classic Javons Paradox: pastics might be much more efficient in their production, but this efficiency sky rockets their consumption, which in sum it causes a much greater environmental impact.
I've been using the same reusable cloth bags for over 5 years now. The only damage to them has been a few straps/handles break and we've just sewed them back up. While 130 times seems like a lot they can definitely handle that amount and far exceed it if you put in even a minimal amount of effort. We need to go back to fixing things. Even using things until they are broken isn't enough.
My family always use re usable eco friendly bags
Hi, loves this video, It would be nice to know, what the impact of a fabric bag is. Just to compare. Love new knowledge.
it was really helpfull for me
Love the video and I support the Patreon! But I'd like to hear more about the effects of microplastics in the ocean ending up in fish, in our food systems, in our bodies, etc. and the unknown health effects of this? Surely the story of microplastics does not stop in the ocean gyres...
producing high quality plastic bags in pricing and quality standards that could possibly replace paper bags and cloth bags therefore making them more reusable can eliminate the cost that paper and cloth bags production hold. open to thoughts about this
It's beautiful.
please make a video on 4Ocean
👍👍👍👍👍. That is amazing
So how do plastic get to the ocean? I throw mine in recycling bin. So do companies throw their plastics in the oceans or am I missing something ?
Recycling plastics is very difficult and not always effective. Much of the garbage sent to be recycled is not recyclable so it ends up in a landfill anyways. Garbage can blow away into the ocean or rivers that flow into the ocean when in transport to the landfills. Litter also ends up in the ocean.
@@laurenheath2521 thank you, I've been thinking about for a while and you have explained it nicely.
But it's especially hard when you have to beg the cashier not to put it in a plastic bag. I think it's good if there was a rule in place that you have to pay 10ct for every plastic bag like in Chicago. But yes, it's just a little thing to the enviroment, nothing to celebrate yourself.
Simon Kraemer I’m a cashier and every cashier hates using paper or re usable bags so deal w plastic bags
@@mikebaker5563 Or you just let everyone pack their groceries on their own. I'm used to do that anyway. Is it your job to pack everything in (plastic) bags, anyway?0
@@mikebaker5563 I work cashier as well. It can be a pain, but that doesn't mean we dont take the extra step to help our planet and stop plastic pollution. Plus, a lot of people are perfectly fine bagging their own stuff in their reusable bags. Even if not, we suck it up. If you work as a cashier, then you know how many plastic bags we go through. That should be enough to persuade you to stop using plastic, too.
Mike Baker what are you talking about? i’m a cashier here and i’m extra happy to pack someone groceries using their reusable bag instead of plastic thinking they just gonna throw it away right after they went home. I’m absolutely DISGUSTED when people ask for double bag when it’s totally unnecessary , like where do you work girl???
very cool
If I correctly read the study, they assumed on the paper bag was nothing printed. If I would opt for them, they would have huge amounts of green ink on it. (Never got 'em though to check the ink they used.)
Another Danish study found you'll need to use a cotton bag 15000 times compared to a single use plastic bag.
I find the part with the 100 companies totally unnecessary. Some of these companies have millions of households as customers. You could alternatively have 100.000 companies with fewer customers creating even more pollution.
No you couldn't, because those 100 companies are enough to create 71 percent of the world's CO2 emissions.
So there is only 29 % left for smaller companies.
The Danish study you reference actually arrived at the same conclusion; about 150 uses of an organic cotton sack to break even with regards to its impact towards **climate change**. Only 52 times if it's conventional cotton. However, the study looked at many other areas of ecological impact, hence the different numbers. They found that you would need to re-use an organic cotton bag something like 20,000 times to break even with the impact to ozone depletion (7100 for conventional cotton). This is the highest area of impact by a wide margin. Removing this category, you would only need to re-use a conventional cotton bag 50-1400 times to break even in all other categories (or 150-3800 for organic cotton), which is very realistic.
@@raapyna8544 he means you could break those 100 companies up in to 100000 smaller companies and get the same result
but that misses the point that those 100 (or 100000) companies have all the profits from all the exploitation of the planet and therefor should be obligated to pony up some of that cash.
