These bans are a positive and necessary step and they do raise awareness, but the overuse of plastic is just a symbol of a larger issue. We use disposable things without thinking about the consequences. Maybe one reason we resist the idea of banning plastic bags is because somehow we know it's just the tip of the iceberg.

When my friend suggested I get an iPhone, I said that I didn't need one. Now that I've got one (and I love it) I can see he was right about it being a facilitator of convenience and creator of efficiency; boy, is it ever! What I didn't anticipate is that all of those other gadgets in my life would lose their purpose once I got an iPhone.