Who knew? Bag fee is a scam

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of course its another money maker for the gov't. Its really annoying to have to carry bags, lug a kid or two, stroller, diaper bag, etc. I'm all for being environmental and regardless often carried my own bags but at times its difficult.

And the five cents will break you on those days? I doubt it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So the extra $0.05 retailers are supposed to charge doesn't actually go to clean anything up. Thanks nanny state.

This leaves us only to deduce that your reading comprehension is atrocious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of course its another money maker for the gov't. Its really annoying to have to carry bags, lug a kid or two, stroller, diaper bag, etc. I'm all for being environmental and regardless often carried my own bags but at times its difficult.

I go carless and here's how I make it work. Ditch the diaper bag unless you're going to be gone all day. Throw a couple diapers in your purse or the bottom of the stroller along with a bottle or two/cup which could also be tethered to the stroller w/ those plastic chains or an actual cup/bottle tether. Then get some envirosax which roll up nice and small and snap shut. They take up half the space of a banana. You can carry 2-3 easily either in your purse or the stroller basket (or even tucked in the sun shade of the stroller.) Then you can attach your filled bag to the stroller w/ a giant caribeaner or other clip, or stuff it in the stroller basket or hang it from the stroller. Done. Or bipass the bags entirely if you're on a small shopping trip and just put your things in the stroller basket and sun shade w/o a bag.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So the extra $0.05 retailers are supposed to charge doesn't actually go to clean anything up. Thanks nanny state.

Just take your own bag, already. Canvas bags are much sturdier and can hold much more than the flimsy plastic grocery bags anyway. Even if you don't like the "nanny state," you can't argue w/ the fact that those plastic bags really suck.

+1 I can fit the same amount of groceries into 2 reusable bags as 8 plastic bags and they're easier to load because of the flat bottoms

[Anonymous]

Why was this moved to the Political Forum?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The goal of the the fee is behavior modification, i.e. reducing the number of bags people take, not fundraising.

People aren't taking bags, they are given bags. When a cashier at Target puts one item in each bag and I have to tell her not to, the problem isn't me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The goal of the the fee is behavior modification, i.e. reducing the number of bags people take, not fundraising.

People aren't taking bags, they are given bags. When a cashier at Target puts one item in each bag and I have to tell her not to, the problem isn't me.

Where do you live? Every time I shop at Target or anywhere in the city, the cashier asks if I would like a bag first. They never go straight to bagging, and certainly don't use multiple bags without me specifying it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of course its another money maker for the gov't. Its really annoying to have to carry bags, lug a kid or two, stroller, diaper bag, etc. I'm all for being environmental and regardless often carried my own bags but at times its difficult.

I find he reusable bags infinitely easier to handle with kids than the plastic ones. Bigger handles and hold 8 times as much.

[Anonymous]

DC needs to accompany the bag tax by banning flimsy plastic bags, as California and a number of localities have done. Shoppers can use reusable bags or opt for paper, which carries the 5 cent fee. The low to medium end retailers that use plastic bags like Giant and CVS will cry foul and no doubt will send bags of cash to the DC council to try to block such a ban. But their arguments didn't prevail in CA. The plastic bags blow away, clog rivers and never decay in landfills while paper decays (and of course can be recycled).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of course its another money maker for the gov't. Its really annoying to have to carry bags, lug a kid or two, stroller, diaper bag, etc. I'm all for being environmental and regardless often carried my own bags but at times its difficult.

I understand your frustration but is it such a burden to pay a nickel a bag when you can't lug your own? It won't break most DCUMers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The goal of the the fee is behavior modification, i.e. reducing the number of bags people take, not fundraising.

+1

It's become habit to keep a reusable bag with me. It's nearly instinct now, and not at all an inconvenience. And +1 for the 5-cents you often get for bringing your own bag. It's small, but a nice tiny perk.

Also before this went into effect, I felt slightly silly bringing my own bag - but now it's expected and I don't think twice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Works for me. I've seen a huge decrease in plastic bags along the side of the road in the not so great part of MoCo I live in. Some stores even give me a .05 credit for bringing my own bag.

Me too. I've switched almost completely to reusable bags, and most of the people I see in line have too.

[Anonymous]

It's not a scam, you're purchasing a bag just like any other item

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The goal of the the fee is behavior modification, i.e. reducing the number of bags people take, not fundraising.

People aren't taking bags, they are given bags. When a cashier at Target puts one item in each bag and I have to tell her not to, the problem isn't me.

Where do you live? Every time I shop at Target or anywhere in the city, the cashier asks if I would like a bag first. They never go straight to bagging, and certainly don't use multiple bags without me specifying it.

Virginia. The problem is with who these big box stores are hiring. I often don't get all my items either.

[Anonymous]

Why does subway charge 5 cents for their teeny plastic sleeve to put sandwiches in? It's like the thin plastic bag you put veggies and fruit in at the grocery store.