"PLASTIC CARRIERS BAD"

The other day I attended a council meeting at which someone proposed a voluntary ban on issuing free plastic bags should be promoted by the council. the council has no power to enforce a ban, so it would have to be voluntary. The proposer, a member of the public suggested that shops could charge a few pence for a biodegradable bag instead (they cost 100 times as much, I was told ). I pointed out that this would not make any difference. as apart from the carrier bags, plastic was used in practically all the packaging used in the shops and as he was not proposing to ban any of this it would only be a gesture. Also  my experience of a similar scheme in a nearby village had achieved no change at all. My fellow councillors decided to go along with the suggestion nevertheless. They seem convinced that plastic carrier bags were inherently evil and should be stopped. Brainwashing does seem to have an effect which no amount of logic can overcome, sadly.