Let’s end the plastic-bag culture

A dirham is not enough for a plastic bag (People should pay Dh1 for plastic bags in the UAE, says Green Sheikh, May 30). It should be at least Dh5. Provide high quality bags that can be reused.

I have wondered why in Europe we have systems for this, but here it seems like rocket science. Is it unwillingness or ignorance? Or is it simply not relevant?

I have tried to calculate many times how many bags Carrefour hands out. The numbers are staggering.

While we are on the subject, I would also like to mention dissatisfaction with people who rely on bag boys, refuse to use their own two hands and simply wait until one shows up even if that means making other people wait. But let’s take one step at a time.

Matthijs Bos, Dubai

In Scandinavian countries, recycling has been a part of people’s weekly shopping habits for nearly 30 years.

You put tins, glass, reusable plastic bottles for water and soft drinks in recycling bins and you get an instant redeemable voucher. Simple.

Daniel Rose, Abu Dhabi

How about educating cashiers not to double-bag a single candy bar instead of making shopping more expensive? Or why don’t we pressure retailers to use bags made of biodegradable materials?

Miguel Llorente, Dubai

I remember when it was introduced in Ireland, people got a bit of a shock. I took the lazy option and would pay for the plastic bags.

Others argued that it was a government stealth tax. But gradually, same as the smoking ban, it got accepted as everybody saw the results of an environment without plastic bags caught in trees and poisoning the ground.

We don’t actually need to ban them as nobody uses them anymore. Like many others who live in the GCC and come from plastic-bag-free countries, I am shocked at the volumes used here.

The Green Sheikh has my support and the sooner the better so that we can tackle the next problem.

Shay Moriarty, Dubai

In the United Kingdom the money we pay goes to charity, not the supermarket. But for years we have used reusable bags.

Yes, the UAE should follow. Even when I bought a reusable bag from Waitrose the packer put my groceries inside a plastic one first.

Giulia Buttery, Dubai

One has to wonder why good quality paper bags are not used as they are across the United States.

Paying Dh1 does not really help landfill or the environment. Why tax things? Just change to organically broken-down bags.

Howard Letch, Dubai

Ivanka not what she seems to be

Ivanka Trump openly admits in her book that she is a con artist and a fraud (When Ivanka invaded social media and a nation’s hearts, May 25). She says that perception is more important than reality. Which means what you think she stands for is not the truth.

Gary Christoff, Dubai

Sad to have left Abu Dhabi early

I feel sad that I left Abu Dhabi before it became so popular with Hollywwod directors (First look at Brad Pitt's War Machine, and how Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah feature in the film, May 28). If I were there, I could have become famous.

Bob Myerscough, UK