Motivated by a Tax, Irish Spurn Plastic Bags

[Lone_Star_Dem]

Source: New York Times

DUBLIN — There is something missing from this otherwise typical bustling cityscape. There are taxis and buses. There are hip bars and pollution. Every other person is talking into a cellphone. But there are no plastic shopping bags, the ubiquitous symbol of urban life.

In 2002, Ireland passed a tax on plastic bags; customers who want them must now pay 33 cents per bag at the register. There was an advertising awareness campaign. And then something happened that was bigger than the sum of these parts.

Within weeks, plastic bag use dropped 94 percent. Within a year, nearly everyone had bought reusable cloth bags, keeping them in offices and in the backs of cars. Plastic bags were not outlawed, but carrying them became socially unacceptable — on a par with wearing a fur coat or not cleaning up after one’s dog.

“When my roommate brings one in the flat it annoys the hell out of me,” said Edel Egan, a photographer, carrying groceries last week in a red backpack.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/02/world/europe/02bags.html?pagewanted=2&ei=5087&em&en=b81a97080dcd4b15&ex=1202101200

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I'm not sure if paying an extra 22-cents per bag would work here in the US or not. However, I am glad it's working in Ireland.

[aquart]

1. It would work.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

2. It absolutely would have the same effect here.

Trader Joe's does not use plastic bags either, and i would say 30% of the people have re-usable cloth bags.
Good article -- thanks L_S_D

[Whoa_Nelly]

3. Now THAT is really using "sin tax"!

Levying taxes against the usual sins, (cigarettes, liquor), doesn't stop people, but by applying a tax to plastic bags...! Wow! Would love to see that happen here in the US. not a day goes by that I don't see plastic bags somewhere around town, either along the roadside or blowing about in the wind.

Less use of plastic bags = less petroleum-based products littering the scenery ;)

[Cleita]

4. In the spirit of being a good citizen of the planet I got cloth

bags, however, everytime I went to the market I forgot them. Then I found they were so handy for other things, gardening paraphernalia and tools, knitting and sewing. All my cloth bags are otherise occupied. My bad. :-(

I do put my plastic and paper bags in the recycler though. :shrug:

[roody]

5. Our coop has a sign in the window---

Did you remember your bag?

[Desertrose]

6. I should tattoo that on my forehead....

but I get more exercise walking back to the car for my cloth bags. LOL

Great idea. I really hate to see them blowing all over the landscape.

[iamjoy]

7. Cat Litter Disposal

My husband and I would use plastic grocery bags to hold the waste after cleaning out the cat box. then, we thought at least paper is bio-degradeable, so now we ask for paper and re-use them to that purpose. Paper holds more than plastic, too.

We keep forgetting our cloth bags, darn it.

[PADemD]

17. I bourght cloth bags, too.

When I am finished putting away the groceries, the cloth bags go back in the trunk of my car, ready for the next shopping trip.

[murielm99]

18. I have two bags from Trader Joe's.

My daughter gave them to me for Christmas, at my request.

One is cloth, and the other one is insulated, for the cold food.

Keep them in the car so you won't forget them. I put mine back in the car after every trip. After awhile, it just became a habit to put the food away and walk back to the car with the bags, so I would be all set for the next trip to the store.

[tavalon]

39. We keep 5 in both cars and if we know we're going to the store for a large grocery trip

we grab extras from our closet and even have a bag that's insulated for the cold stuff. But, yeah, those things have become the extra bag for so many things! They've also, rather strangely, replaced my overnight bag for car trips. I never expected that. I'm guessing that wouldn't go over well for the airlines, but since I (finally, yay!), so rarely go on plane trips, I haven't had to deal with that, yet.

[harmonicon]

8. it definitely should be done in the US

I have two reusable cloth bags that I use for my shopping. One of them is small/light enough that it easily fits in my coat pocket, so whenever I buy something I have a bag on hand. I think a tax like that would be good, and if we were to do something like legalize hemp and have hemp bags (fabric or paper) on offer at the register for less than the plastic bag tax, what do you think would win out? I know I'd rather help farmers than petroleum producers.

[PassingFair]

9. Let me run that by the "Plastics" lobby....

Em...sorry.

No dice.

[NYC]

20. I think that's the answer.

Sadly.

