Jul 28 2008
Here we go again- now Seattle bans both plastic & paper bags, and styrofoam
The Seattle City Council, which obviously thinks its smarter than anyone in the country, has passed a new law that will charge people 20-cents for every plastic & paper bag they take from grocery, drug or convenience stores. Seattle’s City Council members say the law is “completely voluntary,” because if people bring their own cloth bags to the store, they won’t be charged the extra fee.
The Council also has passed a law banning restaurants from using Styrofoam containers.
The scary part about this law is three-fold. First, guess who gets that money? That’s right, Seattle’s city government. Second, stores have warned letting people bring their own bags into the store increases the risk of germs and diseases. Imagine a guy pulling out a dirty bag and throwing it on the conveyor belt in line, right in the same place you have to set your bread. And third, as Seattle-goes, often times so goes the state. So don’t be surprised to see this subject come up in the state legislature next year.
I, for one, am getting sick and tired of all of these bans. What about you?
(2 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
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I use canvas bags when I shop; they can be bought for very little money at thrift stores. But I only get 5 cents per bag off my grocery bill, so if they are going to charge 20 cents per plastic or paper bag, we should all be able to get 20 cents off per bag if we bring our own–and not just grocery stores. And why would anyone throw a bag on a conveyor belt? I set mine up in the cart and they’re ready to pack.
I think it would be a pain to buy the bags to start, but it makes sense to me. I’ll bet you can toss canvas bags in the washer to keep them sanitary, I would. The styrofoam containers take up a lot of room in the fridge, just imagine the landfills. Besides that it’s been proven that they’re not safe to head food up in. I agree that there should be a bigger savings off the grocery tab and the paper bag piece doesn’t make a lot of sense. I thought those were biodegradable.
Melanie, I’m sure you CAN toss them into the washer. The question is, how many people will? And Lynn, even if you don’t put them on the conveyer belt, you still have to hand them to the bag boys or the checker to pack up your groceries. It just increases the chance of spreading bacteria around the store.
I am a Washintonian living and working in South Korea. In South Korea, you must pay for your bags at the grocery store, just 5 cents. You can return your plastic bags for recycling in the store so that’s a good thing. The #1 method for getting your groceries home from a Korean supermarket is to tape up a box after checking out. Supermarkets here have tables and boxes, along with masking tape, where shoppers can pack up their groceries. This may be a good way to reuse the boxes but unfortunately, once these boxes are in your home, they’re in the trash.
Chris–How do canvas bags hold or spread ‘bacteria’ more than any other surface? Do you think paper and plastic bags are free of bacteria? And, as I wrote previously, I set them up in the cart. And when I get food home, I wash and process it (just as Rachael Ray is always saying on her shows) and the canvas bags get washed at least once a week–I don’t recommend putting them in the dryer because they’ll shrink. I think that makes contamination very unlikely. In fact, the money I use to pay for the groceries is probably dirtier and more bacteria-ridden than the bags or conveyor belt.
If you’ve looked into the back seat of people’s cars Lynn, you’d see how that bacteria can be spread. Thats where the city of Seattle is encouraging people to leave their bags.
I give up.
So what will be the alternative to plastic? Paper perhaps? Oh yeah, lets just cut down more of those beloved trees that the environmental people think cannot be regrown. Get real people. Canvas bags, while they would last a long time, have an even greater chance of spreading disease as does plastic. there is nothing wrong with plastic. It is recycleable and cheap.
Lets ban Seattle.
Isn’t the point that it’s just another excuse to impose legislation? Let’s not stop at the bags, or banning Seattle (Greg), let’s just ban EVERYTHING.
I think I am going to start bringing in my own plastic bags, complete with styrofoam lininigs!
Why don’t we just close the evil capatalist grocery stores and let everyone go back to growing their own food. Oh yeah, their goes the tax revenue. Can’t do that! I think people should recycle their plastic bags and the city should burn the used ones to produce electricity!
We can send a man to the moon and back, take ice samples from Mars, but can’t use plastic bags. ??? And people want to believe we are evolving? Yeah, right.
Yep. Can’t wait for it to hit spokane.
I think the “bring-your-own-bag” idea is fabulous! I do not agree with the idea to be able to charge… especially since the place that would have to supply the bags [the store] would not be the ones benefitting. Look at Costco, they don’t supply bags, yet people LOAD up their carts and cars! No need for a charge.
