# California outlaws plastic bags



## Road Guy (Oct 28, 2014)

So as a scuba diver I agree there is way too much plastic floating around our oceans.....

so my yeah but moment is..

Yeah But didn't you stinking hippies get everyone to ditch paper bags for plastic 20 years ago cause it was somehow bad for the trees? Trees are a renewable resource (there are more trees in the US today than there was when the Spanish / Columbus landed here to rape and pillage)..

I didn't read the bill but I am assuming this applies as just grocery stores? What if you go to Toys R Us? no one takes their own bags to retail type stores??

Next I can see for cities like LA, they are probably going to use other tax payers money to give them those cool re-usable bags? Can you see the same folks that hijack buggies (shopping carts to those of you not from the south) and leave them at their apartment complex, are they going to use those cool reusable bags? maybe in Malibu..

another fail for California, in Boulder they charge a 3 cent tax PER plastic bag to discourage the use, and they make out like a bandit at the same time.. CA could have gone that route and would at least maybe make a little money..

Good initiative.. piss-poor judgment


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## snickerd3 (Oct 28, 2014)

i take reusable bags to target (5 cent discount per bag) and aldi since you have to buy bags whether they are paper or plastic. I would use cloth bags at walmart too but their little turn style thing for the bags isn't really conducive to using reusable bags. I tried once and it was a huge mess. I also don't want raw meat in reusable bags...that is just asking for trouble.

if i remember to put the bags in the car I have used them at places like toysrus too.


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## engineergurl (Oct 28, 2014)

I will just remain silent on this topic.


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## Road Guy (Oct 28, 2014)

we also have reusable bags, we do use them, but I don't think I should have to pay a tax or fine if I forget them one day or need to stop by after work and pick something up either....

I think the planet would be better off if we had just stuck with paper bags (renewable and they can decompose)


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## snickerd3 (Oct 28, 2014)

bamboo for the win!


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## roadwreck (Oct 28, 2014)

snickerd3 said:


> i take reusable bags to target (5 cent discount per bag)


Does Target promote this? I discovered this totally by accident when I stopped into Target to grab something and happened to have my reusable grocery bags with me because I was going to go to the grocery store next door afterward. I think this is a good way to encourage people to use reusable bags. It doesn't feel like you are being penalized for not bringing your own bags in, but you do see a (slight) monetary benefit for doing so.


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## Dexman PE PMP (Oct 28, 2014)

I've seen a lot of grocery stores do the $0.05 thing, but never have I seen it advertised.


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## goodal (Oct 29, 2014)

My wife uses totes from 31. Apparently, they make purses and backpacks and totes and bags and we HAVE to own one of each color. I have to admit, they are pretty good quality stuff, but good night do we need that many?


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## Road Guy (Oct 29, 2014)

When we have a "good" month using the reusable bags we then seem to run out of bags to use for small trash cans around the house....

The Kroger we go to gives out paper bags freely so we try and use them when we forget the other bags...

So if I go to target and buy a snickers I can request .50 off if I don't ask for a bag?


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## roadwreck (Oct 29, 2014)

Road Guy said:


> So if I go to target and buy a snickers I can request .50 off if I don't ask for a bag?


It's a 5 cent discount, not 50 cent, so you aren't going to get a free candy bar that way. 

I've only had them give it to me one time, and I had a reusable bag with me. Target bags are nice, so we usually go out of our way to not bring our own bags to target.


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## Dexman PE PMP (Oct 29, 2014)

goodal said:


> My wife uses totes from 31. Apparently, they make purses and backpacks and totes and bags and we HAVE to own one of each color. I have to admit, they are pretty good quality stuff, but good night do we need that many?


My wife has the same thing. I joke with her in the Xzibit way of " Yo dawg, I heard you like bags, so I got you a bag to carry your bags while you're shopping for bags". She doesn't think it's funny.


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## engineergurl (Oct 29, 2014)

Dexman PE PMP said:


> goodal said:
> 
> 
> > My wife uses totes from 31. Apparently, they make purses and backpacks and totes and bags and we HAVE to own one of each color. I have to admit, they are pretty good quality stuff, but good night do we need that many?
> ...




Those things are expensive (but yes high quality).. I have a tote and a lunch bag that match and then the wall hanging organizer and a gym bag... that's all I need. I do have to say that the gym bag IS freaking awesome.


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## goodal (Oct 29, 2014)

Oh yea, forgot we have the backpacks, lunch boxes and wall organizer too. Sheesh!


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## Dexman PE PMP (Oct 29, 2014)

We have the bins in the closet, but mostly just the totes. She only really uses them in the back of her Jeep to keep the stuff in the plastic bags from sliding all over the place.


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## engineergurl (Oct 29, 2014)

I don't know what size tote mine is, but it was a gift so I bought the lunch bag to match and they are perfect for work for me. It fits a gallon jug of water, my lunch and all my paper work and shoes and the pockets are great for things like my toothbrush and lotion and stuff... not too sure I could see any bagger at our grocery store load it well though. I do use the reusable bags for grocery shopping and keep brown paper bags in the car as well in case I forget, but I started that as part of the couponing and just kept doing it. For our BIG trip about once a month, we ask for plastic so we can line the trash bins and litter box with those bags.


