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[tickmike]

Good point, Take note 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-24727189

[broadstairs]

Precisely what my wife said originally, she has always used plastic carrier bags and disposed of them when used for uncooked food or vegetables.

Stuart

[sevenlayermuddle]

I shall add that to the list of justifications for the fact that I continue to use disposable bags, and proud of it too.   

Around my part of the country actually, the 'ban the bag' fad seems to be losing momentum;   I am nearly always offered bags these days without even having to ask.

[UncleUB]

We always found when visiting the USA you were always offered the choice of paper or plastic bags at the checkout,we always opted for paper.
Our shopping was also always taken to our car and placed in the boot(or should I say trunk)

[renluop]

TBH I wonder, if it's all a bit OTT. Most items these days are well packaged, so the danger from germs must be far less than in my war and post war childhood. Then there was far less pre-packed food etc, and the shopping bags were used time and time again. We survived with less changes of clothes and less baths too.

Another thing, those reusable bags are not passed round from Mrs Jones to Mrs Smith. They stay within a household. A clean one will use sense. Careless and dirty ones will not care, but even then could have picked up quite a few antibodies.

In all it seems that someone desired to be someone who wanted to get some prominence.

[roseway]

I agree with the above. We've become paranoid about germs. Almost every day someone is telling us how many germs there are on a dishcloth or whatever, but these scare statistics are never put into any proper context. Germs are everywhere, in enormous quantities, and animals (including us) have evolved complex immune systems to protect us from them. Our immune systems need regular exposure to infectious organisms to maintain their strength, and without this exposure our immune systems get weaker.

Of course, very high levels of exposure can overwhelm our immune systems, and then we get sick. So as with most things in life, moderation is the keyword. We need to keep our environments reasonably clean, but definitely not sterile.

I shall continue to use my bags for life with no worries.

[sevenlayermuddle]

TBH I wonder, if it's all a bit OTT. Most items these days are well packaged, so the danger from germs must be far less than in my war and post war childhood. Then there was far less pre-packed food etc, and the shopping bags were used time and time again. We survived with less changes of clothes and less baths too.

Another thing, those reusable bags are not passed round from Mrs Jones to Mrs Smith. They stay within a household. A clean one will use sense. Careless and dirty ones will not care, but even then could have picked up quite a few antibodies.

In all it seems that someone desired to be someone who wanted to get some prominence.

Interesting points.  But re comparisons of wartime hygiene with today, the evidence actually is that today we are all living quite a lot longer.   That may or may not be significantly attributable to hygiene, but it might..   

And of course all is based on statistics that are all a few years out of date;  if 'ban the bag' were to be throwing us back to wartime hygiene standards, it may take several decades to become noticed.   

A bit like the 1950s/60s, when it was blindingly obvious to anyone like myself (childhood asthma)  that passive smoking exacerbated lung disease, but it took a long time to be 'proven' such that smoking was finally banned in public.

[tickmike]

A bit like the 1950s/60s, when it was blindingly obvious to anyone like myself (childhood asthma)  that passive smoking exacerbated lung disease, but it took a long time to be 'proven' such that smoking was finally banned in public.

This is what's going off outside the Hospital entrance.
http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/Cancer-victim-s-anger-hospital-smokers/story-20024992-detail/story.html

[Scottiesmum]

Re - Bags for Life   -  All supermarkets here do not give  away bags, the system is that you buy one (or how many you want)  a fairly strong, largish,  plastic bag for 35 centimes and you can then exchange them for a new free one when you want.  They are made from recycled items and are biodegradable (if that's the correct word ).     The article makes the point about putting raw meat and  soil covered veggy in the same bag  !!! goodness where do these people shop ?         Any butcher worth his reputation will wrap the meat well.  I do on occasion buy veggy/salad which has been freshly 'dug up'  but that too is wrapped.   So I'm with Eric, keep  the bag for life.  You can always have a separate one for different items. 

Re:  Hospital smokers.     Two weeks ago when I was having my chimeo treatment,    a patient who was 'connected' up to her treatment, reached into her bag, took out a packet of cigarettes and duly vanished     ( she did come back    )