Consider this and tell me what is good or bad about the idea.?

Question

"american_wardog" posted a little while ago about a water bottle ban in San Francisco. That got me looking at the story about SF banning plastic bags. Of course as someone else commented on that story, banning the bags is a band aid solution and if widely used will just put us back to deforesting our country to make paper.
Here is an idea.
City and state governments can offer a tax reduction for stores that participate. Stores sell cloth bags that could have the business logo. They offer a small percentage off for people who use their particular cloth bag and they are also required to collect a tax for anyone who doesn’t have a bag and uses plastic or paper.
It would not be that difficult or inconvenient to carry a few cloth bags when you go shopping. No more need for oil to make plastic bags and no need to cut down trees for paper. Since the bags would be used over and over the resources required are less and there’s less trash.
Recycling good, not creating trash better.

I didn't know Ireland had done this already but I am not surprised. :)

I also just thought that stores should love an idea like this since people who own their bag are carrying around advertising for them and are more likely to return since they would get a percentage off.
The only ting to worry about here is the probable existence of a plastic bag lobbyist who will convince law makers that cloth bags are liberal or something.

Answer 1

The only problem I see with your proposal is the collection of the tax on people who don't bring their own bag.

That would involve a new department be created on state or county levels, more paperwork done to make sure the appropriate amounts of tax were collected and some kind of tracking to see how much tax was due from each point of sale location.

Without the tax, it's a great idea.

Answer 2

I know there is a store here that suggests you bring in your own bags and if you don't you pay for them at the register if you want them.
My only thing is I wonder how much theft will increase due to this since most right now have to atleast hide it a little more. Unless the bags are see through like mesh and easy to tell that there is something in there. I also dont like the idea that if each store had its own bag though as well since if you wanted to go out a day shopping like at the mall of america could you imagine you would almost need a cart just to haul your bags around incase you wanted to make a purchase.
I also think to if you just take away plastic they will just move back to paper. My suggetion would be to place an incentive for consumers to actually recycle there bags money usually does the trick or even a higher discount or could give consumers a card that would add up over time of free money for bags returned. More people would then be more likely to return them as well.

Answer 3

It's a great idea, but the hard part is getting all the people into it. Lots of people simply don't care or are not aware, and the fact that many stores HAVE alternative cloth bags already isn't helping as the grocers do not typically keep them at the checkout stand. The stores I've seen these bags in usually try to make a little profit off of them by selling them for 150% of the cost they bought them at, which is only fair as these stores are trying to come out ahead, and everything costs money. (It would be really cool if all the stores offered cloth bags made in America. I'm so upset right now because it seems everything I pick up is made in China, and it seems that China has absolutely no regard for the people who buy their products... nor for the environment!)

As for the fee, we are always getting hit with another tax for this or that. Rather than charging a tax I would just say, you have to buy your bags regardless of the material they are made of. ($1 a bag ought to shake things up!) If you bring your own, it's money saved. I typically tend to bring & use a box to keep my groceries all together and just have them put all the items back into the cart. Grocers themselves could cut down the amount of bags just by refusing to bag if the total number of items is easy enough to carry without a bag.

I'm curious to know if anyone has ever tried to use a cloth bag at one of those self check-out lanes? Seems like it would be pretty hard to do, as they weigh more than a typical plastic bag... ?=^S

Answer 4

Well paper can be made from grass or anything that grows it doesn't have to be trees .I think what we really need to do is all sit down and come up with a new way for just about everything . Everything we do our grandparents where doing years ago which was fine for them but times have changed .there so many people in the world today the old ways just cant keep up without having a negative effect on the earth . Maybe get a big think tank going and let the citizens decide what would be best for mankind instead of the politicians doing it for us . Now that we have the web people can put input into what and how to accomplish a green environment and all can cast a vote that would be best for all or something like that anyways . What ever way we do it we have to do a new way

Answer 5

This is a great idea, with everything new, there are always some kinks to work out. At a local grocery store you put a quarter in to use a grocery cart and then when you are finished with it, you return it and get your quarter back. This seems to be working as the carts are always in good order, I don't know about theft of carts, but maybe something like this could be done with cloth bags, possibly universally mesh so you don't have to carry different store's bags for shopping around and mesh so items are not concealed and stolen or contraband items are not brought into the store. For this to work, it might need to be done gradually for the more set-in-their-ways people to adjust.

Answer 6

They actually implemented a similar idea in Ireland. All Irish grocery stores were required to charge customers 5 cents for each bag they used. If customers brought there own bags or bought cloth bags, they were not charged.

Since the rule has been in effect, plastic and paper bags given out by grocery stores have been reduced by 95%. The majority of people have bought their own bags to use or they reuse bags until they break.

Answer 7

I thought I lived in the boondocks; but since back in the 1990s I've been going to a store that dose not use bags. You bring your own or but them in an extra boxes they have left out front. As to plastic bottles, back in 1989 I was in the the very hot state of La. and I bought a soda and took a walk. The Chief of Police, knowing I wasn't from around there, promised not to arrest me that time; but drinking from anything in public was illegal! Because to many people were slipping alcohol into their bottles. Maybe there is more to eliminating the bottles than just the plastic?

Answer 8

Eventually, all shopping will be done via the Internet. You will place your order and your order will arrive from the nearest store of choice. It will be delivered in boxes and the boxes will be emptied by the vendor and will be returned to the store for other deliveries. There will be no need for "paper or plastic". This will occur within the next 10 years. There will also be online schools and children will be educated from their homes. Imagine how much energy could be saved if you take all the school kids off the roads who drive back and forth to school.

We have to get serious, People, and we need to do it soon.

Answer 9

How about instead of a discount for using the cloth bags, or any bag that was brought in, charging a small fee for the bags being used? Stores want to make money, not hand it out and I cannot see them just giving away a nickel to every customer that brings in a bag. A store near me called Shop n Save charges 10 cents for every bag or box they have to provide for your use. If you buy in bulk this can add up quickly. I asked the manager and he said that since the store instigated this policy about 90% of the customers bring in bags.

Answer 10

I actually just bought new cloth grocery bags from my store with their logo I love them and feel I am helping. They hold more and are easier to handle then the plastic. And I use them for gift bags(I put a pretty reusable ribbon on it) and if the person wants to use it they keep it, if not I get it back. So saving even more on wrapping paper!! There is no incentive to save with them but they were free with green points.