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Whamtastic
LIF Adult
Member since 1/07 997 total posts
Name:
Big Fat Baby with a Blackberry
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San Francisco passes plastic-bag ban
From Yahoo! News:
By LISA LEFF Wed Mar 28, 9:53 AM ET
SAN FRANCISCO - City leaders approved a ban on plastic grocery bags after weeks of lobbying on both sides from environmentalists and a supermarket trade group. San Francisco would be the first U.S. city to adopt such a rule if Mayor Gavin Newsom signs the ban as expected.
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The law, approved 10-1, requires large markets and drug stores to offer customers bags made of paper that can be recycled, plastic that breaks down easily enough to be made into compost, or reusable cloth.
San Francisco supervisors and supporters said that by banning the petroleum-based sacks, blamed for littering streets and choking marine life, the measure would go a long way toward helping the city earn its green stripes.
"Hopefully, other cities and states will follow suit," said Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, who crafted the ban after trying to get a 15-cent per bag tax passed in 2005.
The 50 grocery stores that would be most affected by the law argued that the ban was not reasonable because plastic bags made of corn byproducts are a relatively new, expensive and untested product. Some said they might offer only paper bags at checkout.
"I think what grocers will do now that this has passed is, they will review all their options and decide what they think works best for them economically," said David Heylen, a spokesman for the California Grocers Association.
Newsom supported the measure. The switch is scheduled to take effect in six months for grocery stores and in one year for pharmacies.
Craig Noble, a spokesman for the Natural Resources Defense Council, said it would be disappointing if grocers rejected the biodegradable plastic bag option, since more trees would have to be cut down if paper bag use increases.
The new breed of bags "offers consumers a way out of a false choice, a way out of the paper or plastic dilemma," Noble said.
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Posted 3/28/07 8:32 PM  |
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Long Island Weddings
Long Island's Largest Bridal Resource |
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Re: San Francisco passes plastic-bag ban
awesome
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| Posted 3/28/07 8:35 PM |
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Lisa
I'm a PANK!!!
Member since 5/05 22334 total posts
Name:
Professional Aunts No Kids
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Re: San Francisco passes plastic-bag ban
this is fantastic!!
we should have this in NY
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| Posted 3/28/07 8:42 PM |
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MissJones
I need a nap!
Member since 5/05 22136 total posts
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Re: San Francisco passes plastic-bag ban
About friggin time!!! I have my hemp bags and I tell ya, they are SOOOOOO much better than the plastic. 
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| Posted 3/28/07 8:42 PM |
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Christine
2nd verse same as the 1st
Member since 5/05 15287 total posts
Name:
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Re: San Francisco passes plastic-bag ban
That's fabulous!!
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| Posted 3/28/07 8:47 PM |
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Irishlass
LIF Adult
Member since 5/05 2961 total posts
Name:
Lisa
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Re: San Francisco passes plastic-bag ban
This is a great thing. They passed this ban in Ireland about 5 or 6 years ago. You have to pay to use a plastic bag there.
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| Posted 3/28/07 8:49 PM |
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MsSissy
xoxoxo
Member since 3/07 39159 total posts
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Re: San Francisco passes plastic-bag ban
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| Posted 3/28/07 9:22 PM |
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dpli
Daylight savings :)
Member since 5/05 13973 total posts
Name:
D
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Re: San Francisco passes plastic-bag ban
I used to live out there and every supermarket had a bin where you could recycle your old plastic bags. I wish we had that here.
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| Posted 3/29/07 10:04 AM |
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JennZ
MY LIFE!!
Member since 8/05 25463 total posts
Name:
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Re: San Francisco passes plastic-bag ban
Posted by MissJones
About friggin time!!! I have my hemp bags and I tell ya, they are SOOOOOO much better than the plastic.
Me too.
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| Posted 3/29/07 10:11 AM |
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bomb-blast
bye bye
Member since 11/06 1327 total posts
Name:
Leo
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Re: San Francisco passes plastic-bag ban
While I think it's a great idea, don't be surprised if stores would use this as a reason to increase the price of their items to make up for the extra cost of paper bags. Plus, paper bags would take up more room in their storage than plastic. If people remember way back, supermarkets always packed in paper bags till cheaper, equally strong plastic ones became popular.
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| Posted 3/29/07 10:17 AM |
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chelle
It's a Good Life
Member since 8/06 15404 total posts
Name:
Isn't it obvious?
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Re: San Francisco passes plastic-bag ban
Posted by dpli
I used to live out there and every supermarket had a bin where you could recycle your old plastic bags. I wish we had that here.
THAT is the most fabulous idea!!!
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| Posted 3/29/07 10:23 AM |
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SweetTooth
I'm a tired mommy!
Member since 12/05 20105 total posts
Name:
Lauren
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Re: San Francisco passes plastic-bag ban
Good for them! I was in IKEA last weekend and was pleased to see they are now charging for plastic bags, they want you to use reusable bags.
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| Posted 3/29/07 10:29 AM |
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greenfreak
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Member since 9/06 11483 total posts
Name:
greenfreak
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Re: San Francisco passes plastic-bag ban
Wow, that's really great! CA always seems to be the leader in this stuff.
