This March, San Francisco passed a measure to ban the use of plastic shopping bags in large groceries and pharmacies, making it the first U.S. city to take such action. The city joins Bangladesh, Taiwan, South Africa, Zanzibar, areas throughout Europe and other regions that ban or impose fees on the use of plastic bags.
Opponents of the ban claim that alternatives to the petroleum-based bag are no improvement, citing the high cost of corn starch-based bags and other biodegradables, and the environmental impact of producing paper bags. Getting people to reuse their bags – the obvious alternative – faces the old and unpopular challenge of changing culture.
Here we see a golden opportunity for good design.
What will replace this ubiquitous part of life? How can design intervene to provide a functional and sustainable alternative to the use and disposal of plastic bags?
