When asked paper or plastic, I always choose paper. That is better
for the environment right? The bags will degrade and not live in
the landfills for years and years. I guess I never thought about
the trees that were cut down so that I could feel good about my
environmental decisions. You will see in the facts that I provide
below that I was wrong about paper being better than plastic.
When I go to the organic grocery store, if you do not bring your
own bag they will put your groceries into a cardboard box. The ones
that they receive their shipments in.
After watching the news last night, and hearing about a proposed
shopping bag tax, I started think about how this would affect me.
If you watch the abc news video you will see a woman say how the
tax will affect the poor more. The tax will increase every
one's grocery bill.
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=7750813
A proposed tax of 0.05 -0 .35 per bag. Paper OR
Plastic.
I go grocery shopping once a week. I usually leave with about +/-
20 bags of groceries. That would increase my grocery bill between
$1.00- $7.00 a week. That would be $4.00- $28.00 a month. That
$28.00 a month is a tank of gas in my car. (Yes gas, however that
is another discussion for another blog)
What do y'all think of a shopping bag tax? Do you think that it
is fair? Will this make you change your ways?
Below are some facts about shopping bags....
The average American uses between 300 and 700 plastic bags
per year. If everyone in the United States tied their annual
consumption of plastic bags together in a giant chain, the chain
would reach around the Earth 760 times!
Windblown plastic bags are so prevalent in South Africa that
a cottage industry has sprung up harvesting up to 30,000 plastic
bags a month to weave into hats and handbags. - BBC
Cutting single-use bag waste in half would reduce our oil
consumption by more than 2,000 barrels a day and keep out 73,000
tons of rubbish out of landfills.
Paper bags generate 70% more air and 50 times more water pollutants
than plastic bags. Paper in landfills doesn’t break down faster
than plastic. .
facts provided by.... http://www.chicobag.com/t-learn_facts.aspx
Would you pay a shopping bag tax?
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From the Community…
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Posted by Thu Jun 4, 2009 7:32am PDT
Report AbuseI am bringing pillowcases to the grocery store then. Gee wiz we are going to be taxed for breathing next.
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Posted by Thu Jun 4, 2009 7:34am PDT
Report AbuseHey 29, I have always thought it would be a good idea to use the suppliers shipping boxes to put customers groceries in.
A. it eliminates the disposal of huge pallets of cardboard.
B. its sturdy enough to carry the heaviest of grocery items.
C. it's more environmentaly friendly
I guess the only downside is that they cant be used as garbage containers.
Even those "Green" people who put garbage in Paper bags, still in many communities are required to put those paper bags in Plastic garbage bags or they wont be picked up.
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Posted by Thu Jun 4, 2009 7:45am PDT
Report AbuseI am a freak for ridding the planet of as much unnecessary plastic as we can. We need to do something but as far as taxing or charging for a plastic bag (5 cents) yesterday in Connecticut the tax did not pass. There are more people who have no idea why reusable bags are being offered than you can even imagine.
I have reusable clothe bags for every store I go into even Goodwill and Home Depot.
I washed my bags yesterday and Counted over 100 bags. That is because in the beginning I could never remember to put them back in my car and buy new ones.
Plastic is so unnecessary in more than 50% of the products that we use.
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Posted by Thu Jun 4, 2009 7:52am PDT
Report AbuseI use cloth, canvas bags as well, I think that they will be more eco-friendly if more people use them and at certain stores, you have to pay for bags!
$0.10 for plastic and $2.00 and change for the cloth ones, but they are reusable and actually SAVE you money in the long run!
Great Blog 29!
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Posted by Thu Jun 4, 2009 7:56am PDT
Report AbuseDang 29
When I go to the grocery store I ten to spend anywhere from $150.00
to $225.00 dollars on groceries and other Items from Walmart.
I hope that the State of Texas does not approve this.
Great post. Thank you for informing us.
Is there a State
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Posted by Thu Jun 4, 2009 8:01am PDT
Report AbuseHm... or we can just spend a few extra dollars for the reusable bags... I buy them every so often (especially when they are $0.99 a bag... and then you can use them for months at a time before they fall apart... and if they can last long enough they eventually pay for themselves (or you can get sturdier ones for more and they will last YEARS and eventually pay for themselves...
Which reminds me.. I need to put them in the car.. *lol*
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Posted by Thu Jun 4, 2009 8:06am PDT
Report AbuseWell Christ....if paper is bad...and plastic is bad.....cloth is just outta the question for me....being that I have 2 teenage boys that eat anything and everything in sight...I would have to buy a hundred of them...What the he!! else can they tax us on??...I bet plenty;)...
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Posted by Thu Jun 4, 2009 8:14am PDT
Report AbuseA bag tax should be a crime!
One of the stores I shop at has for MANY years discounted your bill by 5 cents per bag for bringing in your own bags. When I was a kid, before "paper or plastic," my mom would save the paper bags and take them to that store until they just wouldn't hold up any more. She put tape around the tops to help prevent tears.
I try to use my own bags (or no bags) whenever I remember. I have only 2 that I bought from the grocery stores. I have cloth and canvas totes from the library, the zoo, from conventions and seminars, etc that I use.
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Posted by Thu Jun 4, 2009 8:17am PDT
Report AbuseSounds like the Beatle's song, "The Tax Man" is coming true!
They gonna tax the cans and bottles the food comes in, too? How about a tax on the receipt?
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Posted by Thu Jun 4, 2009 8:29am PDT
Report AbuseGreat blog, 29!!!!! I just bought some cute reusable bags at Old Navy for 3 bucks. We try and recycle as much as we can. Sometimes I get the plastic ones because during the summer, my daughters school has swimming lessons and they use the bags for the wet swimsuits.
Hi everyone!!! Hope you're all having a great day!!!
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