There is no free lunch in the world. If we calculate the current life account, plastic bags add points for comfort and convenience; if we calculate the long-term environmental protection account, plastic bags deduct points for a healthy home. Instead of waiting until we have to pay a heavy price, it is better to "put an order" on plastic bags now.

Two garlic cloves, a tomato, a few small mangoes... Although the author only bought these few things, the supermarket shopping guide still conscientiously used transparent hand-torn continuous plastic bags to classify, pack, weigh, and label them. When checking out, the cashier will also ask: Do you need a plastic bag? Most people choose to spend a few cents to buy a plastic bag, then pack the items and leave.

Do you still remember? "June 1" 9 years ago was not only Children's Day, but also the day when the "plastic restriction order" was implemented. This "plastic ban" clearly stipulates that from June 1, 2008, the production, sale and use of plastic shopping bags with a thickness of less than 0.025 mm will be banned in China; all supermarkets, shopping malls, bazaars and other commodity retail places shall not provide plastic shopping bags for free.

Nine years have passed, and the "plastic ban" is almost dead in name only. It even makes people feel that the use of plastic bags is greater than before: small shops give them away casually, and large supermarkets make a lot of money from them - hand-held bags are all charged, and roll bags are passed on to the price of goods in the form of forced consumption, making the "plastic ban" a "plastic selling order"! Some supermarkets don't even prepare environmentally friendly bags. If you want to pack things, you can only buy plastic bags. Consumers can't do it even if they want to be environmentally friendly. Some merchants promote plastic bags through "Internet +". When paying, scan the code to follow and you can get a "bag" for free.

Why are plastic bags banned repeatedly?

First, its "substitutes" are not attractive enough. Compared with plastic bags, environmentally friendly bags made of non-woven fabrics and other materials have never been significantly improved in appearance. They are not only more expensive, but also inconvenient to carry. Plastic bags can be used to hold garbage after packing goods. Even if consumers have to pay a little money for this, it is a completely acceptable cost.

Secondly, poor supervision has made the "plastic restriction order" in name only. Back then, supermarkets and vegetable markets had people checking the implementation of the policy almost every day, so merchants naturally did not dare to act recklessly. However, there are many manufacturers of plastic bags, and the sales channels and places of use are even more varied. As time goes by, the regulatory authorities are out of reach, the penalties are getting smaller and smaller, and the number of inspections is getting smaller and smaller, and finally acquiesce to the merchants' wanton use of plastic bags.

Finally, the policy itself has limitations. According to regulations, plastic bags shall not be provided free of charge in all supermarkets, shopping malls, farmers' markets and other places. But should restaurants "pack" leftovers, shop online or offline, and also follow the "order"? Take the problem of excessive packaging of express delivery as an example. The express delivery industry needs 12 billion plastic bags and 24.7 billion meters of sealing tape a year, but the recycling rate is less than 10%. The lack of clear regulations in the gray area gives plastic bags the opportunity to continue to proliferate.

Behind the failure of the "plastic restriction order" is the resurgence of white pollution. A report pointed out that currently only 14% of plastic packaging in the world is recycled, and only 10% is effectively recycled. Many ultra-thin plastic bags have neither quality and safety marks nor degradable marks. If they are discarded at will or landfilled without treatment, they may not be degraded for 200 years. If they remain in the soil for a long time, they will cause great harm to the soil and water.

In addition to these visible environmental pollution, plastic bags will also produce invisible "spiritual pollution"-if the adults in the family always buy plastic bags when shopping, how can children develop the habit of consciously using environmentally friendly bags? If we turn a blind eye to the pollution around us, how can we deal with more difficult and thorny environmental problems in the future?

Those cloth bags and vegetable baskets in the past are not actually outdated. They are still usable and easy to use. It¡¯s just that everyone¡¯s concept has been swept forward by the rapid development of modern society, and they think that plastic restriction is "very troublesome" and "unnecessary". However, there is no free lunch in the world. If we calculate the current life account, plastic bags add points for comfort and convenience; if we calculate the long-term environmental protection account, the abuse of plastic bags will reduce points for a healthy home. Instead of waiting until we have to pay a heavy price, it is better to take down-to-earth and hard measures now to reduce and limit the use of plastic bags.

First, we must "block" and curb it from the source. Since the "plastic restriction order" was originally implemented by the government, it cannot be completely realized by the self-consciousness of businesses. Environmental protection, quality supervision, industry and commerce and other departments must take tough measures and implement them in the approval, monitoring and law enforcement of plastic bag production to prevent illegal products from entering the market.

Second, we must "drain" to make government orders more down-to-earth. Improve the full-chain system design of plastic bag sales, use and recycling. Plastic bags have a small profit margin and a large turnover. If the price is raised appropriately, people may stop "pulling bags". If the government subsidizes and gives certain rewards to consumers who use environmentally friendly bags in supermarkets and other places, perhaps more people can be encouraged to develop the good habit of carrying "bags" with them. In addition, most environmentally friendly bags as substitutes are expensive and bulky. If new materials and technologies can be used to make them affordable and portable, I believe many people will turn to them. Some businesses have begun to provide services such as door-to-door recycling of express packaging, which can not only improve user satisfaction, but also enhance the image of environmental protection, killing two birds with one stone.

Finally, whether it is blocking or dredging, it is inseparable from the change of public awareness. Plastic bags have long been integrated into all aspects of life, and it is not easy to "discard them". The original intention of the "plastic restriction order" is not to cause trouble, but to be sustainable. This is a long-term process that cannot be achieved overnight and requires everyone's persistence. I hope that in the future, "plastic restriction" can be transformed from a government order into a habit. (Zhao Beijia)

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