One Month Until Plastic Bag Ban Takes Effect (Austin, West: 2013, construction)

[Austinite101]

Originally Posted by atxcio

I asked the other day at the Westlake HEB on 360, and they said they are not getting rid of the plastic bags... I kind of figured for a big company like HEB, they would go ahead and make the change at all the area stores regardless of whether they are in the city limits or just across the border (seems like it would be easier). But no.

Off topic, but I'm really beginning to dislike HEB. They used to be so good about service and prices, now it's all over the place. And their produce section is being reduced. They stopped carrying any kind of sprouts, company-wide supposedly. Bean sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, everything. You just can't get it there anymore.

I noticed the same thing the last time I went to an HEB. I'm starting to eat local produce instead. Unfortunately, they are showing more and more of a "big business"-type mentality instead of the more local mentality that they used to project. Oh well.

[gpurcell]

Originally Posted by Austinite101

I most certainly is in effect in many other cities and counties. Nearly a hundred from what I know. Perhaps even more that I'm not aware of. Austin is just one of the larger, more visible cities to do it.

Also, there are plenty of exemptions to the ban that allows for paper bags instead.

Wrong. There is nothing like a hundred jurisdictions that have banned paper and plastic bags.

[gpurcell]

Originally Posted by atxcio

I asked the other day at the Westlake HEB on 360, and they said they are not getting rid of the plastic bags... I kind of figured for a big company like HEB, they would go ahead and make the change at all the area stores regardless of whether they are in the city limits or just across the border (seems like it would be easier). But no.

It will be a huge competitive advantage for them not to have to comply. Why would they do so?

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by gpurcell

It will be a huge competitive advantage for them not to have to comply. Why would they do so?

Because people in Westlake aren't really into the cheap disposable stuff anyway, and they like to keep the place pristine environmentally (very strict ordinances on trees, sign ordinances, etc). So the reusable rule would probably appeal to most people there. Plus it's cheaper for the store.

[llkltk]

Does anyone know if HEB will provide any kind of bag that is not one of those reusable bags? Those things are a haven for bacteria!

[gpurcell]

People in Westlake are going to expect to get a bag to carry home something they purchase, like virtually everywhere else in the civilized world.

[gpurcell]

Originally Posted by llkltk

Does anyone know if HEB will provide any kind of bag that is not one of those reusable bags? Those things are a haven for bacteria!

When the ordinance was passed it initially looked like the nice heavy paper bags with handles (like at Central Market) would be allowed. Either that changed or there has been some bad information put out but right now it really isn't clear what's going to happen.

[owlman]

Costco is the shrewdest on this front... they don't supply any bags AND they get customers to haul away the store's cardboard waste!

[tildahat]

So is it a plastic bag ban or a non-reusable bag ban?

In any case, not as big a deal as people seem to think. We used to live in Europe and most countries there have some sort of ban. Took about a week to get used to it and then it was second nature.

[capcat]

Originally Posted by gpurcell

When the ordinance was passed it initially looked like the nice heavy paper bags with handles (like at Central Market) would be allowed. Either that changed or there has been some bad information put out but right now it really isn't clear what's going to happen.

According to a news story last night, paper bags are allowed as long as they meet certain criteria. Whole foods is offering paper bags that are made of 40% recycled material, which is apparently okay, due to customer demand for continuation of some type of bag. Other places will not offer that alternative, but it sounded like it was because they elected not to.

I'm not keen on the commonly-seen type of reusable bag. They have a strange feel to them, like a material not found in nature. But then, I never liked the floppy plastic bags either. I'm looking for something else. Maybe cardboard boxes for now.