Green Daily

It turns out that our old friend, the plastic bag, who we thought had betrayed us -- might actually have been the scapegoat for other dangerous plastic debris. Over the past year, we've seen the plastic bag take hit after hit, as environmentalist groups all came together to burn the eco-offender at the stake. San Francisco has actually banned the bag, and cities like Chicago and London are eyeing similar legislation right this moment.

In the face of all this, the London Times is reporting that a group of scientists has come forward with information that debunks the plastic bag scare, saying that it's based on exaggerations and falsities. As it turns out, studies that suggested that 'the bag' kills 100,000 animals and 1 million birds per year were being widely misquoted. This group claims that, once again, political groups have seized on a hot-button issue and made hay -- passing sweeping 'feel good' legislation based on bad intel.

At the heart of the misinterpretation is a study conducted in Newfoundland from '81-'84. It found that 100,000 animals, including birds, were killed by 'platic debris' over the 4 years. Plastic bags were never mentioned specifically. "The main culprits are fishing gear, ropes, lines and strapping bands. Most mammals are too big to get caught up in a plastic bag," said David Laist, author of one of the studies.

Marine biologist, David Santillo, from Greenpeace agrees that the findings don't suggest that the bag is dangerous to most sea life, saying "the evidence shows just the opposite." It's a simple case of if the bag doesn't fit, you must acquit. Don't let this discourage you from buying reusable bags however -- they are definitely more eco-friendly. It's just that 'the bag' shouldn't be considered the spawn of Satan -- that's all.