SOUTH AFRICA

South Africans once joked that plastic bags were their “national flower”. They lined all the highways, dotted every park, and sometimes blew in the wind. In 2003, however, the country banned lightweight plastic bags – which were free – and forced retailers to charge consumers for thicker, recyclable bags. Retailers handing out lightweight bags face a 10-year jail sentence, and the protea has regained its place as the national flower.