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

[Jan Quarles]

It may not occur to shoppers to ask for cardboard boxes. I'll ask Greenstar 
to encourage this option through signage at the registers, and in their 
newsletter. They could also charge 33 cents (or more) for their plastic 
bags, or, better yet, not offer them at all. I also think Greenstar should 
offer more affordable reusable bags for sale, like Shur-save and Wegman's 
do. If you agree, please join me in speaking up about this.

Also, many of you probably know about the following, but I'll suggest them 
anyway, for those who don't, here are some alternatives to using new plastic 
bags:
- For drippy produce: bring used plastic bags, waterproof beach bags, and/or 
those zippered rectangular insulated bags (normally used for car travel);
- Keep a cooler (or two) in your trunk; you can transfer groceries directly 
into it from your cart. In the summertime, line the bottom of the cooler 
with gel-packs from your freezer;
- Bring your own cardboard boxes to the store each time, and store them 
under your cart while you shop;
- Wash sandwich baggies and those thin plastic bags from the produce dep't 
by immersing them in a bowl of soapy water; swish, and then rinse well. Hang 
them on a line in the basement, or drape them over bottlenecks in your 
kitchen; you can set up wine or vinegar bottles on a cloth towel on your 
counter, and the bags will dry overnight. They last for years!
- Jan Quarles

----- 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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