Student Publications
University of Houston
151C Communications Bldg
Houston, TX 77204-4015
713.743.5350

©1991-2007
Student Publications,
All rights reserved.

Last modified:

Contact:
ktruitt@uh.edu

Opinion

IKEA has excess waste problem in the bag

Christian Palmer 
Opinion Columnist

In this culture of shopping, we have all been asked the question of "paper or plastic," but the option may soon go the way of the 8-track and rotary phone if IKEA has anything to do with it. 

Those navigating the winding paths of the Swedish furniture warehouse this spring break are in for a surprise, as the chain will implement its new bag "conservation" plan March 15.

The idea, announced Wednesday, is to begin charging customers of the 29 U.S. branches five cents per disposable plastic bag in hopes of curbing their use, eventually bringing it to a halt. Such a policy will probably seem very strange to those on this side of the pond because IKEA's move is thought to be first of its kind for any major retailer in the states. 

It is hoped that the proper people will take notice of this so some kind of program can be employed on a national level. 

IKEA has hit Americans right where it counts: our pocketbooks. They know if they put even a little financial pressure on us, we will largely cave in to the eco-friendly agenda. We really are this transparent. Whether they raise taxes, the prime rate or the cost of gas or milk, we will moan about it, but -- more importantly -- the issues will become real to us. We may even be willing to take part in the remedy, which in this case is easing the burden of plastic on our troubled environment.

The international furniture phenomenon presently gives out about 70 million free plastic shopping bags that are by no stretch of the imagination biodegradable; the vast majority of them are not recycled. IKEA's aim is to halve the number in one year's time and continue to approach their total elimination as soon as possible. 

On a larger scale, a 2005 report by the Environmental Protection Agency indicates that we threw away more than 4.4 million tons of polyethylene bags, wraps and sacks. These seemingly harmless tools of convenience have been specifically cited by various environmental groups for contributing to global warming and complicating marine life. After disposable bags were seen to be a factor in drain obstruction that exacerbated major flooding, Bangladesh banned the bags.

In addition to charging for the plastic bags, the chain plans to lessen the price of reusable shopping bags from 99 cents to 59 cents in order to make them more appealing to shoppers and to further distance patrons from plastic bag use. Ideally, people will start to bring their own bags -- and not just to IKEA, but to the grocery store, little mom-and-pop shops and even the super colossal retail giant that shall not be named.

Because IKSA recognizes the enormous danger of plastic to the environment, it plans to donate all monies collected from sale of the disposable bags to American Forest, a non-profit organization that will take the proceeds and plant seeds for trees and help clean the air we breathe.

"We believe Americans are starting to be more conscious of the environment," Spokeswoman for IKEA Mona Astra Liss told Reuters. "Our objective is to get people to really think about the impact of the bags which are strangling the planet."

Americans need not fret, as the strategy has already been a big hit in many countries. The system was put into practice in Britain in June and has been wildly successful, as IKEA has stated a 95-percent plunge in plastic bag use. After Ireland began collecting what they call a 20-percent "plastax" in 2002, plastic bag use nose-dived 90 percent. Other countries around the world have already outlawed them completely.

The United States is ready for this and we need to be behind it 100 percent if we want to continue to call shotgun on the road to environmental recovery. We can't claim to be on the cutting edge of modernity and a beacon of progress (or better yet an example of democracy and civic responsibility) if we hesitate to jump on this bandwagon; we then must be mature enough to take this opportunity to recognize our reckless consumption and complete disregard for our plant and make it a national priority. 

Any regular 12-stepper knows that admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery. 

Palmer, a communication/sociology junior, 
can be reached at christianapalmer@gmail.com.