San Diego plastic bag ban on table

[alp227]

Source: UTSD

San Diego is floating the idea of banning plastic bags, and will consider that option at a city council committee meeting Wednesday.

Council President Pro Tem Sherri Lightner will raise the possibility of a citywide bag ban ordinance in the Rules and Economic Development Committee, between 9 a.m. and noon Wednesday.

“San Diego must take a leadership role on limiting plastic bag use and reducing the pollution associated with it,” Lightner said in a statement.

Banning plastic bags could save $160,000 in landfill clean up costs and reduce greenhouse emissions and solid waste disposal, according to Lightner’s statement.

Read more: http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/sep/10/environment-san-diego-plastic-bag-ban/

[David__77]

1. I was peeved when I first encountered a plastic bag ban.

I was in West Hollywood, and was very irritated that I had to pay for plastic bags, to be honest. But then when I came back home, I noticed the plastic bags littering everywhere, and changed my mind.

[Aristus]

18. It's amazing how quickly one can get used to having reusable canvas grocery bags.

I've been using them for years now.

[Sherman A1]

2. Long overdue

I would like to see more communities move in this direction.

[lunasun]

12. + 1 and styrofoam ban too

[Codeine]

3. As a grocer I would LOVE a statewide ban on those fucking things.

Our little store spends a ton (literally a few grand a month) on plastic bags, and half of them get left behind in my parking lot even after the customer requests them. And it's embarrassing seeing a bag emblazoned with my store logo blowing around the city sometimes three or four miles away from our location. An expensive, polluting, ugly waste.

Bring your own bags, people!

[Wabbajack_]

5. "Bring your own bags, people!"

Cause that's not inconvenient at all.

Some of us don't drive so your plan means carting some bag around everywhere if we want the privilege of being able to stop and buy some groceries on the way home.

[Le Taz Hot]

7. No, it's not inconvenient.

You put all your canvas bags in one canvas bag and yes, I, too ride the bus, quite often. These are not heavy nor cumbersome and after you go to the store, you're handling bags anyway so what's the difference? And one more thing, the canvas bags are MUCH more sturdy than those plastic things and you can fit more in them so stuff that takes 3 plastic bags to hold takes 1 canvass bag to hold.

One of our local stores charges 83 cents a piece for them BUT gives me 6 cents per bag credit on my bill every time I use them. When they get dirty, and they do get dirty, I throw them in the washing machine with the towels.

[vduhr]

15. What do they charge for the cloth bags?

My concern is that, being on SS, I can afford very little in groceries, so I have to stick to a tight budget. If I have to purchase cloth bags, what choice do I have if I have to choose between cloth bags and less groceries for an entire month. I get that it's an environmental problem, but is there a solution that exists for those who can't afford to purchase multiple cloth bags? Also, what about a large family who has to purchase a lot of groceries and haven't the income to purchase numerous bags? Sometimes these things have to be taken into consideration before rushing headlong into a total ban. Even if everyone else thinks it's not an inconvenience for them, doesn't mean it isn't a financial inconvenience or hardship for others. We tend to think in conjunction with our personal worlds, rather than thinking about the variety of situations that might be adversely affected by this.

[maxsolomon]

17. re-usable bags are often sold for a dollar.

and paper bags can be recycled in most municipalities.

however, if you can recycle plastic bags, and you do, then it's kind of a wash.

[Le Taz Hot]

20. I purchased my bags one shopping trip at a time.

As mentioned above, one of my local stores charges 83 cents per bag and I get 6 cents per bag credit to my grocery bill every time I use them. I can buy large, plastic, reusable bags for 25 cents each. Additionally, the poster below mentions that you can recycle the plastic kind as well, though they don't seem to last very long. The point being is that you don't have to make a huge investment all at once, it's something you gradually buy into.

[Neoma]

8. We got washable cloth bags that fold into themselves.

I could fit one into my pocket when it comes down to it.

[LanternWaste]

9. lthough I've never doubted that far too many people place their own conveniences above

"Cause that's not inconvenient at all..."

Although I've never doubted that far too many people place their own conveniences above the collective health and well-being of the only planet we may live on, I'm still both surprised and saddened when I see that type of selfishness first-hand.

[KamaAina]

14. ^^^^ This ^^^^

My not driving lowers my carbon footprint more than your cloth bags do.

[Codeine]

21. Most of Europe manages to walk with reusable bags somehow.

Are they simply a hardier, stronger people than we imagine ourselves to be?

Empty bags weigh next to nothing and have sturdy handles for carrying. That's really a very silly objection.

[GaribaldiB5]

4. Paper

Whatever happen to paper bags? I seem to remember years ago that plastic bags was some big alternative to slaughtering trees in their millions. It just becomes fucking ludicrous when they expect you to cart along your own bag everytime you happen to swing by a 7-11.

[christx30]

6. Austin did that in march

and I hated it at first. But you get used to it. And sometimes I miss having them as small trash bags at my home. But as long as I can remember to do it, it's really not bad

[One_Life_To_Give]

10. So we can buy antimicrobial scented trash can liners? nt

[catrose]

11. I think it's working well in Austin

If you forget your bag, you can get a paper one that's made mostly from recycled paper. If you really want the plastic bags, nearby cities like Pflugerville & Round Rock still have them--and you'll still use fewer of them. Every few months, I always had to take in a garbage bag full of plastic bags to recycle.

Instead of putting gifts in gift bags, I buy pretty reusable "grocery" bags (at a lower cost than gift bags, I might add), and people are thrilled to get a gift AND another bag. Some are very thin, and you can fold them up and stick in your pocket or purse; others are sturdier and can be used as a general carry-all.

[cynannmarie]

13. Amazed at the complaining here

This policy has been in effect in my city for about 2 years. You adjust quickly. I carry a medium size plastic bag in my purse for a few things of any type, especially if I am stopping somewhere without preplanning. I carry several cloth grocery size bags in my car at all times for food shopping and large paper bags--the style you get in department stores with the cord handle --for shopping for non- food items. There are good sized microfiber bags sold for travel that fold up into a size similar to a deck of cards and would easily fit into a pocket, purse or small pack that attaches to a bike seat. String bags are also lightweight, strong and compact. If you don't have any bag with you at all, you can pay .10 for a paper grocery bag. So what is the problem??? Though not the only concern that it mitigates, an immediate effect of this policy is the noticeable lack of bag litter in the streets, parking lots, ravines, etc.

[maxsolomon]

16. 5 cents for paper here in SEA

the only thing i miss about the plastic butterfly bags is using re-using them as trash bags.

the city also lets us recycle plasic bags - you fill up one with all the others, and pop it in the bin.

every smaller city around SEA has kept the plastic, though. a lot of whinging to overcome.

[Mz Pip]

19. Some cities here have banned them, others haven't

It took me a while to get into the habit of carrying a reusable bag but eventually it happened. One store is using biodegradable plastic bags. I save those for cat litter.

It's kind of random. Places that ban the bags still have the rolls of clear plastic bags in produce departments. Maybe at some point stores will return to paper bags.

[marions ghost]

22. Here's a good reason for San Diego to ban plastic bags

http://seaturtles.org/section.php?id=126