In their daily shopping, the good burghers of Freiburg are happy to reuse plastic bags again and again.

BBC: Recycling attitudes 'must change'

But they exert a voodoo power over politicians: last month the Daily Mail ran a campaign urging tighter controls on the use of plastic bags and Mr Brown instantly signed up.

ECONOMIST: Bagehot

They were required to keep a daily diary for two weeks, detailing when, in what ways and how often their boys played with the plastic blocks.

FORBES: Magazine Article