tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6464253324658824659.post57153442126871150..comments2024-03-20T05:58:45.288-04:00Comments on The Delicious Truth: Should We Pay for Plastic and Paper Bags?Chef Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10372505654191018607noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6464253324658824659.post-77394127055265295062009-08-30T20:17:19.106-04:002009-08-30T20:17:19.106-04:00I absolutely think that we should have to pay for ...I absolutely think that we should have to pay for plastic and paper bags. There is clear and quantifiable environmental cost due to the harm done by the disposal of these bags; therefore, every shopper should be made aware of this cost. By not having shoppers pay for it, plastic-bag producing companies (that lobbied so deceitfully in the runup to the Seattle vote) are externalizing the cost to everyone else. Those that choose to cause the harm should pay for the cleanup - at 5 cents, or 20 cents, or whatever cents at a time. <br /><br />The ads the plastic-bag industry was sponsoring in WA - that poor people won't be able to afford such a "tax" - were absolutely mind-boggling. The fact that people bought into these ads shows how much conditioned helplessness has infiltrated people's minds. I grew up in Central Europe at a time we didn't get disposable bags at the checkout. So what? You had non-disposable ones. It was no big deal. We were poor, but not stupid.Orsihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09810708585729664353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6464253324658824659.post-8787193844822042282009-08-27T16:01:13.276-04:002009-08-27T16:01:13.276-04:00http://kleinroq.blogspot.com/2009/03/urban-tumblew...http://kleinroq.blogspot.com/2009/03/urban-tumbleweed.htmlKleinroqhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09632797716566050989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6464253324658824659.post-74877145151808320952009-08-27T10:43:37.474-04:002009-08-27T10:43:37.474-04:00I had heard about the Seattle vote coming up, but ...I had heard about the Seattle vote coming up, but hadn't heard the outcome. Too bad it didn't pass. Perhaps if it had been a nickel or something less punitive than 20 cents--just enough to nudge people every time they shopped--it might have passed.<br /><br />Regarding Whole Foods' 10-cent refund, I'm in favor of their carrot approach rather than the stick of charging people if they <i>don't</i> bring reusable bags. It may not be someone's main motivation for bringing bags with them, but rewarding good behavior is a nice gesture. One store I shop at here in Chicago refunds a nickel for every reusable bag you bring. And no, that's not why I carry reusable bags, but every time I see them ring up the refunds, it makes me feel good about the store.Terry at Blue Kitchenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13504693954312787975noreply@blogger.com