Plastic Bags and the Throwaway Society

Despite widespread public favor , Public health officials demanded (and got) a ban on reusable plastic bags during the season of Covid-19. The hygiene cost is too high to even consider any of the benefits of reusable bags at this time. 

But what about other times? What is the benefit of banning plastics? What is the cost? 

John Tierney revisits the history of disposable paper and plastic: the rise of Dixie Cups to replace the “common cup” of the old west to the disposable garden party table settings of the space age through to the mandatory recycling programs of the 21st century. 

MyPlanet is thinking through the plastic bag problem. They find two conclusions. 

1. The overwhelming source of plastic bag litter comes from take-out restaurants and convenience stores. 
2. The least wasteful way to pack groceries is to use a disposable plastic bag and then re-use that bag.

Plans by the Many

Dr. Ioannidis, chair in disease prevention at Stanford, thinks that our public health planners lack perspective. They have been working very hard to optimize one small problem, slowing the spread of COVID-19. But have very little consideration for other problems, like preserving livelihoods, continuing medical care, mental health, quality of life or mass starvation.

Even on COVID-19, they are focused on slowing transmission but show no indication they have an end goal in mind. How do we bring this to a close?

FEE relates this to the big and recurring principle raised by Hayek: do we want one plan made by an expert or a thousand plans made by individuals and small groups?