In a NY Times article today, entitled “Pressure Builds to Ban Plastic Bags in Stores](http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/24/us/24plastic.html, there is a discussion about the banning of plastic bags in grocery and drug stores in favor of [recycled] paper bags. I was really into the article until I read the following comment:
“At the hearing, a lobbyist for Safeway called the bill un-American, saying it would take choices away from consumers.”
Now you have to take into consideration the person making the comment is a grocery lobbyist, so of course the agenda is to keep plastic bags because it saves them money, which makes them money. What gets me though is the flimsy argument. Between more substantial arguments for and against paper and plastic both, filled with talk of the environment, littering enforcement, fuel to truck paper bags to stores, etc., we have someone step forward to cry about our “American” choices.
p(pq). I laughed aloud, imagining that the freedom of our country depends upon our ability to answer the all-American question: “paper-er-plastic?”
Could taking away a choice like this really be so harmful to our freedom in general? Personally, I think the country as a whole has become so comfortable, so complacent in our everyday freedoms that we turn into spoiled children if someone, anyone, threatens those minor indulgences.
We act as though choice itself is a dying freedom which we must protect at all costs. Activists all over the country picket this and that, lobby for this and that, all in the name of choice.
How far we’ve come
Let’s think for a minute about the freedoms we have, the choices we’ve been given, and how truly blessed we are to have them.
Military Choices
First, take a look at the war. It’s a touchy subject for a lot of people, but for all the complaints against what’s going on in Iraq, there hasn’t been a draft in almost 40 years. That means men today have the freedom to decide for themselves if they want to enlist in the military — they choose to put themselves in a position where they could end up in a war. We rant and rave about them going to war, but that’s one freedom our men still have, a choice they still make themselves.
Reproductive Choices
Now, consider the choices women have today with regard to their bodies. We have the right to say “no” to sex. Until later last century many women did not have this choice because in marriage, it was something that was just expected of you. There also was not an option for birth control, and there were no condoms. We are so blessed today to have options, choices, which can prevent unwanted pregnancies, and yet in our complacency and selfishness we forget this and cry for the extended choice of abortion. We even have the option (though it’s not as socially acceptable) to give up our children long after their birth if they become to much to handle by signing them away to be adopted.
All these freedoms and we still fight for choice like it’s at risk of becoming extinct. And don’t get me started on a man’s choice when it comes to the life of his child. That’s a double standard for another day.
Back to Paper or Plastic
Getting back to the modest choices, if you consider the fact that paper bags have been around since the early 1800s and plastic bags only came on the scene about 30 years ago, it’s difficult to cry foul in taking away this choice. Although I’ve always had the choice, my parents and grandparents didn’t, so who am I but a child to whine about having to take paper?
p(pq). Too much energy is wasted fighting for the sake of choice with no real examination of how our choices may actually benefit us by being limited.
And what good does it do anyone to complain about something so minor when we have so many other choices still in place? Maybe I’m in a different position because I personally prefer paper bags anyway — they hold more and I use them for all kinds of other things because they’re much sturdier than plastic.
Still, I can’t help feeling embarrassed by people who so strongly worship this thing called “choice” when we could very easily not have many of these choices at all. Worshipers will usually tell you, it’s not the choice itself that is so important, but the right to make that choice, and in general, I agree, but there should be some moderation. There should be a point where we take what we have and feel gratitude for how far we’ve come.
Jason Beaird left a comment on July 24, 2007 at 5:04 pm | #
Great post. That reminds me, the last time Ames and I went to Ikea, we found out that they are no longer giving away bags at all! They still have plastic bags, but you pay 5 cents for each one you use. They also have sturdier reusable bags that are available for 59 cents. Some people may think it’s a bold and downright “un-American” move, but I’m not complaining. :)
Natalie left a comment on July 24, 2007 at 5:22 pm | #
I heard about the Ikea bags somewhere. That’s another good link to add, Jason, thanks. On that note, I’ve been trying to get around to making my own reusable totes, and in fact, there’s a tutorial from Etsy Labs on how to fuse together plastic grocery bags to make material to sew into a tote! :)
I’m not a big greenie myself, but there is some element of stewardship which requires us to consider how our choices effect the world around us and if using recycled paper bags or bringing my own bags to the store helps, I’m not against it.
tudor left a comment on July 24, 2007 at 5:49 pm | #
Those are some really nice points. It’s kind of ironic, too, that we have such an absurd overdose of choice in this country ““ I mean, just go to a Wal-mart and really look at it all ““ yet our choices for far more important things (such as the number of decent political candidates, healthcare providers, and even TV and phone carriers) are pathetically limited. We can also bring up M$ as a glaring example of a situation in which there weren’t (and still aren’t) enough adequate choices in the marketplace to constitute real “choice”.
Still… you’re right in that we are completely oversaturated and overburdened with choice here in the US, for mostly trivial things. I feel that as a society, we should do a better job of prioritizing, though. I’d love to turn around and fire my cell phone provider at will for lousy service. Too many fat cats enjoy government-subsidized monopolies these days.
Tanny O'Haley left a comment on July 24, 2007 at 7:50 pm | #
I thought that all new (at least in California) plastic grocery bags are biodegradable. They can be recycled, degrade in landfills and can even be composted. There are times that I think we have to many choices. Sometimes, less is better.
Natalie left a comment on July 24, 2007 at 8:09 pm | #
Tanny – although plastic bags can technically be recycled, according to the Times article, only 1% of bags end up recycled, so it falls on us to make sure we’re recycling them. And, though they are biodegradable,
So…
Tudor – you’ve actually brought up a different point entirely, which is the education about choices. There are actually a lot of choices when it comes to computers, and even browsers; it’s just that the mainstream user isn’t aware of or is intimidated by the choices. Even so, I count it a luxury that we have the choice to have a computer (or cell phone, internet connection, etc) at all. :)
'Mas left a comment on July 25, 2007 at 12:07 pm | #
The priority of choice is a direct result of the focus on self that is the standard of our culture. It used to be you had to earn privileges by demonstrating a developing maturity – now we come out of the womb already endowed with “rights” to anything and everything. Because privileges no longer have to be earned, there is no respect for authority (parents, teachers, government) and there is no concept of the consequences of one’s actions.
I’m sad to say my generation (baby boomers) started the ball rolling with its “question authority” and “if it feels good, do it” mentality. Now that we’re the middle-aged authority figures we flipped off as young adults, we’re paying the price for our having over-indulged our children and thus creating the monster we face today. Paris Hilton, a murdered Terri Schiavo, and outragious suits over missing pants are merely the visible manifestations of this result.
The most frightening thing about this is I’m more and more becoming my parents in some ways.
That’s my 2 cents :^{>
Natalie Jost left a comment on July 25, 2007 at 12:19 pm | #
Well said. I’m right there with you in becoming my parents too, but actually even passing them in some ways, particularly when it comes to Christ. One summer a couple of years ago my mom and I had a laugh because she called me strict during a conversation about religion, parenting, divorce, etc.
beth left a comment on July 31, 2007 at 4:07 pm | #
I find it hard to believe anyone but the grocery stores would complain about the choice of bags. Personally, I get plastic bags because I’m able to reuse them when cleaning up after my dogs. But if they were suddenly gone I’d think “Well at least the canned food I bought won’t be busting through the flimsy bag the cashier used.”