Good job
Your presentations are worth watching and details. I will need your assistance on a project ...I will contact you.
It was very important for me
What about heavy duty plastic bags meant for reusing over and over again? We personally use a few of those and never had to replace one for years
The first person yo invent a cheap and thin natural alternative to plastic bags will be an instant millionair
I easily can say I have used my cloth-bag over 131 times. And as a side effect I am not responsible for microplastics floating around in the oceans equivalent to 131+ plastic bags.
Now, can we please start to discuss the fact that most groceries you buy are somehow wrapped in plastics? Like, even cereal boxes (cardboard) have plastic bags inside them to hold the cereals. And don't get me startet on noodles, rice, lentils etc. Or my favourite: plastic-vacuumed glass bottles (I've seen this with sauces and sake).
Wait, plastic wrapped glass bottles? That is the *stupidest* thing I’ve ever heard of.
I've seen RUclips tutorials where you can make your own re-useable bag by just ironing and cutting plastic bags if you already have some.
You should link that video
What about using old curtains, t-shirts or jeans to make cloth bags? I made some that way. Before I knew they had environmental impact, I also boufht some, but me and my family will use them forever, so it's fine.
We need to take care of the earth more, guys. We are humans - the people who mostly live on earth than other beings. Please throw away the litter that you see and do it even though it's not your trash. Please take care of the earth. "If you want an environment, you got to work for it" -Anonymous.
It should start at the production level. Company's should switch to using compostable bags so that people would eventually use environment friendly options.
Here in California, stores don't give you plastic bags. You have to buy them. I always bring my reusable bags when I go shopping. Thee plastic bags I do have, I reuse them for other things. Jeez, people really throw away bags after using them once?
great
I reuse them as trash bags for kitchen and bathroom bins
I thought it would be better to use paper or cotton bags to avoid plastic waste even though it might use a little more energy. The extra energy usage seems small while plastic would leach into our environment and be impossible to get out.
I hate how people don’t use plastic bags once
Is PLA any better?
Bamboo is tough and sustainable?
We should have a global pick up litter day in January!
What film was that shot from where the man said 'One word, son, are you listening? Plastics."?
The Graduate
explain about plants, please
Whats. About lays packet, biscuits double packaging, etc
True! 💯
Good video :)))))))))
The last video is from a korean supermarket
I wish I could talk like this
Do most of the bags really end up in the ocean? Don't many (if not most) end up in landfill?
The ones that end up in landfills.( Garage dumps) leech chemicals into the ground
it does not matter, both scenarios should and can be avoided
How do frozen bags effect
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If they came up with something that went viral on how to hack about getting along without plastic and paper bags, people wouldn't be using them.
But they have you pay for them, so they stay around.
And thinking of what the manufacturer and all the processes in the making of plastic bags could do instead of focusing on plastic would help.
But I am sold on making car skins out of plastic instead of metal.
So maybe all these manufacturers of plastic bags could recycle and just make blocks of plastic for manufacturers of the skins of vehicles
Prevents corrosion and hail damage along with fender ding and aa long as the framework isn't damaged zero repair for other stuff thus paint products not being involved cuts down on that type of pollution
People live in a building use plastic bags to wrap garbage, that’ s why it is desirable.
What about for those of us who have cats as pets, as we clean out our cats litter box two times and day and we throw out the waste in a plastic bag. That bag cannot be reused ?
My grandma has 2 cloth bags and only uses them
Cloth is best, not reusable plastic bags. This is because torn cloth is much more easily repaired, and decomposed at the end of life.
I used WeOffset to offset my Carbon Emissions for the whole year, I'm net zero 😀
My teacher gave me the link of this video!!!!!
💚💚💚🌿🤘
131 uses of a cloth bag does not sound mind-boggling to me at all.
I think you are underestimating the trash impact of plastic bags post use.
They're great, you can tie them around a person's face and it will contribute to stopping the pollution.
