Just when you thought that the California Legislature could not hit lower on the scale of dumb ideas……they wind up “doing it again”! Oh sure, there are mountains of plastic bags in the Pacific Ocean…the size of Rhode Island. We get all that. How are they going to dispose of that mess again?
However, restricting the use of plastic bags at Grocery Stores is certainly not one of the brightest concepts that we have heard. As everyone knows, there is a big push on to use recycled carry all bags. CVS Pharmacy has a pretty good program that gives you .25 cents back when you bring in your CVS bag to put your purchases in. Several other Retail outfits utilize “Buy a Bag and Bring it Back Programs”. Trader Joe’s happens to be one. There is little doubt…that in certain circumstances “Recycled Friendly Carry Alls” can be a good thing.
The big problem however, starts with “Take-Out Foods”. How about that Chinese dinner you had recently? What about a million and one Thai, Mexican, Sushi and Pizza Parlors that are going to wind up in the middle of some “good intentions” and “stupid answers” by the California Legislature. How about Ace Hardware for instance. What about Stationary Stores like Hallmark and the Independents? What about Kohl’s, Macy’s and Neiman-Marcus? What about clothing stores in general?
So, will there be a big market in Re-Used Colonel Sanders Kentucky Fried Chicken Boxes and Bags? Who comes up with these “well intended” totally ridiculous responses to Oil Spills in the Gulf of Mexico?
“AB1998 would ban all of the single-use bags that have been polluting our oceans and waterways and threatening marine life,” said the bill’s author, Assemblywoman Julia Brownley, D-Santa Monica.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/06/02/MN6N1DO77G.DTL#ixzz0pnqaZkEv
So Julia……sadly, you were not alone and 40 other “Great Minds” went along with not only higher prices (charging 5 cents a bag in So. Cal and completely banning plastic bags in SF) but not thinking about how many unsanitary, dirty plastic bags are going to be re-used to put new food or goods into then. Has anyone ever washed out their plastic bag before they re-used it – in world history? We think not! How about all those coffee grounds that will not find their way into the trash in a plastic bag from the grocery store? In a paper bag…you say? Wet, soaked through…and the most important thing of all – Paper Bags? Sure “do gooders” kill millions of more trees rather than recycle the BP Oil Spill for Plastic Bags!
Idiots! Please tell the Governor that of all the great ideas his Administration has come up with…..this is certainly not his best work!
There is little doubt that in some circumstances, the use of plastic bags might not be such a good idea. In those cases – create a local regulation for areas that have a problem. We don’t need a State or National or Global Solution created by 41 Political minds in California!
Isn’t there an election in November to get rid of these people?
Let me help you out here a little. All those stores you mentioned…..you can take your canvas shopping bag out of your car and use them there too.
It’s not that hard. No one is suggesting you keep using a dirty plastic bag….Oh yeah you are.
No one is saying you can’t throw your trash out in a plastic bag, personally my coffee grounds end up in my compost pile.
BTW most fast food chains use paper bags….to get away from un-biodegradable plastics that are a poly-urethane based oil product. They did that years ago.
You two are like SNL vintage Emily Latilla…..”And whats wrong with “VIOLINS” on Television?”
I’d be careful throwing the term “idiots” around.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDBtCb61Sd4 Here’s a movie for you!
It’s 18 minutes long so it might be beyond your attention level….it will go over your head anyway……
Oh well , it passed and Arnold supports it………Looks like we’re gonna have to drag you along into the future …kicking and screaming,
although I think when we’re all driving electric cars you two should still have to pay $12 for a gallon of gas,
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100603/ap_on_bi_ge/us_plastic_bags
Dr. G,
Your elitist condescension is astouding! One size fits all….is that it? No No Nannette!
We can all become “bag ladies” is that it? Right now we have seven different bags in
our car…to utilize at various locations. So, your devotion to canvas rivals sailors dodging
Oil Spills in the South Seas!
Here is your Pepsi Challenge. This week count how many plastic bags you use. Get back
to us with your results. Compost that! And don’t forget to use your canvas bag to pick up
your doggie poop too!
rw
This is funny – old bags complaining about old bags! And the floating miasma of plastic is the size of TEXAS, not Rhode Island – got it? It’s not too much to make some minimal changes in our purchasing routines in order to attempt a turn-around in consumers’ attitudes in favor of earth conservation.
And yes – Tiger Woods is a very, very bad man!
*Just send $50 bucks to the State of California and forget separating old bags from new
bags…….
We are still waiting to your answer: OK…the bag island is the size of the USSR…..how
do you fix it? By charging 5 cents a bag to consumers? Not likely!