Should plastic grocery bags be banned?

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"Banned" may be a little harsh and straight forward, but it gets the point across the best.

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For what? To play with? As some of them say, they're not a toy. (Aw, shucks.) In fact, I used them all the time, for disposing of used cat food. Now that my cat died, I'm first discovering what it's like to be inundated in plastic bags!

Anyway, "Should shoppers use plastic bags?" doesn't work for me. I agree with the previous comments that "banned," though a bit framing, is the only meaningful way to get an issue out of this. (See this first ordinance outlawing the bags.)

Snoozefest 2007. 

Should stores offer plastic bags as an option?

"phased out" is too wishy washy.  how about:

Should stores provide customers free plastic bags?

"Use" doesn't make sense here, though.  "Plastic bags" could include the flimsy ones that the grocery stores provide or it can mean a big sturdy one that is re-used over and over again.  And I think those two types of bags are on opposite sides of the debate we're getting at.

If we don't like "banned," (and I still think "banned" is the easiest way to get stands), why not use "phase out" to encompass those other places?

"Should use of disposable plastic grocery bags be phased out?"

("Disposable" can go, I was trying to make that sturdy re-usable bag vs. cheapo store-issued bag distinction.)

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I agree but I still worry that "banned" is too prescriptive. Many activists may be calling for a ban but this issue wouldn't reflect the stores and corporations that are phasing out the use of bags (e.g., IKEA and others). Just because they are discouraging their customers from using them doesn't mean they support a legal action against them. What if we ask something more like Should shoppers use plastic bags?

i like brian's revision. that's what i'm getting at with this issue.  i'm not sure what nick's getting at; he's all over the place in his comments.

Should plastic grocery bags be banned?

I agree with jenna. What doesn't work for me is that it's too broad - all bags? It's also too narrow - I'd like to see reusable containers for everything - like the formerly ubiquitous milk crates. How about something along the lines of whether "packaging" in general should be rethought?

If you've ever seen the amount of cardboard that is wasted on a daily basis at each and every supermarket.... standardizing with stackable containers of every size is a cool idea....

Yeah, I like this one.  I've also been seeing a lot of discussion about it.

I think "banned" is the only way it will get meaningful stands.

Good issue, I am hearing more and more about this lately. I've even been trying to cut down on my plastic-bag usage myself.  Only thing, I wonder if asking about a ban is too heavy-handed. The link Jacki provides mostly talks about countries taxing these bags or stores charging for them. Maybe we soften it a little, should the use of plastic bags be discouraged? On the other hand, this may be too soft.

A bit of background ...

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0721-04.htm

From the LA Times:

Los Angeles County officials agreed today to consider a range of options -- including an outright ban -- for dealing with the ubiquitous plastic grocery bags that can litter roadways, clog storm drains and kill marine life.

The Board of Supervisors unanimously directed the Department of Public Works to study the issue and report back in 90 days.

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