Contrast~

[+ Tygerscent]

Several weeks in Tanzania where plastic bags are illegal: I never saw them on the roadside, in garbage dumps, trash containers. People there used reusable bags… 
 Back in the states for three days and I accumulated these below without want or question~ These are what people in stores gave me despite my saying I didn’t need/want plastic bags… they insisted that’s all they had to offer me unless I had own, (normally at home I do provide)~   Grocery stores and restaurants most prominently~ 
 Zip locks came from things ordered on line and/or things in grocery stores. 
 I’m one person among the millions here in the states getting these thin non-Recyclable plastic bags~ Not a political judgement but, personal wonder: Why the perceived need and where do all these non recyclable bags go~?
  One person, 365/yr… over a lifetime… and all of this go where~? I’m asking… What do you all do with these things~?

Edited December 15, 2022 by Tygerscent

[+ poolboy48220]

I save plastic grocery bags to pick up my dog's poop.  My own form of recycling.

[+ azdr0710]

safe links....

https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/03/business/byfusion-waste-plastic-blocks/index.html

 

 

[+ Vegas_Millennial]

I follow my father's example and always request paper instead of plastic at the supermarket.  At least those are biodegradable.  When my purchase is small, I refuse a bag altogether.  I will remove my item from the plastic bag and give the plastic bag back to them at the counter.

[spider]

Paper gets used for the recycling, not that I believe the city actually recycles, but that's another issue.  Here, people in the stores still scream "what do you mean I need to pay for a bag" leave the groceries and walk out! It's like 7 cents, dude, and easily avoided by bringing your own bag.

[+ poolboy48220]

I do have about six or seven bags of my own.  I shop at ALDI whenever I can, they don't provide free bags, so I always bring them; other shopping trips, I often forget to bring my own.

[+ DynamicUno]

Recycling is a thorn in my side since I moved to my present community.  My particular municipality offers recycling pickup to residents in single family homes, but doesn't have any program to cover apartment or condo communities with central dumpsters.  There is a multi-municipality central recycling center, but my particular city is not a full member, so I'd have to pay $10 at city hall for a chit to take recycling there each time.  I end up only using it for electronics mostly, which is maybe once a year.

Sadly, that means I end up just tossing more paper and plastic waste into the trash.  The local grocery stores do take plastic bags for recycling in their bottle return area, but I have no place to take other plastics.  I do use paper bags to collect junk mail, but with no place to take it it just goes in the dumpster.

[+ Charlie]

I hardly ever shop anywhere without taking my own bags.

[Njguy2]

New Jersey instituted a law prohibiting single use plastic and paper bags this year.  This is annoying since I used the plastic bags to pick up dog poop from errant neighborhood dogs as well as from the herd of deer which periodically go through my property.   If one is that enamored with them - Costco sells boxes of the bags for use.   Some stores have switched to utilizing paper bags or you can purchase their reusable bag or bring your own (if you remember to bring it as you get out of your car).

[mike carey]

Most states and territories in Australia have banned single use plastic shopping bags over the last 10-15 years, and in most there were howls of 'How will we manage' to which those of us who'd already done it went 'What's the problem?' Shops sell reusable plastic bags (Aldi included), typically for 15c, and maybe 30-40% of shoppers buy them, and most also sell durable bags. We're starting to see more paper bags for sale now. A market also developed for charities and others to sell simple tote bags designed to fit supermarket self-checkout areas. I almost always manage to remember to take a bag with me (my current one is an NZ New World supermarket bag).

Jurisdictions here are starting to ban other single use plastics like cutlery, straws, stirrers and takeaway food containers, and also single use plastic bags in the F&V department. Compostable alternatives are becoming available.

Kerbside collection of recyclable waste is routine here, and also happens at multi-residence developments. Soft plastics collection was done by supermarkets (with product labels increasingly indicating which to 'return to store') but their contractor stopped taking it and only a few local government areas collect that material now.

[+ Coolwave35]

Plastic bags and straws are illegal where I live in New York. I have almost 50 reusable bags because I always forget them and buy another one. 

[pubic_assistance]

9 hours ago, Coolwave35 said:

Plastic bags and straws are illegal where I live in New York. I have almost 50 reusable bags because I always forget them and buy another one. 

Same here. I live in NYC too.We keep the grocery bags right next to the service entrance door and I will walk right past them every time. I may have to start hanging them ON the door knob ! I just can't get used to the idea to leave with an empty bag in my hand.

[+ Coolwave35]

21 minutes ago, pubic_assistance said:

Same here. I live in NYC too.We keep the grocery bags right next to the service entrance door and I will walk right past them every time. I may have to start hanging them ON the door knob ! I just can't get used to the idea to leave with an empty bag in my hand.

Same here!  Except mine are always in my trunk and I forget to go in the store with them. Laziness prevents me from stepping away at the register when I remember. 

[+ Charlie]

I have to drive to anyplace that I shop for anything, so I always keep bags in the car, and almost never forget to take them into the store with me.

[pubic_assistance]

22 minutes ago, Charlie said:

I have to drive to anyplace that I shop for anything, so I always keep bags in the car, and almost never forget to take them into the store with me.

Which is the problem in NYC. We WALK everywhere. I used to always grab groceries on my way home. ( We shop more frequently here because we don't have a car to load up ). But I'm not going to walk around all day with a grocery bag, so now I have to go home first and then head back out for supplies. It definitely cuts into my efficiency scale, when I make a point to go home first and then forget the very item I went home to pick up ! 😆

[+ Charlie]

I understand. When I lived in a city, I shopped the same way you do, and I wouldn't be carrying a shopping bag with me wherever I went. Now that I live literally on the edge of the desert (it's on the other side of my back wall), all shopping is purpose-driven and requires motorized transport, because there is no commercial activity nearby.

2 minutes ago, pubic_assistance said:

Which is the problem in NYC. We WALK everywhere. I used to always grab groceries on my way home. ( We shop more frequently here because we don't have a car to load up ). But I'm not going to walk around all day with a grocery bag, so now I have to go home first and then head back out for supplies. It definitely cuts into my efficiency scale, when I make a point to go home first and then forget the very item I went home to pick up ! 😆

 

[+ bashful]

Before the pandemic, I started getting into the habit of bringing the shopping bags into the store.  

Then the pandemic, and people weren't allowed to bring them into the store.  Then I heard later you could bring them in if you packed your own groceries.  

I have no idea where those bags are anymore.  

[+ Charlie]

I liked packing the bags myself, because I think I pack them more logically than most of the "packers," who don't seem to have any training. It's a nuisance having to tell the packer what should be put in which bag. (Do I sound like an obsessive organizer?)

Edited December 24, 2022 by Charlie

[+ Vegas_Millennial]

2 hours ago, Charlie said:

I liked packing the bags myself, because I think I pack them more logically than most of the "packers," who don't seem to have any training. It's a nuisance having to tell the packer what should be put in which bag. (Do I sound like an obsessive organizer?)

I arrange my items on the conveyor belt to be checked in the order I want them packed.  (Bulky items together, cleaning supplies together, bathroom products together, refrigerated/frozen foods together, pantry items together).  I ask for paper bags when available, because not only are they renewable but they hold more.  The bag boy usually does a decent job once I've already laid out the packing order for him, and I only have to switch a few items around before I leave the store.

[+ Charlie]

I try to do the same thing on the conveyor belt, but the checker often moves quickly and things get mixed up, and the packer doesn't always recognize which are the cold items that go in the thermal bag and which are not.