Would you pay 7 cents for a plastic grocery bag? (San Antonio: how much, to buy)

[BenjaminNicholas]

Originally Posted by sapphire

Taxes don't boost the store's profit margin.

Plastic bags may soon be taxed | WOAI.COM: San Antonio News

You misunderstand me (and likely due to my badly-phrased reply). I meant that Whole Foods putting a 7 cent premium on bags in other cities comes directly from them, not local government. It's a way for WF to profit, knowing full well that a lot of people will opt for the bags out of sheer habit.

What may happen locally is a whole other issue. Forcing people to do anything, including 'go green' is a waste of time and taxing them into compliance just doesn't work. Case-in-point: Tobacco.

NYC has one of the highest tax-per-pack rates in the USA, but the rate of new and long-term smokers isn't statistically dropping with the continual increases. Even if it's a common-sensical situation, people don't like being told what to do by their government. Rebellion comes in some rather strange forms.




BN

[Marlow]

I vote for stores to stop handing out bags altogether. The early bird shoppers could use the boxes emptied the night before and everyone else could bring their own bags or boxes. It's not a big deal once you get in the habit.

[LiveUrban]

In England, several stores made you pay for bags or they gave you 2 or 3 and that was it.

I think the tote bags are a good idea.

[miche111e]

Originally Posted by catriona

Save the trees - no more paper bags!
Save the environment - no more plastic bags!

Makes no sense, does it? Why don't they just do like Sam's does and give out cardboard boxes to those who can use them, otherwise, bring your own bags.

No way am I paying 7 cents for a plastic bag!

This, and:

Originally Posted by sapphire

...and what will I line my bathroom trash can with?

LOL

[ladihawkae]

hmm. maybe we should all just invest in a shopping cart. one that is portable and folds up. then we can take it out of our trunks, wheel it in and get what we want. pay for it. wheel it back out. wheel it to our homes. that takes care of the problem of both the plastic and paper bags and the shopping carts rolling across the parking lots hitting cars because someone didn't take it to the cart well.

[perticusrex]

When I lived in Wichita ( nausea ) we shopped at a place called Food 4 Less. You had to either bring your own bags or do a Sam's and throw everything in the basket. This was a regular grocery store with regular stuff, but no bags of any kind.

[CL78248]

Yes. I have quite a few reusuable bags and take them everytime I go shopping. For the rare stop that I don't have a bag, I'd pay unless it was a single item and I could carry it out. I frequently turn down bags. I have a relative who lives overseas and that pay a hefty price for a bag while shopping.

[miche111e]

Just as an aside, I have a friend who used to work in the grocery business and she says that paper bags are very expensive.

[cwh]

Originally Posted by TXtrkgrl

I have a bag question . You say major shopping and you used 4 re-useable bags, my major shopping usually includes about 15-20 plastic bags. How many re-useable bags do you think that would be?

No, we don't eat that much, I just HATE grocery shopping so when I go I have to make it count .

The reusable bags probably hold 2 or 3 times what the plastic bags hold.

[cwh]

Originally Posted by dawgbert

I have to laugh when folks start talking about saving the trees. I lived in logging country and know that when trees are cut down for paper two are planted in its place. There are more trees in America now than when Columbus first set foot here.

I have plenty of HEB bags and take them with me whenever I go to the store. It is not hard.

Plastic bags are made out of petroleum (non renewable). Paper bags are made out of trees (renewable and readily available). It is a no brainer. Best alternative to plastic is to bring your own bags; second is paper bags.

Paper bags maybe renewable, but they also weigh more and take up more space than the plastic bags. So my guess is the plastic bags are the better 2nd choice of reusable bags.