[gateley]

10. It certainly wouldn't hurt us to try -- it seems so sensible.

Here's an excellent source for cloth bags -- and check out the counter on the front page.

www.reusablebags.com

[annabanana]

16. Another excellent bag:

http://www.cafepress.com/buy/democratic+underground/-/pv_design_prod/p_354756.21464058/pNo_21464058/id_760646/fpt_/opt_/c_666/pg_1

[gateley]

21. Ooh - another bag I'd be proud to carry. Thanks!

:hi:

[xxqqqzme]

29. That bag is part of my collection of about 20 bags

I still have 3 'Tree Savers' bags I bought in 1972 through an ad in the back of Mother Earth News! They have been in the wash many times. The handles are starting to get a bit frayed & the print is a little faded but otherwise they are in great shape. Also one of the reasons one of my e-mail e-dresses is hbbaglady.

edit to add

Since I live @ the beach, the plastic bag thing is really an issue for me. I HATE seeing those thing blowing down the beach. I recently ordered some smaller, lightweight, drawstring veggie/fruit bags from www.ecobags.com. They have a small & large size. I have them on top of my other bags so they go to the market w/ me. Plus I just water spritz the bag and the produce seems to keep longer.

[Irishonly]

11. I use canvas bags

I have finally learned after I put groceries away I put the canvas bags beck into the trunk. One of our grocery store chains recycles all plastic bags so bread bags, produce bags and any other type of plastic bag goes there. I think the tax is a great idea.

[HEyHEY]

12. The shitheads in our City council defered the attempt to a regional district on Thursday

In the words of one councillor, "IF other municipalities in the region aren't doing it, what's the point?" Way to lead by example, asshole.

[Skittles]

14. LOL HEyHEY they actually SAID THAT????

:rofl: IDIOTS!!!!!!!!!!

[HEyHEY]

15. Yeap

[Tindalos]

24. That annoyed me too.

Oh well, screw them. I'm going to refuse plastic bags from now on and encourage others to do the same. Maybe one day the council will catch up with the rest of us.

[HEyHEY]

35. Hey new guy

Vancouverite too? What's shakin'?

[Tindalos]

42. Yep, newbie sort-of Vancouverite here.

Hi :hi:

I'm looking forward to a night off. How's your weekend?

[HEyHEY]

43. Sick, but that's how it goes

[patrick t. cakes]

13. I carry a chico bag in my

messenger bag. it folds up nicely.
if for some reason i forget it though i usually ask for paper.
dont know if thats any better than plastic but i hate plastic.

[Maeve]

19. After our Ireland trip in '03, we use cloth bags, too

Still get the plastic ones at times (for disposal of cat litter), but I have three bags in my car for most shopping. And it makes me think of Ireland :D

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

22. I need to start using my cloth shopping bags again

Around here, they don't LIKE you to use them, though. I hate getting hassled.

I also make cloth bags for all my holiday gifts. The bags themselves are made from scraps of fabrics, usually--often "crazy quilted". Funny thing is that I never get them returned--I've found out that every one of them, large and small, get used to store things, etc--in fact, they are often more prized than the gifts inside them! :rofl:

[Window]

48. I receive ten cents off my total grocery bill from one store,

and five cents from another store every time I use my green cloth bags. It's not a lot, but I appreciate it and the fact that they are urging everyone to "go green." I love them. They pack better and are much easier to carry.


Peace:thumbsup:

[sandyj999]

23. Check Out this Web Site

One Bag At A Time. It has a powerful message and I have placed an order. I believe it's a wonderful start.

[Longhorn]

38. I got 20 bags from them last year -- 10 for me and 10 for my husband.

It took us awhile to get in the habit of remembering to take them in with us but we're finally getting used to it. While I'm shopping, I attach them to the cart with the baby seat belts so they don't get covered up with groceries in the cart. They hold so much more than plastic bags and have held up well.

[LynzM]

25. That's awesome :)

You pay-per-bag in Germany, too, which is when I first realized that there was an entirely different way of doing things... We very rarely get plastic bags. I generally carry a mesh (string) bag that is compact enough to fit in my purse, and will carry 40 lbs of stuff. I don't accept bags at stores, and we hang our re-usable bags in our front entryway so we remember to grab them on the way out.

I would LOVE to see that happen in the U.S. LOVE IT.

[Drifter]

26. They should do the same thing ...

with water bottles. $1.00 non-refundable deposit per bottle (regardless of size). This will most likely force people to use reusable containers.

