The ContiCountry of Australia is Eliminating Plastic Bags

I never imagined this to ever be even considerably possible: Australia's government announced Thursday that they are planning on eliminating the use of plastic bags in the nations stores by the end of the year.
"There are some four billion of these plastic bags floating around the place, getting into landfill, ending up affecting our wildlife, and showing up on our beaches while we are on holidays," Environment Minister Peter Garrett said.
While most Australians congratulate the idea, retailers warn that if their isn't the plastic option then more forests will be cut down for the use of paper bags and in turn emit more greenhouse gases.
"Plastic bags are a part of our lives, if we replace them we are going to replace them with paper, and where's the paper going to come from?" Australian Retailers Association chief Richard Evans said.
While I can understand the retailers point of view, I believe it to be completely for their own interests. In recent years, Australians have taken to using reusable bags: more so then any other country.
"For too long, plastic bags have been an environmental menace, wasting resources and killing marine life, birds and other animals. This move by the government is a big win for the environment that will be welcomed by the millions of Australians..," spokesman Jon Dee said. Source.