Let’s not Be Like you First Let’s Blame Ourself instead of other
Hi, The energy taken by paper and cloth bags may be higher during production. But their impact after use seems lower for whole environment. They don't appear to cause oceanic pollution as much.
Your sources seem to be biased.
Can we please get biodegradable bags? It’s 2019
They exist, they're just not as cheap as pure plastic bags yet
There are recycled plastic bags, that take 15% of the energy needed for making virgin plastic bags.
But they require that people recycle.
Rääpynä: The sad fact of the matter is that some (maybe many) municipalities do not accept plastic bags for recycle because there is virtually no market for them. There is also no market for plastic foam products because both are too costly to transport and reprocess. And since Asian countries will no longer accept our garbage we’re now stuck with it.
The plastic problem is not the same problem as climate change. You need to be clearer what exactly you mean by environmental impact. Definitely reusing is always the best option anyway.
Basically before u buy anything think that every single item will end up as waste so why buy unnecessary things. Once I learned that waste stays with us in this planet and it could even end up inside out bodies.. I think very hard what I buy.
so its mean that we can not avoid plastic, but we need to re use it.
but how? how to make all people thinking the same?
You can start with sharing this video!
The latest news that has come out in the debate on plastic bags, is that the stronger reusable bags you can buy for a few cents at Woolies/Coles, or Aldi are also ending up in landfill. Reusable alright. Used for cleaning up dog and cat shit and all other household shit, then thrown in the bin to end up at the local dump. How?, you may well ask. Simple, because when they return to the supermarket, they continually forget to take their reusable bags with them and so buy a heap more for their groceries, which they load into the trolley and wheel the lot out to their vehicles. At home, they carry their bags inside to take out the contents, then these bags join their cousins in the cupboard, and subsequently be then used as rubbish containers and thrown out. Another run to the shops, more bags, and so the cycle is repeated...
What people fail to realise is, is *that you don't even need plastic bags at all* . That's right, the easiest and simplest way to overcome using plastic bags, is to use a few plastic crates, be they old milk crates or children's plastic toy crates. At the checkout, you offload the trolley for your items to be scanned, then reload them back to the trolley to be wheeled out to your vehicle, whereupon you transfer the items to your crates. My wife and I have been doing this for years and it just beggars belief that something as simple as this escapes the notice of a lot of people. Return your trolley to it's collection point. Well some do, but most don't. Perhaps Woolies and Coles needs to adopt the tried and true method of Trolley Return that Aldi supermarkets employ. Place a two dollar coin in the slot to unlock the trolley from the others, then retrieve your two dollar coin when you return the trolley to it's holding point. A cost saving to the supermarket as well, as they don't need to employ extra staff to pick up trolleys, or take existing staff away from other duties that leave checkouts unmanned...
So come on people, ditch the plastic bags in favor of some sturdy plastic crates to accommodate your shopping...
Brought to you by a tree hugger, that didnt want trees cut down to make paper bags.
I honestly hate the concept of buying plastic bags (ie: paying 10 cents at the supermarket) because i'm going go be reusing it and it supports companies that make plastic bags. Because if you ban plastic bags people are going go have to go to other sources for them, thus plastic bag companies will earn more money
Kennedy julian montenegro Reutllicemos las bolsas y mejoremos en reciclar todos los elementos que usamos a diario
How does it effect the environment
So, let’s suppose I’m doing my first buy ever, is it better to put my veggies in the plastic bag they give me and keep that same plastic bag for as long as I can (which means very long) instead of buying cloth of paper bags and walking out as an “eco-friendly” consumer?
itspaulinus it depends. Most plastic bags you get in a grocery store are not so resistent and can break pretty fast, especially if you put a sharp object in them... I would advise getting second hand reusable bags and using them anytime you shop. I always have my tote bag i've had for 4 years and always bring it when I buy whatever (stationary or clothes or other stuff). Also I often don't get a bag when buying fruits, I juste take them home like that...
You could also make your own produce bags from old t-shirts or old sheets you have lying around the house!
What about reusable plastic bags?