http://www.wral.com/news/local/politics/story/4822003/

3/26/2009 7:43:10 PM

what's the problem?

they choke the environment and kill wildlife.

not to mention, it is a total waste of natural resources. (oil)

3/26/2009 7:59:15 PM

I think we should do what a lot of places have started doing, charging 20 cents a bag.

[Edited on March 26, 2009 at 8:03 PM. Reason : lol in the article]

3/26/2009 8:02:46 PM

^
I agree. A tax, while bad, is better than an all-out ban -- and something needs to be done.

3/26/2009 8:06:38 PM

makes perfect sense to me. its not like there aren't other ways to carry your groceries that are just as convenient.

3/26/2009 8:12:24 PM

a lot of deliveries I get that come with packing popcorn are now made using biodegradable popcorn. It's just starch, so you add water and it breaks up easily and doesn't harm the environment.

I wonder if there's a way you can make a sturdy biodegradable plastic-like bag for grocery stores and have it be roughly the same price. So far the answer has been 'paper bags', but I think they are more expensive and that's why the stores try not to use them.

3/26/2009 8:19:10 PM

^
They've already got them, and these plastic bag bans don't apply to them.
Problem solved.

3/26/2009 8:29:54 PM

I don't mind plastic bags. I do have a problem with lazy fucks who fucking can't recycle or throw their shit away. Mind boggling is the complete disregard people have for the environment or will do something b.c they figure someone else will clean it up (like the HT shopping cart thread in chit chat)

3/26/2009 8:56:05 PM

Is the problem plastic bags, or is the problem assholes who litter?

3/26/2009 8:56:29 PM

I like using the cheap reusable bags. I can fit sooo much stuff in there and I haven't needed more than six for a trip. They're also great for warehouse stores that don't offer bags anyway. But banning plastic bags? I use those to line bathroom wastebaskets. Don't take my bags.

3/26/2009 9:00:47 PM

What will I use to line my trash cans now? and use to pick up my dog's shit?

3/26/2009 9:01:42 PM

This thread reminds me of

message_topic.aspx?topic=490935&page=1#10650957

and

message_topic.aspx?topic=544552&page=1

3/26/2009 9:07:05 PM

Quote :

"what's the problem? they choke the environment and kill wildlife. not to mention, it is a total waste of natural resources. (oil)"

How do you suggest I pick up my dog's poop then?

[Edited on March 26, 2009 at 9:15 PM. Reason : As Hoffmaster said]

3/26/2009 9:11:01 PM

^ Yeah, dog poop ftw.

Those stupid biodegradeable bags they have along trails aren't really big enough to tie conveniently. And there is no way to attach to leash.

I also try to save every plastic bag we use though-it's amazing how many vegetable, produce, bread bags, etc. can be used for poo.

3/26/2009 9:17:58 PM

Yeah I save them all, but sometimes run out

3/26/2009 9:21:32 PM

I reuse plastic bags all of the time. They are very good at what they do... much easier to carry in a load of plastic bags than a load of paper bags.

3/26/2009 9:27:16 PM

Quote :

"Is the problem plastic bags, or is the problem assholes who litter?"

Eh both, but probably the main problem is assholes who litter. Plastic bags are a waste of resources regardless of the assholes who litter with them.

Quote :

"What will I use to line my trash cans now? and use to pick up my dog's shit?"

I use mine for scooping the litter box

Quote :

"much easier to carry in a load of plastic bags than a load of paper bags. "

What's wrong with canvas bags or those cheap "eco bags"?

[Edited on March 26, 2009 at 9:34 PM. Reason : .]

3/26/2009 9:34:09 PM

^^concured

3/26/2009 9:34:38 PM

This wouldn't be a big deal. When I was recently in the Philippines, a law had just been passed eliminating plastic bags. I'm not sure if the law was local or national. I'm also not sure if the law only affected grocery stores. Compliance was nowhere near 100%, but since labor is cheap there, every grocery store had "baggers" who just instead became "boxers". It actually made things much, much easier to carry to have one cardboard box versus ten plastic bags - I wouldn't mind seeing that at Harris Teeter.

3/26/2009 9:49:31 PM

that's one thing i like about sam's. you can get a cardboard box and put all your shit in one big box.

3/26/2009 10:02:24 PM

if they ban plastic bags i'm not picking up my dog's shit when i go on walks. its utterly ridiculous.

