Plastic bag tax -- Wallyhell watch out!

[KillerMuffin]

Ireland just implemented it according to Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=humannews&StoryID=658593

Apparently there is a 13 cent tax on plastic bags that you get at places like Wallyhell and supermarkets. The intent is to decrease the use of these bags drastically because they are the primary source of litter issues. According to the story 1.2 billion of these things are given out every year in a country of only 3.8 million people.

Thinking back to my last trip to Wallyhell where the idiot cashier put two things per bag as the norm, I think this is a fantastic idea. Less bags passed out means less waste, less trash, less use of plastic bags. I've been buying those canvas bags and taking them with me to the grocery store instead. I've discovered that one of those canvas bags equals roughly five plastic bags of carrying capacity. That, and they don't break, don't have roach eggs in them like paper bags do, and I don't have extra waste bucking up the trash. Our family goal is to have one kitchen sized bag of waste a week.

I think that if this works in Ireland, we should implement it in America. It would give an incentive to stores to give cents off for use of a customer's own bag, some stores do that already, and it would give an incentive to stores to force employees to use less bags with each order. I don't mind paying extra for something that's enviro-friendly.

What do all ya'll think?

 

[Mensa]

I don't mind paying extra for something that's enviro-friendly.

Commendable, but you are in a minority. People always say they are willing to pay extra to gain this or that but when push comes to shove and it's time to pay the piper, they'll balk and complain every time.

I know this from many personal experiences with the "concerned" citizens. They lie through their teeth.

 

[Andreina]

Bags in Austria

Back home you pay between 50 cent and 1 dollar (depending on size) for the bags in the supermarket. That way you re-use your plastic bags or use baskets to go shopping.
I think that it is more than weird that people in the UK get bags in the supermarkets for free - but then they don't recylcle batteries, glass, paper, plastic or bio stuff either.

Halo

 

[JazzManJim]

I use those canvas shopping bags when I do my grocery shoppin, so that's not a problem.

At department stores, I prefer the plastic bags, because they then get reuised for lots of stuff at my house. I use them for storage, and as small trash bags around the place, and in my car.

As far as the environment goes, the canvas bags are, by far, the best. Plastic is second best and paper third, at least as far as I've read the experts.

But a new tax? Nah...we have plenty of those already. Maybe if we could trade this tax for one which already exists I wouldn't mind so much, but I don't want another one.

 

[kotori]

from today's RTÉ news update

SHOPPERS MUST NOW PAY FOR PLASTIC BAGS
---------------------------------------------------------------
Shoppers have been getting used to the new 15 cent levy on plastic bags, which takes effect today. There have been some complaints that charges were imposed on items, which should be exempt. Meanwhile, a survey of 29 towns has found the Coombe-Liberties area of Dublin has the worst problem with litter.

The Government estimates that 1.2 bn plastic bags are given out free every year. Considering they are used for minutes but last for hundreds of years, the aim is to eliminate their use.

As much as €185m could be raised by this new levy but the Government says that it hopes the charge will lead to fewer bags being used and the revenue ultimately drying up.

Some in the Liberties complained they were being charged when buying meat, vegetables and other foods even though they were supposed to be exempt. The levy has put in jeopardy as many as 200 jobs in the bag manufacturing business.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

N.B.: The Liberties one of the poorer sections of Dublin's inner city, near the old St. Patrick's Cathedral. At one time, (when the C of I was the Established church), there was no civil jurisdiction over the area, only eclesiastical; hence, the residents were "free" of civil authority. Jonathan Swift was Dean of the Cathedral in the 18th century.

 

[Wiggles]

http://frugalliving.about.com/library/blplasticbag.htm

Neat little link. Not saying anyone would do it, but it's a pretty nifty idea.

My personal favorite, the bag bed, is sometimes made by volunteers and given to the homeless. I've read it's actually very warm, and even slightly waterproof.

 

[Gilly Bean]

where we grocery shop at, we have to buy bags. They are $.10 for the normal grocery bag sized plastic bag, and $.15 for the larger, stronger bag. Usually, we take a few bags with us so we don't have to buy them. They also leave out all the product boxes so that you can use those instead, for free. It gets rid of their boxes, and saves on plastic use.

 

[Calamity Jane]

I actually like this idea. I hate going to walmart to get three items and coming home with 3 bags. I couldn't possibly reuse every bag I come home with, so they just go into the garbage anyway. And then I have plastic garbage bags filled with plastic grocery bags... not the legacy i was hoping to leave behind.

 

[Weird Harold]

I get the strangest looks when I tell cashiers I don't need a bag for a soda and a bag of peanuts or the like. It's like I'm unamerican or something because I won't let them bag something that's going to gt opend as soon as I step out of the store.

I generally prefer paper bags to plastic bags when I need a bag -- at last they're bio-degradable if they're not recycled.

 

[Ksss]

Several of the grocery stores here have barrels you can return your plastic grocery bags to. I occassionally like the plastic bags for my smaller bathroom trash cans, but damn they seem to multiply fast. I prefer my groceries, usually packed by myself, packed in paper bags. I find if I pack myself I use less bags, and some of the bag people look at you funny when you tell them to pack them heavy. I'm just lazy and don't like making 7 trips to the car to bring in the groceries in 20 degree weather.

 

[morninggirl5]

I actually use all those bags they give me. They become bags for children's clothing that's been soiled and spare "bookbags" on those days when one gets left on the bus or at home.

My theory is that cashiers use so many bags so it will appear that you have more items than you actually do. They're trying to reverse the shock that you just spent $100 and it could all fit in one bag.

 

[Andreina]

at Tesco's (supermarket chain) you can buy so-called "Bags for Life". Those are really strong plastic bags which you buy for $0.10 each and once they get worn out you get them replaced for free. That's a good idea as well, I think.


Halo

 

[ohiobbw]

I use to work at a grocery store and if you bought your own bags in to use (plastic, canvas, anything) you would save 5 cents on your order for each bag that was used. It doesn't seem like much, but it adds up and your recycling!

I thought it was a good idea, but almost no one to advantage of it.

 

[freakygirl]

I went to WalMart today..

I bought 7 small non heavy items. I told the lady, please put them in one bag. She didn't listen she put all the items in 3 bags. After paying for my stuff, I removed the items from two bags put them into one and handed her back the other two bags. She says "I'm sorry I can't reuse them, they are used." I said "If you would have listened to me in the first place they wouldn't be used. Would they?" I walked off.. looked back and she threw them in the garbage. WTF????? I don't have some disease or something. She could have reused them for the next customer.

Usually when I shop, i take a canvas bag. But today was a "non planned" stop at WalMart. And the canvas bag wasn't in the car I was driving at the time..