Cheers

[FloridaJudy]

27. I bought some gorgeous cloth bags on eBay

You can find them with almost any design you want (mine have goddesses and "Om" symbols). Quite aside from the environmental concerns, I don't have to worry about the bottoms of the plastic/paper bags giving out and anointing the doorstep with spaghetti sauce and broken eggs while I fumble for my keys! Since I was without a car for a few weeks, I had to do all my shopping by bus or walking. Believe me, those sturdy cloth bags were a godsend.



When I visited my sister in California, I noticed almost everyone in the Bay Area uses cloth bags. You have to ask for plastic bags if you need them. Charging for them makes even more sense. I also notice that those states that charge a bottle/can deposit have a whole lot less roadside litter.

I wish Florida would get on the bandwagon.

[skepticscott]

28. Great idea

I just wonder if we'll every see Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama come out and say what a great idea it is. I've come to absolutely loathe plastic bags in the last year (better late than never, I guess) and to refuse them at every opportunity. We'd been using canvas bags for years, but they've gotten pretty ratty, so when we were in Wisconsin recently, we bought a bunch of green polypropylene cloth bags with flat bottoms for .99 each at Woodman's market and that's all we use for grocery shopping any more. They're great! And we carry a few sturdy old-style plastic bags in my car to use when we forget those.

My next problem is what to do about the newspaper. We live in the Chicago suburbs and get the Chicago Tribune tossed on our driveway every morning in a plastic bag (two if the weather is bad), not to mention the two or three local rags that end up there every week whether we want them or not (also in plastic bags). The bags aren't usable for anything else (no dog), so all we can do is recycle, but there are just SO damn many of them...multiply ours by millions very day. That's basically just oil going into landfills forever.

[SharonRB]

31. Our curbside recycling does not pick up plastic bags

but we can drop them off at the big recycling center. I just collect them until I'm going over that way and then I drop them off.

[SharonRB]

30. This is great

I switched to reusable bags last spring and keep them in my car at all times.

[AndyTiedye]

32. Cloth Shopping Bags Here

when I remember to bring them.

[skater314159]

33. I have always used cloth or those european string shopping bags...

but that is what my family always used when I was growing up. A plan like that would work great here in the US... as it is,I enjoy shopping at Kroger and Whole Foods, who give you a discount for each bag you bring.

I wonder where the money from the tax goes? It would be great if it was to clean up litter and educate people about the environment!

[tavalon]

41. The money from the tax apparently doesn't go anywhere,

because within weeks, 94% of the people were not using plastic and by now, peer pressure has likely made that close to 99%.

[skater314159]

34. LINKS TO BUY CLOTH BAGS!

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_misc/002-7009726-6790431?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=cloth+shopping+bags&x=16&y=16

http://www.reusablebags.com/

http://www.google.com/products?hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:*:IE-Address&rlz=1I7RNWN&q=cloth+shopping+bags&um=1&ie=UTF-8

http://www.clothbag.com/

http://www.greenhome.com/products/kitchen/shopping_bags/

http://www.amazon.com/Canvas-Cloth-Shopping-Bags-Natural/dp/B000LVT72U

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_misc/002-7009726-6790431?url=search-alias%3Dmisc&field-keywords=cloth+shopping+bags


Hope that helps you guys!

:hippie:
skater pi

[water]

36. Interesting, in many ways, Ireland is much more capitalist than the United States.

[pinto]

37. I like it, as well as the appearance of the $1 cloth bags some groceries are offering.

I bought a couple, from two different stores, and find I use them for more than just shopping.

:think:

[tavalon]

40. Last night I stopped by QFC in the middle of a small part of Bothell,

to pick up some odds and ends prior to going to work. Somehow my five bag trick had failed and I had no bags, so I bought a couple. The guy who was checking told me that he has never seen so many of those bags bought or used before he started working at that location. He also said that Whole Foods will be getting rid of their plastic bags by Earth Day. And because of this discussion, I put some more bags by the door to make sure they get distributed to our two cars. My goal is to use up the plastic bags we have in our cupboard and then be done. We use them for trash liners. I wonder if it would be better to just recycle them and just clean out the trash containers? Of course, the one under our sink requires a plastic bag but that one could be replaced.

[knitter4democracy]

44. Almost all the stores around here are selling cloth bags now.

Meijers bags are the best, I think. Outside pocket, two inner dividers for bottles or breakables, one inner pocket--all out of that plastic cloth that's washable. Just a dollar each. They're holding up great, too.

