Who knew? Bag fee is a scam

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Can't skip the diaper bag. Need formula, a few sets of clothing for reflux, formula, bottles, bottled water for the formula, burp cloth to try to catch the hurl. And, we use an umbrella so you can hang empty ones but not full and I clip my purse on it. If I put anything heavy it tips.

[Anonymous]

They did this in MoCo a few years ago. If it was about the environment, they would have exempted paper bags (which are made from recycled paper, and are recyclable and biodegradable) and the new biodegradable plastic bags. They didn't.

Was there some problem with brown paper bags clogging up the Bay? No, because they biodegrade rapidly. Why did they tax those also?


Of course, I know the reason -- the retail lobby. If they placed a tax on only plastic bags, everyone would ask for paper bags instead, which cost the retailer a lot more than plastic bags.

[Anonymous]

I always take a bag now, which is something I didn't do in the past. So that means it is working (at least on me.) I don't really care where the .05 goes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They did this in MoCo a few years ago. If it was about the environment, they would have exempted paper bags (which are made from recycled paper, and are recyclable and biodegradable) and the new biodegradable plastic bags. They didn't.

Was there some problem with brown paper bags clogging up the Bay? No, because they biodegrade rapidly. Why did they tax those also?


Of course, I know the reason -- the retail lobby. If they placed a tax on only plastic bags, everyone would ask for paper bags instead, which cost the retailer a lot more than plastic bags.

Biodegradable plastic bags are a scam.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They did this in MoCo a few years ago. If it was about the environment, they would have exempted paper bags (which are made from recycled paper, and are recyclable and biodegradable) and the new biodegradable plastic bags. They didn't.

Was there some problem with brown paper bags clogging up the Bay? No, because they biodegrade rapidly. Why did they tax those also?

There is a heavy energy toll to making paper bags. It doesn't make sense to exempt them on enviro grounds. Biodegradable bags often don't degrade either.

I have no problem with how the District has implemented the plan. The amount of plastic bags used has decreased dramatically and youth education is a good use of funds, as is paying people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous



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.

Yes the plastic bag lobby is out today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They did this in MoCo a few years ago. If it was about the environment, they would have exempted paper bags (which are made from recycled paper, and are recyclable and biodegradable) and the new biodegradable plastic bags. They didn't.

Was there some problem with brown paper bags clogging up the Bay? No, because they biodegrade rapidly. Why did they tax those also?

There is a heavy energy toll to making paper bags. It doesn't make sense to exempt them on enviro grounds. Biodegradable bags often don't degrade either.

I have no problem with how the District has implemented the plan. The amount of plastic bags used has decreased dramatically and youth education is a good use of funds, as is paying people.

"Heavy energy toll"? If they were concerned about that, they'd instead require stores to install energy-efficient lighting and turn up their thermostats a bit. THat would have a greater energy impact.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They did this in MoCo a few years ago. If it was about the environment, they would have exempted paper bags (which are made from recycled paper, and are recyclable and biodegradable) and the new biodegradable plastic bags. They didn't.

Was there some problem with brown paper bags clogging up the Bay? No, because they biodegrade rapidly. Why did they tax those also?

There is a heavy energy toll to making paper bags. It doesn't make sense to exempt them on enviro grounds. Biodegradable bags often don't degrade either.

I have no problem with how the District has implemented the plan. The amount of plastic bags used has decreased dramatically and youth education is a good use of funds, as is paying people.

"Heavy energy toll"? If they were concerned about that, they'd instead require stores to install energy-efficient lighting and turn up their thermostats a bit. THat would have a greater energy impact.

The environmental impact from paper bags is from cutting down trees and from the emissions during manufacture. I have not seen a paper grocery bag that is made of more than 40% recycled content.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

VA doesn't even have a bag tax. Your posts makes no sense other than to complain about minimum wage workers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

Yup!! This is total Subway scam.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I always take a bag now, which is something I didn't do in the past. So that means it is working (at least on me.) I don't really care where the .05 goes.

I sometimes take plastic bags now because I need them for the cat litter box waste, DD's lunch (she prefers these). I have so many reusable bags, but I like the plastic bags for different things around the house. Don't mind the .05.

[Anonymous]

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

Just think of it as similar to the carbon tax Tom Stayer wants state governments to buy into which directly benefits his companies.
Sick liberals....

[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 think of it as similar to the carbon tax Tom Stayer wants state governments to buy into which directly benefits his companies.
Sick liberals....

A carbon tax is actually a pretty reasonable economic concept. You are paying for the externality.

[Anonymous]

Companies have to oblige other wise they face a fine from DC. I worked at Trader Joes and DC would send in a undercover person to see if the store/cashier were following the bag rule. Yes DC is paying someone to go to store to store pretending to be a customer to check on a 5 cent bag rule.

[Anonymous]

http://www.anacostiariverkeeper.org/clean-waterways#.VVHiEU3D-os

The bag tax has reduced the number of bags that end up in our waterways. That was a main aim of the tax.