Despite a ban on its use in India, plastic bag is very much in use in India. One of my colleagues from Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh is claiming that the ban is very much successful in that state. May be. But that the ban has been not that effective at least in Delhi that is very much established.
Fine. But why are people, mainly the shopkeepers, so unwilling to follow the ban? Is it merely a callous attitude towards the cause of environment? No! We all know that the actual reason is something different.
Actually, all the alternatives for plastic bag, such as jute bag, cotton bag and paper bag are more costly than plastic bag. Using any of such bags in the place of plastic bag will be quite a costly affair for shopkeepers. And it is this factor that is keeping them away from saying good-bye to plastic bag.
So what is the way out? Well, I have a suggestion, if nobody finds it audacious and over-smart. And I also tell in advance that my suggestion may be based on completely faulty and/or impractical logic. In that case I apologize in advance.
Is it very difficult for the Government to subsidize the production of jute and cotton bags? Subsidization will understandably bring down their production costs, eventually reducing their market price as well. And in that case it will be easier for shopkeepers to replace plastic bags with these bags.
Yes, this act of subsidization will result in a financial pressure on the Government. And I also have a suggestion about how to address it (and again I must say that my suggestion can be wrong).
If shopkeepers gradually stop purchasing plastic bags, then the manufacturers of plastic bags will automatically stop or reduce production of such bags, right? And that will eventually result in a significant reduction of CO2 emission, as plastic bag manufacturing results in a huge CO2 emission.
Now, can the Indian Government use this achievement of causing emission reduction to earn some Carbon Credits (the economic allowance that a country earns for reducing greenhouse gas emissions)? And can that economic allowance be used to address the financial pressure that the Government will face while subsidizing the jute and cotton bag manufacturing?
I have just sought to share an idea that came in my mind. I will love everybody to share his views on it.
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A better idea is what they do here in Singapore. Bring your own bag and save on the final bill on the grocery. Why do we want the Government to subsidize everything all the time? Instead of the shop keeper offering plastic bags, why do people find it so cumbersome to carry/take a bag with them when they go shopping? I do it all the time except in an unforseen purchase. Otherwise I always decline plastic bags and carry my own. Also, where is the research heading for an alternate biodegradable 'plastic'? Seems few takers. Where the Government should step in, I think, is to enforce a no plastic rule like in some states and encourage research in biodegradable materials.
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