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## Road Guy (Oct 29, 2014)

when I worked in Boulder (the city charges you .03/ bag if you use plastic bags) I would go walk around target at lunch a lot and you would see people walking out (who had forgotten to bring their own bags) trying to carry all their shit in their hands, usually spilling it everywhere, cause they were too cheap to pony up and pay the cities bag tax..


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## Dexman PE PMP (Oct 29, 2014)

Do like you do at Costco/Sams Club and just put the food back in the cart. The only thing the bags help with is getting the food inside once you get home.


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## Road Guy (Oct 29, 2014)

I don't think the Boulder people were that smart.... I never bought much, just mainly killed time while I dreaded going back to work!


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## MA_PE (Oct 29, 2014)

Road Guy said:


> I don't think the Boulder people were that smart.... I never bought much, just mainly killed time while I dreaded going back to work!


Oh, checking out "the people of Target", eh? Kinda like a live "people of WalMart"


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## csb (Oct 31, 2014)

My 31 totes are a hit with the checkers, because the bags are so sturdy. I sold the stuff to get the discount and then quit. We have bags for days.

My mom has been using reusable bags since easily the early 90s. Once a year we would get paper and that was to cover my school books.


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## Lumber Jim (Nov 3, 2014)

Talk about first world problems...

Joe blow hobo would rather see paper. it's a better insulator and breathes as compared to plastic...


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## Road Guy (Nov 3, 2014)

you mean you still have checkers / baggers in Wyoming?


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## csb (Nov 3, 2014)

Yes. You think this crowd just thins itself?


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## ALBin517 (Nov 5, 2014)

All we use for trash is plastic bags from grocery stores. We recycle a lot and don't produce a lot of trash.


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## engineergurl (Nov 5, 2014)

but you don't recycle the plastic bags? sounds like you could improve a bit then, huh?


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## ALBin517 (Nov 5, 2014)

engineergurl said:


> but you don't recycle the plastic bags? sounds like you could improve a bit then, huh?




Yes, we do recycle some plastic grocery bags.

But yes, we could improve.

On a bit of a tangent but we live in a rural area, without recycling opportunities. I have to drive recyclables into the city with me and drop them off at lunchtime or after work. So we trash a couple plastic bags per week but in my town, we have to be in the top percentile for least trash produced.


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## engineergurl (Nov 5, 2014)




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## rktman (Nov 5, 2014)

I'm certainly no tree hugger, but it seems that every product made should have a disposal plan that is sustainable, otherwise don't allow it.


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## engineergurl (Nov 5, 2014)

rktman said:


> I'm certainly no tree hugger, but it seems that every product made should have a disposal plan that is sustainable, otherwise don't allow it.




plastic bags are recyclable, you can also use them to line your boots in the winter, pack your lunch in, line your small garbage cans in the house, use them for insulation in hippy homes, bury your dead gerbil in one, use them for packing material, pick up dog poop with them, arts and crafts projects, home organization, use them for travel as your luggage... i think they are pretty sustainable


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## matt267 PE (Nov 5, 2014)

I like to use my old plastic bags to decorate my neighbor's trees.


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## rktman (Nov 5, 2014)

lol, well I suppose it depends on what the definition of "is" is


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## Dexman PE PMP (Nov 5, 2014)

You know what's sustainable? Recycled dinosaurs.

Good thing my car is outfitted to run on such a product...


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## Road Guy (Nov 5, 2014)

^--- Dinosaur recycling in process!


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## csb (Nov 5, 2014)

DAMMIT, RG! Stop using your phone while you're driving!


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## engineergurl (Nov 5, 2014)

is there a law against photoing and driving?


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## csb (Nov 5, 2014)

I don't care if it's the law or not. It's distracted driving.


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## engineergurl (Nov 5, 2014)

maybe he had a passenger


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## snickerd3 (Nov 5, 2014)

engineergurl said:


> is there a law against photoing and driving?


in Illinois there is


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## Dexman PE PMP (Nov 5, 2014)

He posted that from his phone. Taking the pic is the least of your worries.


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## MA_PE (Nov 5, 2014)

engineergurl said:


> rktman said:
> 
> 
> > I'm certainly no tree hugger, but it seems that every product made should have a disposal plan that is sustainable, otherwise don't allow it.
> ...


Everyone of those examples is another use but the plastic bag will eventually end up in the trash and not be "recycled".

Recycled plastic gets ground up and reused as plastic to make new products.


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## csb (Nov 5, 2014)

It's a reuse. As Jack Johnson says, "You gotta learn to reduce, reuse, recycle."

Picking up dog poop in plastic means it's now encapsulated for longer lasting freshness.


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## Road Guy (Nov 5, 2014)

I was honestly stopped in a 10 minute lane closure with Pilot Truck.....(scouts honor)


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## engineergurl (Nov 5, 2014)

MA_PE said:


> engineergurl said:
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> > rktman said:
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No...you can recycle it after several of those reuses. Even the dog poop if it's going to a self sorting facility (although the employees there may not enjoy it)


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## Lumber Jim (Nov 5, 2014)

MA_PE said:


> engineergurl said:
> 
> 
> > rktman said:
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Fixt


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## MA_PE (Nov 5, 2014)

engineergurl said:


> MA_PE said:
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> > engineergurl said:
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not worth my time. FWIW, I don't pick up poop in the yard. Let the kids cutting through my yard stomp in it. I don't care. If it gets to be too much, I use a shovel and throw it in the woods.


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## csb (Nov 6, 2014)




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