Posted by Whamtastic
since more trees would have to be cut down if paper bag use increases.
I worry about this too, that you're trading one environmental issue for another.
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| Posted 3/29/07 10:30 AM |
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BlueDiamonds
mommy to 3 boys
Member since 2/07 3885 total posts
Name:
proud mommy
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Re: San Francisco passes plastic-bag ban
I have the reusable bags and they are so much better than the plastic or paper ones anyway. I really hope that other cities follow this lead.
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| Posted 3/29/07 10:34 AM |
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SweetTooth
I'm a tired mommy!
Member since 12/05 20105 total posts
Name:
Lauren
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Re: San Francisco passes plastic-bag ban
Posted by greenfreak
Wow, that's really great! CA always seems to be the leader in this stuff.
Posted by Whamtastic
since more trees would have to be cut down if paper bag use increases.
I worry about this too, that you're trading one environmental issue for another.
But at least its a start in the right direction. If the paper bags are recycled then they can be made into more paper bags or other paper products, thus reducing the number of trees being cut down.
The best is the reusable bags.
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| Posted 3/29/07 10:37 AM |
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greenfreak
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Member since 9/06 11483 total posts
Name:
greenfreak
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Re: San Francisco passes plastic-bag ban
Right, and more people are recycling now than ever before.
I just wrote an email to Fairway Markets (where I shop) to ask them if their bags are biodegradable. They don't have paper bags, at least not at their Plainview market.
I told them I plan on writing an article about this subject for my website, and places where you can get these biodegradable/reusable bags in NY/Long Island. I hope they respond. I should probably contact the big supermarket chains, but I think I know that answer already.
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| Posted 3/29/07 10:46 AM |
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BlueDiamonds
mommy to 3 boys
Member since 2/07 3885 total posts
Name:
proud mommy
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Re: San Francisco passes plastic-bag ban
Posted by greenfreak
Right, and more people are recycling now than ever before.
I just wrote an email to Fairway Markets (where I shop) to ask them if their bags are biodegradable. They don't have paper bags, at least not at their Plainview market.
I told them I plan on writing an article about this subject for my website, and places where you can get these biodegradable/reusable bags in NY/Long Island. I hope they respond. I should probably contact the big supermarket chains, but I think I know that answer already.
I know that Stop n Shop and Waldbaums have been selling the reusable bags at some of their stores. Unfortunately, the S&S by me pulled all the racks in the last few weeks for some reason.
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| Posted 3/29/07 11:19 AM |
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Re: San Francisco passes plastic-bag ban
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| Posted 3/29/07 11:21 AM |
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greenfreak
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Member since 9/06 11483 total posts
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greenfreak
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Re: San Francisco passes plastic-bag ban
Posted by BlueDiamonds
I know that Stop n Shop and Waldbaums have been selling the reusable bags at some of their stores. Unfortunately, the S&S by me pulled all the racks in the last few weeks for some reason.
Do you mean the fabric tote bags that you have to buy? Kind of like a beach bag?
Fairway has those. But I'm looking for stores that provide them to the shoppers, no charge, as an alternative to non-biodegradable plastic.
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| Posted 3/29/07 11:23 AM |
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tourist
Member since 5/05 10425 total posts
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Re: San Francisco passes plastic-bag ban
Posted by dpli
I used to live out there and every supermarket had a bin where you could recycle your old plastic bags. I wish we had that here.
The Stop & Shop we go to in Westchester has that. I think they do on LI, but I'm not sure.
Posted by greenfreak
Do you mean the fabric tote bags that you have to buy? Kind of like a beach bag?
Fairway has those. But I'm looking for stores that provide them to the shoppers, no charge, as an alternative to non-biodegradable plastic.
That's too expensive. Whole Foods encourages customers to use their own bags by crediting you 10 cents for everyone of your own bags you use.
DH discverd this last night--he brought his own bag, mostly because it's easier to carry. )
It did raise a quetion though--what about all the plastic bags in the produce aisle? He was basically putting 4-5 plastic bags of vegetables in his reusable bag. 
Message edited 3/29/2007 12:09:40 PM.
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| Posted 3/29/07 12:04 PM |
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Re: San Francisco passes plastic-bag ban
That's great! We should have some type of recycling program here.
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| Posted 3/29/07 12:06 PM |
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Maathy317
Grammie's Little Man
Member since 2/06 3235 total posts
Name:
D
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Re: San Francisco passes plastic-bag ban
Posted by dpli
I used to live out there and every supermarket had a bin where you could recycle your old plastic bags. I wish we had that here.
King Kullen in Patchogue (Gateway Plaza) has one.
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| Posted 3/29/07 12:10 PM |
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IrishTracy
Believe!!
Member since 5/05 15167 total posts
Name:
Tracy
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Re: San Francisco passes plastic-bag ban
In Ireland you have to pay for plastic bags. (their way of getting rid of them) So if you go to the grocery store & forgot to bring a tote bag. You will have to pay 15 cents per bag. It's a whole cash & carry thing. They said it's working well to get rid of the bags all together.
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| Posted 3/29/07 12:30 PM |
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