3/26/2009 10:14:40 PM

yeah i mean shit is biodegradable as hell, so leaving it on the ground would fit perfectly with the green/brown movement

3/26/2009 10:24:38 PM

^^ Do you want Raleigh to become Paris?

3/26/2009 10:44:13 PM

Quote :

"I reuse plastic bags all of the time. They are very good at what they do... much easier to carry in a load of plastic bags than a load of paper bags."

I second that completely. I also re-use plastic bags virtually every do to carry things other than groceries. They are awesome. This is just another example of the few ruining it for the many. I mean fuck, ban cigarettes first, they're everywhere. I don't see dozens of plastic bags on the ground at every stoplight.

[Edited on March 26, 2009 at 11:08 PM. Reason : bah]

3/26/2009 11:06:29 PM

Quote :

"I don't see dozens of plastic bags on the ground at every stoplight. "

That's because they float away and cause the sewers and waterways to get clogged up instead

3/26/2009 11:16:00 PM

Quote :

"a lot of deliveries I get that come with packing popcorn are now made using biodegradable popcorn. It's just starch, so you add water and it breaks up easily and doesn't harm the environment."

haha i used to weird out my friends by eating those... they would think i was going to get sick and die from it (some of them thought that even after i explained it to them... I sometimes really wonder what they allow those business management folks to get away with in Nelson these days... )

3/26/2009 11:34:21 PM

I took a whole kitchen trash bag stuffed to the point that the drawstring wouldn't close up to Harris Teeter last week to put them in the recycler. I try not to get them anymore if I can avoid it though. I have about five of the paper Whole Foods bags that I keep in the car for when I go shopping. They fold neatly and they're pretty heavy duty for paper.

3/26/2009 11:46:54 PM

Quote :

"What will I use to line my trash cans now? and use to pick up my dog's shit?"

A lot of people (myself included) save and reuse these bags. Please don't punish us because some people are irresponsible with their waste.

3/26/2009 11:57:27 PM

yeah- i didn't think of that... i save most of my bags (and at the very least use them as mini trashbags for my bathroom trashcan and when cleaning out my truck)

3/27/2009 12:01:48 AM

Thank God lawmakers are on this and not wasting time on small issues like the state budget and the economy

yea, good point on the plastic bags and polution and all that but i can name a few things that are higher on the "things we need to spend time on" list.

3/27/2009 12:35:34 AM

Quote :

"I don't mind plastic bags. I do have a problem with lazy fucks who fucking can't recycle or throw their shit away. Mind boggling is the complete disregard people have for the environment or will do something b.c they figure someone else will clean it up"

well, while you may recycle your plastic bags i have news for you and everyone else

all the recycled shit ends up at a transfer station and most of it starts outside. while it eventually makes its way into bales to be sold, the wind picks up a lot of that shit and it ends up in storm drains and ultimately the water

reusable bags are super cheap and easy to use, keep them in the trunk and remember to bring them in. its really not that hard.

i also refuse plastic bags whenever i can. i mean, i dont need a bag for my prescription at walgreens, i'll throw it in my purse, thanks

3/27/2009 1:16:33 AM

Quote :

"yea, good point on the plastic bags and polution and all that but i can name a few things that are higher on the "things we need to spend time on" list."

Can we fix the economy first and then deal with plastic bags? I think that would naturally come first.

3/27/2009 3:05:18 AM

Quote :

"well, while you may recycle your plastic bags i have news for you and everyone else all the recycled shit ends up at a transfer station and most of it starts outside. while it eventually makes its way into bales to be sold, the wind picks up a lot of that shit and it ends up in storm drains and ultimately the water"

A lot of it ends up in the landfill anyway once recycling companies hit their quotas, or it ends up over in the far east where it gets reprocessed.

3/27/2009 6:11:50 AM

You did not complete your sentence, Noen.

...where it gets reprocessed and made into more chinese people.

3/27/2009 7:25:17 AM

Quote :

"How do you suggest I pick up my dog's poop then?"

http://friendlybags.com/biodegradable_dog_bags.php

3/27/2009 7:41:53 AM

Quote :

"I think we should do what a lot of places have started doing, charging 20 cents a bag."

BEST IDEA EVARRRRR

3/27/2009 7:55:38 AM

What will I then use to put my trash into? They make perfect trash bags. Screw carrying each item to dumpster.

3/27/2009 8:04:43 AM

I dunno, maybe trash bags?

