EPTSo perhaps it's not a very effective measure, but it shows us that even baby steps are too much for us dumbfucks. We're not willing to make even the smallest sacrifices in the short term to solve our problems, good luck doing anything substantial.
So my city banned plastic grocery bags.. - Page 2
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Djzapz
Canada10681 Posts
So perhaps it's not a very effective measure, but it shows us that even baby steps are too much for us dumbfucks. We're not willing to make even the smallest sacrifices in the short term to solve our problems, good luck doing anything substantial. | ||
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EJK
United States1302 Posts
On November 13 2013 11:51 MarlieChurphy wrote: This is not the solution. It's not even a step in the right direction, it's a step away from the core issue, which is another topic entirely. its a step to reduce non-biodegradable materials entering landfills. | ||
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vlaric
United States412 Posts
u get used to it eventually it's a nice surprise when u go visit/move to a city that has plastic bags readily available though | ||
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IgnE
United States7681 Posts
On November 13 2013 11:41 MarlieChurphy wrote: We manage to keep a stockpile of bags and I use them constantly for bathroom trashbags as well as my room. And if we ever want to give away fruit from our trees or need a bag, we got one. Most people I know, also do the same things with their bags as almost everyone has a place where they keep old grocery bags, it's almost weird if someone doesn't these days. I would say the average house has anywhere from 15-50 bags saved at any given time. Since my estimates are close to about a million a year here (not counting visitor sales or small trash bag sales increase) in just this one city alone, imagine what the cost saved could be over the entire country if they followed suit. And I think you underestimating the bottom line for big companies. There is a documentary on wal-mart that is relevant to this. There is also a movie called 'the corporation' among numerous other documentaries (I can't remember the names right now. + Show Spoiler + One had emphasis on how shopping works economically with animations and stuff. IIRC, found on TL, pretty good. Clearly read the thread. A million what? For all the businesses in the city where you are? That's a pittance compared to even one day's wages. It's great that you, your suburban friends, and all of the families you know in the immediate area, reuse all those bags to take out the heaping mounds of trash you produce every day. It does seem like quite an imposition for you guys to pay a couple dollars for reusable cloth bags. It must be a conspiracy by the companies in the area to shave off a fraction of a fraction of a percent of their operating budget. Just carry your own bag around. How is this not better? Don't you have a car? In D.C. people carry bags around for shopping and they walk/use public transit to get to the store. | ||
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ETisME
12737 Posts
You will get used to it, and I am seeing a lot more people carrying the reusable bag when they go shopping so this part works. | ||
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Funnytoss
Taiwan1471 Posts
On November 13 2013 11:41 rkshox wrote: If I had to guess, this is a research project of some sort? I actually did a study about the usage and recycling of plastic bags about 4 years ago back when I was in college. I honestly cannot remember too much, but if you need some information, feel free to PM me! As for the plastic bag ban, a lot of major cities in Eastern Asia have already banned plastic bags and grocery stores, convenient stores, drug stores, etc make you pay a fee if you need a plastic bag. In Taipei, Taiwan, the plastic bag ban has been around for at least 5-6 years. In the beginning, I noticed a lot of people still bought the plastic bags because back then, the cloth bags were not as popular as they are now. As time went on, more and more people, mostly women because they have purses, walk around with reusable bags. However, if you're familiar with Taiwan, there are a lot of small privately owned shops that do not really follow this rule. Mostly chain stores like Watsons, 7-11, Wellcome, and Carrefour charge for plastic bags. I know one thing is for sure, not many places recycle plastic bags. The apartment complex that I live in recycles them, but I do not really see any plastic bag recycling bins near grocery stores, or anywhere to be honest. I am also in Hong Kong very often and I have noticed that major chain stores also charge for plastic bags. Not sure how long the law has been around though. Yeah, people have really gotten used to just paying a little bit extra for a plastic bag, or bringing their own. The exception I've observed is at those small breakfast shops where they give you mini plastic bags that are just big enough to carry your take-out food, but otherwise basically pretty much all supermarkets (and convenience stores) provide either plastic bags for a fee, or make buying cheap reusable bags an option. | ||
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Mstring
Australia510 Posts
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itsjustatank
Hong Kong9176 Posts
On November 13 2013 11:48 Smurfett3 wrote: its for the environment, not for money because you know, not using plastic bags is going to undo all the damage humanity does by existing and continuing to exist, right. | ||
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Roe
Canada6002 Posts
On November 13 2013 14:40 itsjustatank wrote: because you know, not using plastic bags is going to undo all the damage humanity does by existing and continuing to exist, right. you know that's rash reasoning and doesn't survive a serious examination. | ||
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Jaaaaasper
United States10225 Posts
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renoB
United States170 Posts
As for the lobbying, I used to intern at a business group for socal businesses, and I remember Los Angeles wanting to implement a city-wide bag ordinance and the businesses we represented, all the main chains (ralphs, vons, etc.) did not want the bag ordinance since it made it inconvenient for their customers. Side note: whenever someone mentions HB, I always think of this. + Show Spoiler + | ||
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IgnE
United States7681 Posts
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hp.Shell
United States2527 Posts
I'm pro- anything that reduces plastic use and production, though. Maybe hemp bags will become the norm. Paper bags just sounds like tree reduction, and we really don't need more of that. | ||
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Shebuha
Canada1335 Posts
On November 13 2013 14:40 itsjustatank wrote: because you know, not using plastic bags is going to undo all the damage humanity does by existing and continuing to exist, right. That isn't even close to what he said. What the fuck. | ||
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EJK
United States1302 Posts
On November 13 2013 14:40 itsjustatank wrote: because you know, not using plastic bags is going to undo all the damage humanity does by existing and continuing to exist, right. it reduces, not undo. impossible to undo all the damage, but very possible to reduce | ||
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itsjustatank
Hong Kong9176 Posts
On November 14 2013 00:31 Smurfett3 wrote: it reduces, not undo. impossible to undo all the damage, but very possible to reduce and this pipe dream without a net benefit that can be articulated beyond ideals justifies the regressive taxation of poor people on basic food and necessities on each purchase? please. | ||
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EJK
United States1302 Posts
On November 14 2013 00:43 itsjustatank wrote: and this pipe dream without a net benefit that can be articulated beyond ideals justifies the regressive taxation of poor people on basic food and necessities on each purchase? please. ok your only taxed if you use plastic bags dummy. if you bring your own, you don't get taxed. pipe dream = cleaner environment net benefit = less garbage in landfills that is not bio-degradable articulated beyond ideals = 10 cent tax on plastic bags....no cent tax on re-usable bags. | ||
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kierpanda
United States757 Posts
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DarkNetHunter
1224 Posts
In Germany for example no supermarket has offered free plastic bags for at least the last 15 years. The trashbag argument would depend, do they also make those tiny perforations that leak everything so that the bags can't suffocate small children on your end of the pond? If yes, then their worth as trashbags is virtually nil. | ||
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itsjustatank
Hong Kong9176 Posts
On November 14 2013 03:47 DarkNetHunter wrote: This is a tax on the lazy, the stupid and the environmentally unconscious, so I approve. nice to see the true bourgeoise face of nominally left of center european politics here | ||
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