some research findings

Doing some research on bags and litter etc etc. Please find some links i have come across as well as some points of interest I have come across in the link;

http://www.retailtimes.com.au/index.php/page/Reducing_Plastic_Bags_in_Retail


"Some retailers, such as McDonalds and the Body Shop, currently use paper bags in their operations but are finding that litter from their packaging is still an issue. The Body Shop tackles this by asking if consumers need a bag in the first place, to reduce the output from their stores and hence the waste created. McDonald's are involved in a Clean Streets program, whereby McDonalds crew members collect rubbish in their carparks and surrounding streets during quiet times. Mitre 10 operates as a co-op and offer "Blue Bags" (which are similar to "Green Bags"). Some of their stores, however, have voluntarily elected to go plastic bags free. The biggest challenge Mitre 10 has come across, like many other retailers, is educating their consumers."

Comment: This was written in 2006. I would say that the amount of litter McDonalds creates would possibly be one of the highest in the world.

http://www.environment.gov.au/settlements/publications/waste/plastic-bags/planet-ark/key-results1.html

"Target specific retail sectors pick the low hanging fruit

Some competitors to the above companies have yet to match their leadership in reducing plastic bag use.

KFC have an outlet thats nearly plastic bag free in Bondi, but this stands in contrast to their competitor Nandos who are plastic bag free across all of their outlets. The question should be asked as to why Kentucky Fried Chicken are still using plastic bags, when their main competitors, Nandos and Red Rooster have swapped to using so many paper bags? Indeed, Red Rooster actually found that the holding times and quality of their food were far superior in paper bags to that obtained in plastic bags.

Given the leadership of McDonalds, Burger King, Hungry Jacks, Nandos, Red Rooster and Wok on Inn in the takeaway food sector, there is great potential to shift the majority of takeaway food outlets into paper bags and other plastic bag alternatives. Indeed, John Blyth from McDonalds Australia stated that McDonalds would encourage the quick service industry as a whole to consider the move to paper takeaway bags.

Similarly, why cant other hardware stores reduce their plastic bag usage given the success of Bunnings reductions in all their outlets across Australia? For example, Mitre 10 have reusable bags for sale, but they are a long way behind Bunnings in their plastic bag reduction achievements.

In these sectors and in many others, there are clear role models that other retailers in the same sector can follow. Government pressure may be necessary to make these retailers follow these examples to achieve the plastic bag reductions that are needed."

Comment: Interesting how they questioned why KFC is still using "plastic bags".... Do we now have our answer? They are PRO paper bags in this article, nut please read the next link as its IMO the key.


www.cityofseattle.net/util/stellent/groups/public/.../spu02_014614.pdf

"Why not just ban plastic shopping bags?
Seattle Public Utilities study which examined the life cycle environmental impact of disposable shopping bags found that the impact of paper bags was overall four times worse than that for an equal number of plastic bags (for all environmental impact categories weighted equally) and worse in every category except litter and marine litter. Banning plastic bags only would push stores and shoppers to paper bags, resulting in significantly greater greenhouse gas generation.
According to the Washington Toxic Release Inventory for 2004, paper and allied products manufacturing accounted for 7.8 million pounds of toxic releases in that year (26 percent of the total). Releases were primarily methanol, hydrochloric acid, ammonia, and nitrate compounds, but included dioxins, polycyclic aromatic compounds, lead, acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, mercury, and arsenic among others.
The manufacturing process for pulp and paper mills are also large sources of air pollutants, such as CO2, nitrous oxides, sulfur dioxides, carbon monoxides, and particulates. The pollutants contribute to global warming, as well as ozone, acid rain, and respiratory problems."

Comment: According to research although we have been conditioned to use paper where we can, the whole process of making it/and or recycling is actually severely damaging to the environment. 1/4 of greenhouse gas emissions was due to the process of making paper bags in some way shape or form. That is a massive figure.

I think that Cardia could get much much bigger than we think.