As for the bacteria issue, I agree that the bags will likely bring in additional bacteria to the store. Everyone who idealizes that our grocery stores- where we choose to purchase food- are sanitary, are just living in denial. WE, THE SHOPPERS bring in a ton of bacteria when we walk in the doors. I have never seen anyone wash their hands as they walk in the doors. And to the person who thinks peoples cars hold all the bacteria, I agree. This bacteria comes in the door along with these people’s purses and hands [the ones that touch all of the fresh produce to find just the right item]. Consider all of the items that are handled by the cashier and baggers [that will also be handling the bags]. We are talking about meat, vegetables, cans, and loads of other things that are filthy. Not to mention our money - filthy. And the baggers collect the carts from the parking lot - worse! This is just a lame excuse to continue being as lazy as possible. The bags are non-biodegradable, and it would be nice IF people recycled them, but this is just not a reality.
I work in a grocery store. I know that public health laws prohibit covering any fresh produce or meat with burlap covers at night because they are unsanitary and can produce dangerous bacteria. It’s a Washington State Law! How is canvas any different from burlap? Also, things like fish, chicken, red meat with bloody juices, watermelon, cantaloupe, halves, slices, chunks…..lots of liquid here also for creating the spread of dangerous bacteria……. need to be packaged in plastic or leak proof bags to keep them from contaminating other fresh foods like raw produce, ready to eat foods, frenchbread, that is in paper bags,etc to keep from contamination.
So, if a consumer gets e-coli, or salmonela, by tossing Potentially Dangerous Foods (PDF’s) cross contaminating other foods in their canvass bag and the dangerous bacteria contaminates and sickens or kills someone or their kids, who would be liable in a lawsuit? Would you sue the State, The Health Dept, The Supermarket, or all of the above? A reasonable question I think!
Thanks, Randy Munro
I think that the bags are optional…when u go to the grocery store u have carts and why not just take everything out in that…Ya the unloading when u get home but hey a little exercise never hurt anyone..
I have been taking my own bags to the store for about a year, and I love it. Sometimes I forget them, so now I do throw them in the back of my car (not on the floor). If I trust a guest or a child in my car, I trust a grocery bag there. There are germs everywhere, but I don’t really see how my bags can contaminate other people’s groceries more than people’s hands, which touch everyproduct and surface in the store. Wash your vegetables when you use them, wash your hands often and before preparing food, open containers properly, and enjoy your food, don’t be afraid of it.
Reusable bags work great.
I hate that Seattle is requiring it, similar to what they did last year with the menu labeling in restaurants.
My husband and I use canvas bags when we can remember to take them out of the car. We are getting better about it. I try to remember to wash them often. Although, I have seen people using canvas bags I wouldn’t put trash in. Common sense, once again, needs to used. I don’t think it’s correct to legislate choice. More government is not good government.
I think that it is a shame that the government feels the need to make a law about these things.. people should voluntarily decide how they want to help the environment. That said, we should all use re-usable bags when we can, most of the dry items and fruits and veggies you buy can easily be taken home in a canvas or recycled bag. To prevent contamination you can use plastic bags for meats and leaky items. Surely just making this small change would decrease the amount of plastic bags that our city uses drastically. We all have to do our part to help our environment, even if that means making the occassional change in our tried and true routine.
Unbelievable!!! Are we really having this discussion? Have we lost all sense? Yes, we all must do our part, but it is not the governments responsibility to legislate us to death. Americans have become too passive and willing to let our elected officials run our lives. Most Americans may want to reeducate themselves with the actual duties of government. Time to stand up and get the message out—-Enough is Enough!!!!
I just thank God I live in Eastern Washington and will do everything I can to make sure that Seattle’s insanity stays put.
Randy Munro — ABSOLUTELY! I worked in grocery when I was younger & all the things you have mentioned are right on track.. I am so picky when it comes to placing certain foods together in a bag. Anyways, I agree with what a lot of you have said.. I am slightly for it (but mostly against it). It would be great if people could just do what is right for our economy & environment but if we forget to grab that re-usable bag must it really need be governed or charged for it? Why cant they look at reinforcing at all convenient, grocery, & stores that supply bags with a small credit (like some do already promoting good responsible behavior from its buyers. I am okay with the Styrofoam containers that makes sense.
I really like the plastic bags, especially the bright red colored ones. Imagine the engineering that went into making a tree decoration that will stay in place for 20 years or more, and needs nothing but the wind to put it into place. Just watch, next on the list Seattle is going to ban my cigar smoke in public places. Oops, nevermind, they already did. The nerve!
Marc
I am truly appalled at the responses I’ve read so far. Is it really so demanding to use reusable, more sustainable bags to pack our groceries? Paper and plastic bags are a waste of money and resources. Canvas bags are stronger and hold more materials anyway. I for one have grown accustom to their use and would approve of this same measure in Spokane.
By the way, I work at a grocery store and know quite a few customers who would agree.