Not Anymore

[cabinetman]

Of the two grocery stores we use, we don't get asked.."Paper or plastic?" They just don't have paper anymore.


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[LCHIEN]

In Europe they still ask "paper or plastic?"

of course it means something entirely different... whether you intend to pay with credit/debit card or cold hard cash currency (Euros, pounds, kroners whatever is the local flavor).

In Europe they don't give you paper or plastic bags to carry your grocery purchases at all. You either bring your own or you can buy some at the market. Most people have resuable cloth bags, like the ones sold here in the states for ecological reasons for $2 apiece.

[Tom Slick]

Our county has decided to save the world by banning plastic bags and charge a mandatory 10 cents for a paper bag.

[chopnhack]

C-man, if thats a Publix you are shopping at, they still have paper bags, at least at all my local ones, they do.

[atgcpaul]

Our county has decided to save the world by banning plastic bags and charge a mandatory 10 cents for a paper bag.

Our county, too, but ours are 5cents each.

I was all for this bag tax because baggers would send my 20 items home in about 10 bags. We had mountains of bags. But then we realized how handy they were because now we struggle to find convenient garbage bags for all the diapers we change between the 2 kids. Now we hoard bags whenever we get our hands on them and resort to using the skinny knecked bags used to wrap the free newspapers that show up on the doorstep.

[cwsmith]

I'm not all that keen on the paper or plastic thing. Yes, paper is depicted as more trees that need to be cut down, but what about recycling? I read somewhere a few years ago that we recycle less today than we did back in the 50's and 60's.

The "plastic" bag thing really has be perplexed though. On one hand, I'm all for the environment and I hate seeing stories about all the plastic bags that are fouling the ocean. Basically we get plastic bags when we shop at Walmart, and then we use them for garbage containment/bagging which then goes to the landfill. I often wonder how much these plastic bags degrade over time, or whether they'll still be there in a hundred-plus years.

But, if we don't use "plastic"... then what do we use? Oh yeah, that's right... we can always buy "plastic" Hefty or some other brand; what's the difference, other than one is convenience and the other cost money?

Around here, we have two grocery chains: Aldi's and Price-Right, neither of which gives you a bag, but will sell you one. I do like Aldi's because there they stock the groceries in their original boxes and then the customer can simply use one of those to carry their groceries in. The store doesn't have to worry about their disposal (at least not the ones the customer takes), and our city pick-up will take those with the re-cyclables.

Aldi's also does a neat thing with their shopping carts. They keep them chained together in sheltered area just outside the entrance. You need a cart, you stick a quarter in the slot to release the chain lock and when you're done shopping you simply return the cart, connect the chain to the coin release and get your quarter back. No more carts all over the lot and they're always dry during the wet weather.

CWS

[Mildoc]

Plastic bags = estimated 12 million barrels of oil per year.

Only 1-2% recycled.

I ask for paper if given a choice. Trees can be replanted, and there are other sources (such as hemp if this country would legalize it like Canada and many others).

[chopnhack]

That sounds like a very low rate, MilDoc.. I for one reuse any plastic bags that come my way, I use them in the shop to contain small shop vac hoses, tshirts and rags, returns to the BORG, refuse, etc. They also do duty in the home for garbage, thus they get reused a few times before finally making their way to the landfill, where they will biodegrade if exposed to sun - I know gallon water bottles left in direct sunlight down here don't last more than a couple of months before becoming brittle.

A little digging provides a different take on that recycling rate:

According to the EPA, the recycling rate of polyethylene bags, sacks and wraps in 2010 was 14.7 percent, a 23.8 percent increase from the rate in 2009. Recycling of polyethylene bags, sacks and wraps has now grown in 9 out of the last 10 years

- source

Municipal Solid Waste in the United States: 2009 Facts and Figures and Municipal Solid Waste in the United States: 2001 Facts and Figures; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; p. 53 (2009), p. 49 (2001).

[Tom Slick]

Littering the main problem with plastic. Recycling rates are about the same between the two. Plastic bags are difficult for the recyclers because they jam up the separating machinery. Paper takes more energy and chemicals to recycle. The way landfills are managed paper doesn't biodegrade. Paper bags have roughly 4x the bulk that plastic bags do so that means paper bags take up 4x more space in landfills and require 4x more trucks to carry the same amount of bags to their store. During an entire life cycle, plastic bags use less petroleum than paper.

[cabinetman]

I for one reuse any plastic bags that come my way, I use them in the shop to contain small shop vac hoses, tshirts and rags, returns to the BORG, refuse, etc. They also do duty in the home for garbage, thus they get reused a few times before finally making their way to the landfill, where they will biodegrade if exposed to sun - I know gallon water bottles left in direct sunlight down here don't last more than a couple of months before becoming brittle.

We reuse plastic bags too. Primarily for litter box waste, which is removed twice a day.

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[leehljp]

We got started about 5 years ago to using re-usable cloth bags in Japan. There are some there that really do better than the ones here. They have a pull cord net sewn to the top of the bag and allows over filling of the bag and keeps things in order. Having brought several home with us - we use them regularly when we go to Sams or Costco. Handy!

[cabinetman]

We got started about 5 years ago to using re-usable cloth bags in Japan. There are some there that really do better than the ones here. They have a pull cord net sewn to the top of the bag and allows over filling of the bag and keeps things in order. Having brought several home with us - we use them regularly when we go to Sams or Costco. Handy!

We have a few of these types of bags that get loaded up at the grocery store, or Costco. They fit in the trunk OK, and have H&L bottom tabs that stick good to trunk carpet. Sure beats carrying in individual plastic bags.

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[BobSch]

I'm not all that keen on the paper or plastic thing. Yes, paper is depicted as more trees that need to be cut down, but what about recycling?

CWS

The other thing about paper bags is that most of the paper comes from trees raised just like any other crop and the land is replanted after the trees are cut.

[leehljp]

We have a few of these types of bags that get loaed up at the grocery store, or Costco. They fit in the trunk OK, and have H&L bottom tabs that stick good to trunk carpet. Sure beats carrying in individual plastic bags.

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Imagine a pull cord netting the same height as the sides. The netting fits down inside when not needed and doesn't take any space. Then it pulls up and doubles the height and the net fits around any tall items, and doubles the capacity. The cord pulls tight at the top and keeps everything in place. GREAT! IIRC, they cost about $10.00 each in Japan.

[RAFlorida]

LOML gets angry

when shopping with me. I always use this neat little bag to carry the groceries in:

(didn't allow me to attach jpg of my duffle bag. sorry 'bout that.)