I've been watching my city's new plastic bag ban roll out, and I'm genuinely torn on whether these bans actually work or just shift the problem. On one hand, the data from places like California shows reduced litter, but I've also seen people simply buy thicker 'reusable' bags that they toss after a few uses, which defeats the purpose. Does making single-use plastics illegal change behavior for the better, or does it just create new waste streams we ignore? I'm curious how others weigh the environmental gains against the inconvenience and unintended consequences.