(China Daily)
Updated: 2007-11-19 07:15

We find the trail of plastic "flags" lining our main railroads embarrassing. We hate to see plastic bags flying in our face on windy days, or those permanently stuck on tree branches.

Disposable plastic carrier bags we take home from shopping trips are a main source of such "white pollution". An obvious solution to it, therefore, is to reduce our use of such environmentally harmful packaging. This is both reasonable and simple.

The ongoing debate over the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone's draft decree to prohibit retailers from offering free disposable plastic bags is a sad example of a prevailing ambivalence among us. We all want a clean and tidy environment free of plastic bags, but few of us want to sacrifice the convenience of free plastic bags.

Shenzhen is not the first in the country to discourage disposable plastic bags. Several other places, including Lhasa, capital city of the Tibet Autonomous Region, had done so years ago.

The Shenzhen decree encourages retailers to offer customers more environment-friendly alternatives to disposable plastic bags to carry their purchases, and charge for plastic bags. Those who offer free disposable plastic bags will face a fine of between 5,000 ($660) and 50,000 yuan.

It is still too early to tell the outcome of such a directive. The local government has just published it to solicit public opinion. It is up to the residents to make the final decision. But we do hope the people of Shenzhen, residents of the first SEZ that spearheaded many of the country's first steps on the road to reform, come to a wise decision.

Many opponents feel uncomfortable with the new policy, saying they are too accustomed to using free plastic bags and do not wish to have that convenience taken away. This is exactly the same argument many have made in other places against a similar ban - a disappointing reality our environment cannot afford.

A bad habit can never be justified just because we are too addicted to it. Is it not a shame if every one of us wants a better environment, but few of us are willing to do our bit?

(China Daily 11/19/2007 page4)