# FILE NAME: 00000465.soc
# TITLE: Should we ban the use of all plastic products? [3b83f5d42a56ad35c33dc84eced25ad0]
# DESCRIPTION: 
# DATA TYPE: soc
# MODIFICATION TYPE: original
# RELATES TO: 
# RELATED FILES: 
# PUBLICATION DATE: 2025-10-12
# MODIFICATION DATE: 2025-10-12
# NUMBER ALTERNATIVES: 4
# NUMBER VOTERS: 5
# NUMBER UNIQUE ORDERS: 4
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 1: Statement 1 - There should be a ban on single-use plastics.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 2: Statement 2 - In general, the use of plastic products should be banned, with the exception of those that can be fully recycled.  This would be an excellent way to avoid large amounts of plastic ending up in landfill and causing problems for the environment.  It is true that in some cases, the use of plastic is not something that can be immediately banned, but it would be helpful if there was a drive to come up with replacement products for many plastic goods.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 3: Statement 3 - We have a duty to preserve the environment. The health of all life on this planet is dependent on a clean, healthy environment. We need to take all possible measures to prevent plastic waste entering our environment. Some plastic products can be replaced with sustainable products, however, there are many vital plastic products that can't be replaced.  We need to take drastic measures to protect our planet, but we need to work together to do so. We must come up with a way to encourage people to make the right choices when it comes to the products they purchase. We must also encourage companies to stop using non-sustainable plastic products in the first place.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 4: Statement 4 - “Plastic is the source of many environmental issues and in many ways is a necessary evil, it is a highly versatile product that has found its way into almost every aspect of our lives. Therefore, we can’t simply ban all plastic products, but we can attempt to find ways of replacing these products with other materials that do not last as long or will not have such a detrimental effect on the environment. We believe this can be achieved through greater research and development in this field and the imposition of taxes on those products that are most damaging, in this way plastic products will become less of a necessary evil.” The above exercise is just one example of how some people can come together, hear each other's opinions and can reach a consensus decision. The important thing to note is that the final opinion did not simply reflect the most persuasive opinion presented. It was a carefully crafted opinion that reflected all of the different opinions presented and still included aspects that each person could get behind. If we are to be truly democratic, then we must also learn to be consensus-based.
2: 4,3,2,1
1: 3,2,4,1
1: 3,2,1,4
1: 2,3,1,4