I finally found a way to make it work for me. I keep mine on the passenger seat of my car next to my purse. That way, I can't forget them. I also have an organizer bag in the back of my car with three pockets, the middle one being an insulated cooler bag for groceries. I keep extra bags in one of the pockets, too, in case I realize that it's a bigger trip than I'd thought and I'll need more bags.

I just wish our recycling would take paper free-hand in our box. Instead, it all has to be in paper shopping bags. It's getting to the point that I have to remind myself to keep the bags in the car, that I'm running out of paper bags for the recycling.

[glowing]

45. As the economy continues to tank, bringing bags into the store

will be taboo.. There are already stores now in my area that ask for people to keep their back packs or large bags out of the store or at the front.. A bag in hand, means theft will increase, especially at the grocery store and the Super Walmart and Super Target and all the other Supers...

[dysfunctional press]

46. if it happens here, i guess that i'll have to start buying plastic garbage bags...

and the small rolls of plastic bags they sell for picking up dog crap. and i'll continue reusing the water softener salt bags for scooping cat litter.
so ultimately- i'll be sending the same amount/kinds of things to the landfill, i'll just get to pay more for the privilege...:shrug:

[Lisa]

47. one local store (here in Canada) gives you a 3-cent rebate if you bring a bag

I guess that would be the "carrot" approach.

At first I was skeptical, but I've gotten into the habit of carrying a cloth bag in one of my coat pockets. I now have to remember NOT to bring it along, if I want to get a plastic bag for the kitchen garbage. (And speaking of waste reduction, my parents are now able to put 3 weeks of household garbage into one of those grocery bags. They only put the garbage can out for pickup every two months. It's freaking out the neighbours ... the first time this happened, they came over to check on my folks because 2 trash days had gone past without either garbage or recycling put out by my parents, and people wondered if they'd had coronaries or broken their hips or something.)

I've noticed that only a few years ago, if you refused a bag for a purchase, the clerks would look at you as if you were mad. Now they smile and thank you (I think the stores are realizing that this is saving them $ as well).

[muriel_volestrangler]

49. Question, on bags for loose goods inside a store

typically fruit and veg - are those taxed too, in Ireland, so that every uses paper instead? If so, what about pre-packed goods inside a store - does the plastic packaging around them (completely non-reusable, unlike plastic bags, which may be good for another couple of uses, at least) have a tax on it too? Anyone know?

[The Icon Painter]

50. Habits

I have been using my own bags for grocery shopping for more years than I like to admit. Sure, at first it was hard to remember to carry them along but after a while it becomes completely natural. I keep my collection of bags hanging on a hook on my back porch and never forget to snag them on my way to the car. Habit is a wonderful thing.

I used string bags until they began to wear out and I could not find replacements I liked. Just in time, my Publix started selling an excellent Green Bag for less than a dollar at their checkout counters. I bought six, two of each colour and they are totally serviceable. These new ones stand on their own, making them easy to fill and have wide straps which do not cut into the hands. They also hold far more than their plastic counterparts. I cannot imagine going back to the flimsy, hard to manage plastic bags. They are inefficient and wasteful. It is pleasant to do the right thing and find it so convenient.

[bluestdogest]

51. The plastic bag "crisis" is a joke. The solution is corn starch "plastic."

Why does everything have to be so hard?

[Viva_La_Revolution]

53. That won't help anything.

Corn is a nutrient and water hog. Growing it for anything other than food is a terrible idea.

[SKKY]

52. I think that's an outstanding idea! I'm all for it...

...when my wife goes shopping here in Spain, she uses one of those bags on wheels things so it would be no skin off of our noses. When we were in the States, we used the grocery bags for our trash- had a thing that mounted on the door below the sink just for it.

[Serial Mom]

54. My solution: make my own bags from worn out jeans/clothes n/t

[Ilsa]

56. Me too. I have also used old draperies. They are very strong! nt

[the808]

55. Oahu , trying to catch up...

Being reviewed by the city council right now is a ban on plastic bags. I'm not too optimistic that it will pass being that it is Hawaii. We still don't have mandatory recycling here although a pilot program just started in two areas of Oahu, and I might add to a lot of protest since it was taking away one day of regular trash pickup.

Me, I continue to fight the good fight, use my shopping totes (and get my 3 cent credit), take my recycables to the bins at the local school and have become more conscientious when making my purchases.