Let's get drastic with plastic bags

A great piece of chutzpah from the Daily Mail this morning, claiming credit for the Marks and Spencer plan to charge 5p for plastic bags nationwide from May. Here in Bath, M&S have been doing it all this month, with the expectation that they would extend it nationwide, and it has worked as a great discipline remembering to bring the 'bag for life'. There is no doubt that plastic bags are an unnecessary, hugely wasteful part of modern life, often creating terrible waste hazards for wildlife. I have seen the ban in operation in Ireland for years, where it is an accepted part of everyday life. People just bring old plastic bags to the supermarket to reuse. In bookshops and department stores, tasteful and recyclable paper bags are provided instead of the unsightly plastic still offered by many stores here. So, I agree with the Mail - it is time for other stores to follow suit or for the government to introduce a bag tax to make sure change happens.