Giant Food to start charging for bags (Winchester: sales, school)

[Grsz11]

I haven't heard of stores independently doing this where not required by law. The HEB's I went to in Texas charged something like 10 cents but the bag they use probably held as much as 5 normal plastic bags.

[blindside]

The reusable bags from Wegmans are actually quite nice. Reinforced bottoms and stiff sides. The cashiers usually know how to pack these bags quite efficiently. I always laugh when I see someone cart out with their groceries inefficiently packed in plastic bags. They usually end up using twice as many bags than I do with my reusables.

I think to myself what a mess that makes in the house.. and the environment.

[ACWhite]

Many of us re-use the plastic bags for pet waste.

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by ACWhite

Many of us re-use the plastic bags for pet waste.

this^^^

i reuse all of the plastic bags i get.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by gomason

I haven't but I'm glad they are. The DC program has been very successful in cleaning up the Anacostia River so that one day it will be swimmable.

If nothing else, it should make people more aware of how much people waste in this country. I also don't really know how people can complain about 5 cents a bag.

Plastic bags have nothing to do with why the Anacostia is unswimmable.

If he wasn't already dead Izzy would die now over what the Dutchmen have done to his store.

I know the Safeway I shop at here in Calvert County randomly doesn't have paper bags. Either paper or plastic eventually get reused by me for various things.

I usually take my own bags, freebies from the store.

[jtees4]

Re-useable bags are great. UNTIL someone brings in their roach infested bags from their roach infested house and infests the entire store....including your groceries. People will change their minds that it's a great idea.

[airjay75]

The truth about reusable shopping bags - MarketWatch

Interesting article here about just how many times you have to use different types of reusable bags before it's better for the environment than plastic bags. If it's a cotton bag, you have to use it 131 times. But, other types of bags are much less.

I almost wonder whether this whole push to move away from plastic bags is not a solution in search of a problem.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by airjay75

The truth about reusable shopping bags - MarketWatch

Interesting article here about just how many times you have to use different types of reusable bags before it's better for the environment than plastic bags. If it's a cotton bag, you have to use it 131 times. But, other types of bags are much less.

I almost wonder whether this whole push to move away from plastic bags is not a solution in search of a problem.

Plastic bags do look crappy when they go feral. There's one stuck in the top of a tree next door. The owner (it's a short term vacation rental) won't have anyone take it down.

Actually, she accused me of climbing the tree and putting it there.

[gomason]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

Plastic bags have nothing to do with why the Anacostia is unswimmable.

If he wasn't already dead Izzy would die now over what the Dutchmen have done to his store.

I know the Safeway I shop at here in Calvert County randomly doesn't have paper bags. Either paper or plastic eventually get reused by me for various things.

I usually take my own bags, freebies from the store.

I didn't say plastic bags have anything do with it. They raise money though that is dedicated to cleaning up the Anacostia.

[airjay75]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

Plastic bags do look crappy when they go feral. There's one stuck in the top of a tree next door. The owner (it's a short term vacation rental) won't have anyone take it down.

Actually, she accused me of climbing the tree and putting it there.

I certainly agree about them looking bad, but I think litter is generally a problem that goes far beyond plastic bags. Sure, they contribute to the problem, but the vast majority of litter I encounter are empty food and drink containers. I have recently been involved with some community clean up in my neighborhood and I don't recall a lot of plastic grocery bags. In fact, I regularly use plastic grocery bags to pick up litter in this one particular area in my neighborhood. Of course, my experience is purely anecdotal, so who knows just how much plastic bags are contributing to litter on a more macro level.