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

[Joey Gates]

Why not forgo the bags altogether for produce and take
tupperware?  Still plastic for sure, but durable and
re-usable for years.  We actually take pyrex dishes
with covers to our CSA to put greens in.

--- Jan Quarles <janq at zoom-dsl.com> wrote:

> 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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