If the price of plastic bags is higher and the quality is higher, will the quantity be reduced?

The Fourth Intermediate People’s Court of Beijing has officially accepted a lawsuit filed by the Chongqing Green Volunteers Association against three food delivery platforms over their responsibility for environmental pollution. The lawsuit requests the defendant to set up options such as whether to use disposable tableware for payment in a prominent position on the meal ordering interface, and clearly label the price of disposable chopsticks and plastic bags; And ordered the defendant to repair or bear the cost of repairing the damage to the ecological environment caused by the defendant.

Now, the three platforms have said they are actively preparing new environmental protection plans. In fact, disposable tableware, even if the business does not have additional price, charge, is also “wool on the sheep.” On the consumer side, whether they mistakenly think it is free, have no right to choose “0 tableware”, or don’t care about a little “small money”, the burden will eventually be reflected in the environment.

The role of economic instruments cannot be ignored when it comes to issues in the field of commodities. Reflecting on the lack of plastic in the past nine years, many people point the finger at “selling plastic”, saying that shops earn a lot, but the number of plastic bags is increasing. In fact, it is because the price of plastic bags in supermarkets is so low that consumers use them in large quantities and then throw them away. If plastic bags were sold at a higher price, reuse would increase. That is, of course, if the quality of plastic bags improves, rather than forcing prices up so that manufacturers and supermarkets make huge profits.

The same is true of disposable tableware. Consumers will reconsider the necessity of using disposable tableware only when they feel the cost clearly. Green United will Sue the three delivery platforms, not to restrict the development of delivery platforms, but to require them to clearly price disposable tableware, the purpose is to make more people change their consumption habits through the “sense of cost” and choice. And the relevant departments should also use similar thinking, improve the production standards of disposable tableware; The higher standards are conducive to reuse, and the higher prices are forcing the public to change their consumption habits of excessive use of disposable tableware.