We recognize one environmental problem, and remedy it by
going to a different material at the checkstand.

=v= Plastic bags were not introduced to handle an environmental
problem. Plastic bags were introduced because they're cheaper.
The reason they're cheaper is that their environmental impact
is more easily shuffled aside for somebody else to pay the
costs of.

In any case, it was patently obvious as the plastic bags
became more popular that they were and would continue to be
a burden on the environment. The solution of course is to
recycle them.

=v= That's no solution at all. Plastic is "downcycled," not
really recycled. Most of the plastic taken for recycling is
shipped overseas and dumped into landfill, commingled with
other plastics that render it totally useless (and often quite
toxic). When they actually do achieve downcycling, you end up
with a flimsy plastic crap product, also destined for landfill.
_Jym_