5¢ charge for plastic grocery bags

[earwig]

I started using the "green” Sobey bags as soon as they started them. It took almost 3 months before I trained myself to remember them each time I went into a store. I only have a lapse occasionally now.

I noticed the other day when I needed a plastic bag that my supply is very low. At one time it seemed I was always bundling then up and putting into recyclables.

I agree on those meat trays being a waste.

Too much packaging on most products IMO. One needs a hack saw to get into things and then you are left with trying to decide what is recyclable when disposing of the pieces.

[MareE]

Now, don't get me going on this topic, folks. Ooops, waylaid my thoughts. Last seen in a commodious cloth bag Tante Liz sent me three years ago and I'm still using it and a few others. M&M's for instance. For groceries, not waylaid thoughts, y'all understand. The personage who invented plastic is a well-planted billionaire IMHO. And he won't be rotting for a whiley, no blessing him.

LCBO no longer carries plastic bags. Back to craft paper which is totally recyclable.

Baglady Mare in Hill O'Dedicated recycling and did you steal my oomlauts, Joni-O?;o}

[jazz]

Our liquor store charges yu for bags too. They dont anywhere else. But they take off 5 cents for every cloth or whatever bag yu bring.

We now have an assortment of every bag possible. Metro, iga, cda tire, coscto, drugstores etc.

Those things under the meat make me sick. jazz

[OGrubber]

Washable fabric totes, paper bags 'n pastry boxes for baked goods, and lightly waxed butcher paper for meat.

Hail Mother Earth!

[bluebird]

I've been using cloth bags now for um...well since we used to live in Bond Head so that must be around...14-15 years or so and it seems like just the natural thing to do. I keep a bunch in a large canvas bag at the ready in the truck and just take some in with me to stores. My favourites are still the large nylon mesh bags we picked up in Mexico years ago, but I also like the black cloth bags from Superstore/Zehrs even though we rarely shop there.

We now go to the Farmer's Market every Saturday morning and our fresh local fish is wrapped in a sheet of wax paper and then newspaper and the locally raised meat is wrapped in butcher paper and into a separate washable cloth bag. Produce goes nicely into the nylon mesh bags as they "breathe".

With our strict garbage and recycling program in this area, ($3.00 bag charge and only 2 bags per pick-up) I have found myself becoming even more sensitive to packaging and in fact have made product choices depending on the packaging. A good example is eggs....only in the recyclable paper cardboard instead of that formed plastic as it is not recyclable here. I've also been known to leave packaging behind at the store after paying for the item.

And of course doing your own composting really helps if you have a location that is suitable.

I'd like to reduce things more, but it's tough to go 100% plastic free. For instance; stoop and scoop duties in public places when walking our dog. I'd like to find an easy source of biodegradable poopy bags. (Anyone know where to find some?) Recyclable paper bags can be a problem when the poops are quite fresh (and of course you can't stand around for a day or so letting them get dry-laf!) Soweee for the visual...!!

I can separate my dry garbage and put it loose in the curb can, but I still need to put into plastic wet garbage that is not compostable.

So..if you've read this far...here's a question about the banning of plastic grocery bags. Many people reuse their grocery bags for their kitchen garbage and if they don't have access to grocery bags then most will need to buy plastic garbage bags and therefore the landfills will still be full of plastic...and of course still tons of green garbage bags.

So shouldn't they come up with biodegradable plastic bags that could be used instead? And of course recycled paper bags for dry garbage.

[OGrubber]

Bio-degradable plastic bags do exist, Carol. We used them on occasion at market the last two years. They are quite expensive, though. Can dig up the name of the supplier that we know of.

[MareE]

There are environmentally-friendly poopie bags, Cars, for disposal in Green bin. I don't know why they're so discreet on lowest shelf of Pet supplies aisle at Boblaws. (But have ruminations, you betcha. LOL) Haven't a package to scan as already blue boxed last one.

Gads, that's amazing your use of cloth bags for so long. High five!

Mars;o}

Laffs, Inge.You got there before I did. Interesting, informative topic.

[Ron Evers]

what was wrong with paper bags???

Cutting down trees.

Fortunately a lot of paper is now being recycled. Saw some toilet paper the other day "made with recycled paper".

[MareE]

Almost hate to ask. Ron, didn't you avail yourself of a Valu-Pak?

Mare;o}

[Ron Evers]

Almost hate to ask. Ron, didn't you avail yourself of a Valu-Pak?

Mare;o}

If meaning large packages, yes mostly. Tis a bugger when you get some thin stuff though & 11 rolls to go. Gawd I hate it when your finger pokes through.