Plastic Bag Charge Cuts Use At Tesco By 78%

[darkangel218]

Charging 5p for plastic bags has cut their use at one of England's largest supermarket chains by 78%.

Tesco said the dramatic drop in the use of single-use bags is 10% more than it had expected when the Government introduced the levy in October.

Rebecca Shelley, Tesco group communications director, said: "We knew the Government's bag charge would encourage our customers to use fewer plastic bags and it has clearly had a huge impact.
...

Cutting the number of plastic bags we use is a small but vital step in reducing plastic waste," he said.

"It will not only tidy up our towns and countryside, it will also help protect our precious beaches and sealife."

http://news.sky.com/story/1600465/plastic-bag-charge-cuts-use-at-tesco-by-78-percent

If they can do it, so should we. I know some stores in California had a similar incentive to reduce pollution, but I am not sure if that is still happening.

It is so easy not to use plastic and use recyclable bags, hopefully we will wake up from our slumber and try to give a damn about the other species and our environment.

[Ichingcarpenter]

1. Phase-out of lightweight plastic bags world trends

Seems the US is just catching barely with world trends

Article gives progress and laws in most countries.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phase-out_of_lightweight_plastic_bags

[darkangel218]

2. Very interesting that China has the ban, considerating how much they pollute

Ans we as a country do not. I am not all for federal government "banning things" but pollution and the death of sea life because of plastic bags is real and it should be addressed.

[Ichingcarpenter]

3. the lightweight bags cause the most problems although other bags have some issues

its no banning things its sensible tax...... the ones you have to buy can be used again and again unlike the lightweight ones you see in the states.

[darkangel218]

4. Correct.

I have few reusable grocery plastic bags I've been using them for years.
The light weight disposable ones are the problem.

[mopinko]

5. they banned them in chicago. lots of stores just switched

to a heavier bag, which at least is reusable, and you can actually fill the damn things. no more on item per bag.
some stores went w paper, and they have a couple reusable options, from a 10¢ cheapo to a $1 good, big reusable.
couple stores i have been in offer no free bags, but cheap reusables.

it is the light weight ones that are a waste. and when they double them up ALL.THE.TIME because they are crap bags......

[questionseverything]

6. aldi's has been charging for bags for at least 20 years

i have some really old bags that i have reused literally hundreds of times

[Delmette]

7. What do you use for your trash?

My city/county landfill requires that household trash is bagged. I use my grocery bagsfor household trash rather than buying commercial trash bags. I recycle cans, plastic cardboard and glass. I use my reusable tote bags when I buy from my preferred warehouse vendor.
Can someone tell me what is more environmentally friendly, using grocery bags for trash or buying trash bags?

[darkangel218]

8. Eco-friendly trash bags.

There are several types you can buy online. They are safe because they're biodegradable. Here is an example:

http://greenpaperproducts.com/13-gallon-tall-kitchen-trash-bags-g101r-12.aspx?utm_medium=shoppingengine&utm_source=googlebase&gclid=CjwKEAiAs4qzBRD4l-2w7qOoqEMSJABauikXEEtXaS1yGAbTZFf0__D_yFDcw9dgZKiunoYU5iFDPxoCALPw_wcB#.VmOLiZ9OmBY

[Delmette]

9. I have learned something new today.

Thank you for the information and the link!

[darkangel218]

10. No problem, anytime!