It was getting tough in 2006 and the workhouse still threatens us in 2011

redlady_1

Oh I knew there was something I needed to ask. Has anyone ever heard of allspice berries please and if so where can I buy them?

Igamogam

ceridwen wrote: »

:rotfl:"contraceptive for plastic bags" - well the most effective method I can think of is simply never ever to take any. I DO have to be very firm with shop assistants sometimes that I dont take plastic bags EVER - but its getting easier and not necessary to do so so often.

I shall be delighted personally when there is no such thing as a plastic bag anywhere/anytime/etc/etc.

I DO still have a stock of them - because I cant persuade my mother not to take them:(:( (on two counts) - so when she hands me something or other she is passing on to me in yet another blimmin' plastic bag:eek: then I keep it and wash out and re-use it until it falls apart for "dirty" type purposes.

Howsomever - of myself - I keep a fold-up "permanent" material type lightweight bag permanently in my handbag to instantly put anything into that a shop assistant is trying to put in a plastic bag:mad:.

Reminds me - must send email to Co-op - as I have to ask them for (paper) receipts - but they are darn well STILL offering me plastic carrier bags every time:mad:...goes off to make note to do that email...

Does anyone know a suitable email address to use to tell the Co-op off about this practice (ie of still offering plastic bags automatically for free)? (which will be phrased, of course, in "better" language than that....).

Before not using bags became trendy I often use to refuse a bag at the checkout, complain about double bagging, object to over packaging and was once asked if I was one of those people who 'liked saving plastic bags' :rotfl: er no 'I didnt want to use them' I explained but the response was just a confused smile.............. Here,from 1/10 there will a charge of 5p on every carrier bag handed over in shops ( there might be some exceptions I think) and I am now frantically 'saving' carrier bags as I use them in my kitchen bin as liners. I have never bought a roll of bin liners in my life and now it looks as if I will have to start :rotfl:

Igamogam

redlady_1 wrote: »

Can someone please confirm the month as I have just lit Steve,my burner tonight!!! This is taking the flipping micky!!!!

Our wood burner lit for the second time this week :eek:

maryb

Puts head above parapet

I don't get too worked up about plastic bags because I reuse supermarket carrier bags as bin liners. If I didn't I would have to buy bin liners. When I have enough I go back to using Bags for Life. When Ireland introduced it 9p tax on plastic bags, sales of bin liners shot up and a few months after the tax was introduced, it was found that the country's imports of polyethylene (I think) were just as high as ever.

I get more annoyed when M&S claim they don't make any money out of their 5p charge. However if they are managing to pass on to customers a cost that would previously have been absorbed in cost of sales it must have an impact on the bottom line. And they don't say how they calculate the profit that they donate (although they do disclose how much it is - and it isn't 5p per bag) so that suggests they are managing to pass on some costs

Lakeland started charging and stopped because of adverse reaction. But then again, Lakeland bags are some of the most useful around so I have no compunction in taking a bag. You don't see many of those littering the roadside.

The main argument in favour of a tax in my view is that it stops littering. But I don't think it will cut consumption of plastic by itself

redlady_1

Igamogam wrote: »

Our wood burner lit for the second time this week :eek:

Yeah but I am darn sarf!! I must have lived here too long as I have lost the northern hardiness. Oh Lordie, does that mean next stop is red sauce on my bacon sandwiches??!!!!! :eek::eek::eek:

SDG31000

The bags turn up from online deliveries, even if you specify no bags, they still pack some things in them. Also DH brings them home when he does any shopping. I go shopping with Dotty (my trusty "wally" trolley) and keep fabric bags tucked into the side pockets.
I think I'm going to have a go at knitting a handbag out of the spare plastic bags and see what they turn into.

Gigervamp

Redlady, you can buy ground allspice at the supermarkets and you might be able to get the berries there too.

Re plastic bags, from October, all shops in Wales will be charging 5p per bag.

maryb

Kittie was the forecast from Weatheraction? That is Piers Corbyn's outfit and he charges for all his forecasts. Just curious.

Redlady, Bart Spices do allspice berries and you can get them in Waitrose. I've also seen them in a bigger Tescos. I have a recipe for spiced beef which uses them. It's easier to get hold of ground Allspice (not the same as ground mixed spice) so if your recipe calls for crushed berries you would be fine with that

ceridwen

Kittikins wrote: »

I take plastic bags from time to time as I use them as bin liners, rather than buying any, but try to remember to have a cotton bag or bag for life in the car/handbag......I think the coop's plastic bags are biodegradable?

Cant remember the technical details - but one supermarket (Tesc*??) has just stopped stocking the so-called biodegradable ones because they arent. As I understand it - there is no such thing as genuinely biodegradable bags.

Anyways - I wasted no time. I have just sent an email off to the Co-0p nationally spelling out exactly which of their shops are doing this and that its every single assistant and listing a battery of questions for them to answer on this:D.

maryb

Well I had several Mr T carrier bags in the shed at the allotment which I had taken up last year (because I always forget to take one with me when I just 'pop up') and when I tried to use them this year they turned to confetti. Not sure how long they would take to completely decompose but it looked as if they would do. If that lot have stopped stocking them I suspect it's a convenient excuse for a cost saving decision