[SustainableTompkins] Motivated by a Tax, Irish Spurn Plastic Bags

[rebecca]

I know that there isn't one in this area but.....I was impressed the last 
time I was in an Ikea, they are charging $.05 for each plastic bag and 
donating the proceeds to organizations that plant trees (different 
organizations in different locations).

~Rebecca

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Margaret McCasland" <mmccasla at twcny.rr.com>
To: "Sustainable Tompkins County listserv" 
<sustainabletompkins at lists.mutualaid.org>
Sent: Saturday, February 02, 2008 10:15 AM
Subject: Re: [SustainableTompkins] Motivated by a Tax, Irish Spurn Plastic 
Bags


In Ithaca, Greenstar gives 5¢ off if you bring
your own bag, but a lot of people still chose
paper or plastic.

Aldi's only offers reusable plastic bags for
purchase (I forget the cost).  People who shop
there tend to bring their own bag, or use the
boxes the groceries came in, which the store puts
out for that purpose. It's easy enough to recycle
the boxes once we get home. I seem to remember
that practice in US grocery stores half a century
ago--before we had plastic bags.

The major grocery stores in Australia--which have
been pushing reusable bags for years--had a big
ad campaign reminding people to keep their bags
in their "boot"  (trunk).  I found I need to have
them in the front seat in order to remember to
bring them into stores with me.

Having functional, inexpensive reusable bags
available seems to be only half of what's needed,
from what I know of Australia and what the
article on Ireland implies. It may well take a
tax before we start consistently bringing our own
bags.



>Not sure if this news already made the list.  Could there be a local  tax?
>Would it make sense here?
>
>Motivated by a Tax, Irish Spurn Plastic Bags
>By ELISABETH  ROSENTHAL
>The Irish have embraced the use of cloth bags to carry
>their  groceries, encouraged by a 33-cent tax on each
>plastic bag grabbed at the  register.
>
>http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/02/world/europe/02bags.html?th&emc=th
>
>
>Eric Clay,  M.Div., Ph.D.
>Community Coach
>Shared Journeys, Inc.
>832 North Aurora  Street
>Ithaca, NY 14850
>607-592-6874_  wericclay at aol.com_ (mailto:wericclay at aol.com)
>
>Shared Journeys:  Make a World  of Difference
>
>
>Our mission is to  help individuals, families, organizations and 
>communities
>care more  effectively for themselves and others who are not like them.

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