One Month Until Plastic Bag Ban Takes Effect (Austin, Wichita Falls: suburbs, money)

[G Grasshopper]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

Read: "cities that impose my preferences on all citizens"

That's what it usually seems to mean when used on these forums.

Oh, lets play nicely. "Progressive" is often used to replace the more maligned term, "liberal." Although I prefer to use it more as if it means "forward looking," whether the policies proposed are liberal or not. And I imagine that the person using the statement does agree with bag bans. There are bag bans all over the world. But many of them in the US have been voted down, too. I found this map that I hope will come through for you.

Plastic Bag Ban Map

[Brian.Pearson]

If you don't know what is happening to our environment from having plastic bags and bottles, do so.

[HappyTexan]

Originally Posted by Brian.Pearson

If you don't know what is happening to our environment from having plastic bags and bottles, do so.

Honestly though, if they want to get rid of the plastic then really get rid of it.
Paper bags PERIOD. All they did was switch to another type of plastic bag and now charge for it.
Life existed quite well before plastic bags showed up on the scene.

[Brian.Pearson]

Greenwash: Biodegradable plastic bags carry more ecological harm than good | Fred Pearce | Environment | guardian.co.uk

[G Grasshopper]

It all depends on who is doing the research. They will find whatever is in their own best interest. To me, the proof of which is worse (paper or plastic) is easy to see. It is the plastic that you see stuck to cacti, decorating fences, strangling sea turtles and marine mammals, etc. I don't see paper bags doing such harm. We have been arguing this topic for many pages, and it seems pointless to re-argue it. (Maybe its just too late, and I'm tired.)

[Brian.Pearson]

Health and environment: A closer look at plastics

[gpurcell]

One thing I am noticing is that checkout speed at my neighborhood Randalls has slowed to a crawl after the bag ban.

[austinrebel]

It appears to me that most retailers simply switched to paper bags with handles. The reusable bags spread disease argument is largely a moot point. HEB is a notable exception. They appear not to be raising prices to cover the more expensive bags. Kudos to them. One thing I have noticed at HEB is some people aren't using bags at all, just carrying their purchases out the door in the carts.

If the intent of the city was to get everyone using reusable bags it seems to be a big flop so far.

[Trainwreck20]

If the intent of the city was to get everyone using reusable bags

The intent was to get people to not use one-time plastic bags.

I typically go to the local HEB about three times a week, since it is just a couple blocks from my house and I prefer to avoid the cart and just get 5 or 10 things at a time. I would estimated about 80% of the people have come up with their solution which varies quite a bit - bringing bags, just using cart, or bringing alternative containers (I have seen a wide variety of folding baskets and such). The other 20% seem to either buy a reusable bag or carry stuff out by hand. I have yet to see anyone very bent out of shape, but I suspect there are a few.

I have not seen any change in bagging speed - must be a Randalls thing .

[austinrebel]

I guess everybody's happy except the trees. I don't see many people bringing reusable bags at Whole Foods, where every self-respecting liberal hipster does their grocery shopping. But, definitely at HEB. HEB is trying not to pass the cost of the bag ban onto their customers. Good for them.