Plastic bag ban?

I reuse them too. I use them for cleaning the kitty litter - seems they work great for all sorts of poop. I use them to carry my lunches to work (my daughter stole my re-useable lunch bag) and for any other sort of reason I would need a disposable bag.

I don't have an issue with the product as long as you either re-cycle or use them for another purposes rather than just toss them.

I'm all for recycled usage of pbags. But... not new manufacturing of them.

Is there any future for the Glad bag?

I am the official title holder for Lady with the Most Plastic Bags.

I use them as mini trash cans, poop pickers, meat left over throw away-ers (so the garbage doesn't stink after a few hours), lunch/snack bag, going somewhere over night bag...the list is nearly endless.

If they get rid of my bags, what will I do???

Re: Plastic bag ban?

I've heard similar things in Canada, and I have mixed reactions to it.

Basicly, I suppose it's a good idea. Try and clean up the environment, etc., but where will this end? Will this spread to other stores, other than grocery ones? Will we need to carry "green bags" wherever we go?

We had one grocery chain here in Canada that charged you per plastic bag, but how do you know ahead of time how many bags you'll need? While we still shopped at that chain, I said the heck with that nonsense and just tossed all the groceries back in the cart, after checking through, and put them in multiple boxes in the car (you mentioned this elsewhere). One must pack carefully though, as these boxes can then get darn heavy.

The same chain also sells these plastic tote boxes to shop with and put in your car, too. If you have a small car, like we have now, this may not be too practical. Not all of us have vans and SUVs. I have a fuel efficient Toyota Echo, but not a big trunk space.

As well as doing away with plastic bags in shops, there was also talk of doing away with plastic garbage bags and using paper. Now this just sounds plain retarded. I can imagine garbage breaking or leaking through these bags and making a real mess. Tossing garbage loose into a trash can probably wouldn't be acceptable to most outfits that pick up the garbage, too, so not sure where this idea is going.

As with many environmental ideas, this one has pros and cons. See, for example, my thread on CFLs. Not all the bugs have been thought about.

There's enough plastic around already, check the oceans. Source and recycle that.

I'm not against buying recycled plastic, am for it. Producing zillobillions more of it is foolhardy. The source of plastic bags at markets, wherever, should be - to me, queenie - only from already existing plastic, over and over.

I too use old plastic bags for dogwalk grabbers.
I'm doing a Martha (she did at some point offer glass storage containers) and using old pickle jars (whatever) instead of Tupperware.
We already have enough manufactured plastic.

Maybe some bags are already from recycled plastics, I don't follow it. If so, good.
I'm for no new plastic production.

I shop mostly at The Real Canadian Superstore. There, they are super promoting the green plastic boxes.
That's great - but no use to me, mostly. Most of my shopping I do on foot, lugging.

I like the set up they have there. You buy plastic bags, if you need them.
Something like 5 cents for a flimsy, 3 for a buck for the tough thick plastic.

I use the tough thick plastic bags, and they are great. I reuse them for a long time, and then later they are fantastic for kitty litter disposal.

Banning is a bit much. Hike the price, offer plenty of other options - the boxes and canvas totes - we're good to go.

It blows my mind when I go to a place and they offer paper. I thought that was long dead!
I don't care for them and don't see the appeal.

I would be for a large increase in price for plastic bags. Tax the **** out of them. Cost in: environmental costs, landfill , all the 'hidden' costs we do not presently pay up front for the bag.

I'm shopping now with canvas bags.

Thanks for the goading.

used ziploc bags serve the same purpose.

because of this thread, we started recycling the shopping bags.
we cram as many as we can into one, then toss it into the bin...

Unfortunately the handles on my canvas bags are too long.

Seven bags, each with two handles, each handle with two ends....

Twenty-eight little sewing projects dedicated to Saving the Earth in a Small Way.

Noddy, I can relate to this. I've tried doubling the handles around my fingers but this just cuts off the circulation. Sewing project ahead...

Tai Chi--

Thanks for the sympathy. A short woman with long arms has challenges in the modern world.

I'm a short woman with long arms, too. Do you ever feel like a chimpanzee?

By the way, I have made my own tote bags for this very purpose.

Me too! We need an organization for us impaired women. Shorty long arms unite!

Next question: Do you have a waist?

I raised my sons to be proud of their great-great-great-great grandmother the orangatang.

Nope, no waist--but I had one in my youth.

I do have a waist - I simply have long appendages (is a good way to describe). Long legs/arms/hands/fingers/feet and toes. I am odd.

There was a segment on CTV News last night about Ontario banning plastic bags. I'm not sure if we're only talking about grocery bags, or bags for all stores.

Hopefully, down the road if others climb onboard, we will not see a ban in plastic garbage bags as well. I can see no real good alternatives to this.

While we're at it though, for those that are spouting off about this ban, how about we ban disposable diapers? Or, would that just be a tad inconvenient for the "Greens"?

While we're at it and we're being serious about the environment and all that jazz, let's move onto SUV and other gas guzzling hunks of crap.

I'm wondering how much longer big green garbage bags will actually be necessary, Reyn. Ever since my city brought in the organics bin my family has been hard-pressed to put out even half a garbage bag each week. All our vegetable, fruit, meat and dairy left overs (used kleenex too) go in the organics bin. The garbage consists mostly of cling film from meat packages, cellophane and bread bags (re-used a few times first, of course ). As recycling becomes more widespread and comprehensive there will hopefully be less and less "waste" (truly non-reusable substances) to landfill.

I'm of two minds about disposable diapers. As a stay-at-home mom I had the luxury of time to deal with cloth diapers, but used disposables part time too. Cloth diapers are re-usable true, but they have to be washed in extremely hot water which uses a great deal of energy and then you have contaminated waste water to deal with. Also to be fluffy and most absorbent they need to be dried in a dryer (more energy required). While disposable diapers are thrown away I have read studies that suggest they could have a positive impact on landfills. Since most diapers are changed before they reach their absorptive capacity they have lots to spare when landfilled and absorb and contain potentially dangerous leachate that might otherwise find its way into the groundwater.

As for SUV's I'm with you on that one!