3/27/2009 8:09:32 AM

as mentioned already, places like ALDI charge for bags...which is the way it should be

i, personally, own a number of those $1 reusable shopping bags (most were free as promotional items, but i've bought a few) and i keep them in the trunk of my car...when i go to target, though, i get their plastic bags since they make great trashcan bags for my bathrooms

past that, i use plastic bread bags and subway sandwich sleeves for picking up my dog's poop when i take her on walks or to the dog park

i also recycle all of the bags that i get from shopping, when i do have them...none of this is difficult, it's just that, as a whole, americans are fat, lazy, and stupid

3/27/2009 8:45:02 AM

i came in here to give the link of the biodegradable dog poop bags, but someone already has

we should really all go canvas anyway. i just bought 100 for another reason, but the leftovers are becoming our grocery bags!

Quote :

"Can we fix the economy first and then deal with plastic bags? I think that would naturally come first."

come on, multitask...it's not that hard

[Edited on March 27, 2009 at 8:48 AM. Reason : ]

3/27/2009 8:47:16 AM

I read an ed op in the NC Wildlife magazine where a sparrow built a nest on a lady's front porch and lined the entire nest with grocery bags. The end result was that the mother basically cooked the baby chicks because the nest wouldn't breathe like one made of natural materials.

I, too, reuse the plastic grocery bags, and no, I do not have any reusable bags (that you buy), but if I am only getting a few things, it is easier to put them in one paper bag rather that 3 or 4 plastic ones.

3/27/2009 9:05:32 AM

^
Exactly
Most people don't know that these bags are that damaging... (And if they don't care, then they are fucking immoral pieces of shit whose opinions don't fucking count...) Most littered trash isn't great, but littering these bags is more akin to littering poison or booby-traps. The damage that these bags cause is so bad, and enforcement of littering so inadequate, that something must be done. Period. Sometimes, when the damage from something is so great and so hard to prevent and the source of the problem is so hard to fix quickly, then waiting on the private sector to solve it is not an acceptable option because it would take so long, and it would be so inadequate that incredibly unacceptable levels of long-term damage would occur.

Quote :

"i, personally, own a number of those $1 reusable shopping bags (most were free as promotional items, but i've bought a few) and i keep them in the trunk of my car ...... i also recycle all of the bags that i get from shopping, when i do have them...none of this is difficult, it's just that, as a whole, americans are fat, lazy, and stupid"

Me too. (Oh man, I agree with quagmire02... )

--------

All of you make sure to keep your re-usable bags in your car or you will likely forget them!!!

[Edited on March 27, 2009 at 9:38 AM. Reason : ]

3/27/2009 9:35:17 AM

Plastic bags work great when I clean out the cat litter box.

3/27/2009 9:45:59 AM

Hey now, we use our plastic bags for pet poo, those things are very important.

Those biodegradable dog bags are cute, but no way in hell they'll manage our dog's monster poos. Or anything bigger than a Pomeranian's for that matter.

[Edited on March 27, 2009 at 11:49 AM. Reason : woof]

3/27/2009 11:42:17 AM

Quote :

"I dunno, maybe trash bags?"

Fuck that, those cost money. I'm not spending money on fancy bags for trash. Grocery bags work just fine.

3/27/2009 12:01:40 PM

Quote :

"NC Senate OKs Outer Banks ban on plastic bags The Associated Press http://www.rockymounttelegram.com Wednesday, May 13, 2009 RALEIGH, N.C. — The leader of North Carolina's Senate is starting at home with a bid to end the use of plastic grocery bags. The Senate voted 47-1 on Wednesday for a pilot program banning plastic bags in Outer Banks counties. Starting in September, shoppers in Dare, Currituck and Hyde counties could take home their purchase in 100 percent recycled paper. Senate leader Marc Basnight of Dare County said the measure would apply only to the three counties, but Republican Sen. Tom Apodaca of Henderson County said he hopes the ban spreads statewide. Supporters said discarded bags are especially a problem on barrier islands that are heavily visited by tourists and where litter on the limited land space is more obvious."

5/14/2009 8:37:52 AM

I reuse plastic bags all of the time. They are very good at what they do... much easier to carry in a load of plastic bags than a load of paper bags.

5/14/2009 8:50:09 AM

Quote :

"What will I use to line my trash cans now?"

If they completely halted production of grocery store plastic bags today my reserve of plastic bags I've amassed over the past few years would be enough to last me a looooong time.

5/14/2009 9:13:09 AM