Say NO to plastic bags

Gray0103

scootermacc wrote:

The best solution would be for the plastic bag tax applicable in Ireland to be introduced here too. Then it'd be a campaign for recycled paper bags!!!

I would be happy to pay a plastic bag tax, if the bags were of decent quality.

At present I have to double bag most things due to the poor quality of bags supplied by most supermarkets.

Magpie29

Sainsbury's bag for life is quite good. The bags are pretty strong, but they do rip or wear out eventually. Once that happens you just ask for a free replacement. They then recycle the old one.

lynzpower

Ive been an avid carrier bag avoider for some years. I take a range of plastic bags with me for shopping with, and I always have a couple scrunched up in my handbag in case I need to pick anything up on my travels.
You cant even buy a bag of crisps these days without them giving you a bag and the indignant looks! Anyone would think you are being personal to them about it!

For the carrers that are an inconvenient shape for my bins, or my big shopping, I take to my local charity shop who has a permanent sign in the window asking for carriers.

gromituk

MORPH3US wrote:

I think that there should be a tax on carrier bags (although this would probably get passed on to ALL customers)

No, fortunately the way it's done in Ireland is that shops must charge individually for the bags, so it's an explicit amount that people will notice.

Here, we have an implicit bag tax - you pay for everyone else's bags if you don't use them yourself. That's one of the great things about Lidl, Aldi and Netto (as mentioned already) - you have the choice.

In Ireland, 90% of polythene bag use cut at a stroke! As usual, our government is too cowardly to do this in case the Daily Mail mounts a campaign. Remember how hard it was to get the smoking ban through? Ireland did that too, most people's quality of life was improved at a stroke, and the remaining smokers just accept it now.

HKP_2

fran_from_willesden wrote:

What about recycling plastic bags?

My local asda has stopped recycling plastic bags as they couldnt get anyone to collect them.

Well I did stir up a hornets nest, didnt I!!

At least there seem quite a few of us out there trying to be green.
Well done to you all:beer:

gromituk

I bet in reality they couldn't get anyone to collect them and pay them for the privilege!

oldMcDonald

If you belong to Pigsback you can get a fold up shopper type bag for 150 points.

I recently received mine and I love it! It is shocking pink and folds up into a little pouch that fits inside your hand bag.

http://www.pigsback.com

grace

Sorry to lower the tone but I currently use old plasitc bads a poo bags when out with the dogs...does anyone use a more enviro friendly alternative?

starlite_2

You can buy biodegradable nappy sacks in boots, they are about £2 for 50, and made by 'spirit of nature'.
They claim to dissolve within 60 days. My parents use them for their dog.

One shop I must commend is Topshop. They give fabric bags with all purchases, I have loads which I use for shopping, as bags for our babies laundry etc and often see people using them as handbags.
It's a great idea! No doubt more costly, but thumbs up to them!

rackstar

I love using my reusable shopping bags and I have even got my husband one!

I'm in my twenties and I don't think it's an "old lady" thing to carry a shopping bag. I have one I got at Wearhouse when I bought a dress (that's flimsy but actually really strong), two beach bags I got free on magazines a few years ago, and a funky Karrimor one that my husband tends to use.

We take rucksacks if we are on our bikes, and we've not had any complaints about refusing bags, even if I put it on the cashdesk in Boots or somewhere and pile the shopping in as the cashier scans.

We sometimes need an extra bag, but they get used in the bin - we don't use that many though because we recycle most of our waste and have a composter. Admittedly, we get most of our shopping delivered in a box from Riverford.co.uk, and that box is collected and reused.

But other bags like ones from music and book shops ended up lying around un-used for ages, until we discovered our local co-operative book shop was wanting them to give out to customers. Hooray!

I don't like the thought of recycling them after hearing that the supermarket bag bins were snet to China for some rather non-environmentally freindly processing. http://www.guardian.co.uk/GWeekly/Story/0,,558429,00.html