My neighborhood recently banned single-use plastic bags, and within two weeks the local river had visibly fewer plastic bags caught in the reeds. But I've also watched people switch to paper bags that tear after one use, and the energy cost of producing them isn't negligible either. Is banning single-use plastic bags a real win for the environment, or is it just a feel-good measure that shifts the problem elsewhere? I keep questioning whether my own choices actually matter when industries create the bulk of the waste.