You may remember a post I made a few weeks ago about a Seattle referendum on attempting to initiate a $.20 fee on disposable plastic grocery bags. While the movement has created a lot of momentum, the Seattle Times just reported that The American Chemistry Council (ACC) spent $500,000 on a PR campaign to fight the ballot. No surprise that the ACC is a group of manufacturers that benefit from the sale of disposable plastic grocery bags.
The $.20 fee is intended to provide incentive for consumers to use a reusable cloth bag over the disposable plastic option. I see more and more people bringing their reusable bags with them to the store each trip and it’s catching on. After all, companies like Costco have been doing this for years. In fact, Costco always packs your purchases in their old, recycled corrugated boxes home with you instead of giving you a bag.
Weigh in on your thoughts. How many of you bring reusable bags to the store with you? Would you support a disposable plastic bag fee in your city?
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I am just wondering what the carbon footprint will be for the dozen or so cloth bags my family of five will need to remember every week we go to the store? Assuming that we don’t lose or forget them (as often happens with 3 kids). I have to believe that the recycled cloth bags with the cute little rainforest animal on them, had to be manufactured somewhere. The problem here is that the people who push these well intentioned ideas on EVERYONE, are living in a microcosim of the city. It would be great if we could all ride bikes to work, have a half sized refridgerator and raise poultry in our back yards. I have an SUV for the FAMILY. I cant afford to live in the city, so my grocery store is not a block away. I raise three little ones, which limits my time to raise chickens and tend the garden. The point here is that what “you people” see as a simple change of lifestyle, is hardly that for the peole you are imposing upon. How about this? You pay the .20 for the plastic bags that my family uses, and I will raise the 2.7 children that the country needs to continue a tax base that supports the vast majorty of the urban projects that you hold so dear.
Lester, thank you for your comments. So far, you’re the only comment so it’s easy to reply. I will agree with you, having lived in different parts of the country before moving to Seattle. We are somewhat in our own bubble compared to the rest of the country. I’ve never looked at this as a bad thing. I have to believe as a parent, you do care about the world you will leave behind for your own children. I grew up in the suburbs playing in the woods, fishing and loving the outdoors. I can only hope future generations can experience the same quality of life. While using a plastic bag is not going to be the end the world it’s a part of a bigger discussion. We all need to do our part.