California's plastic bag ban seems to be working

When we go shopping at the grocery store, they almost always ask, paper or plastic. Originally I thought they were asking about cash or credit cards. I was wondering why they asked if we were going to use cash before they started scanning the stuff.

We still get the plastic if we go to Walmart and Target and the likes though, there is no paper choice. We reuse all the bags at least one time unless they are ripped. In a throw away society where nobody seems to fix much anymore, they worry about plastic bags. It is a start, but California should demand better made products that can be fixed....Oh yeah, they are a big importer from China, the more that goes through the ports, the more they make. They just get to pick on whatever they want and claim they are eco-friendly. The computer companies there incorporate planned obsolescence into their products too. A lot of those styrofoam beeds for shipping are being used, they should go after stopping those from being used. No, that may interfere with their bottom line when their companies ship stuff all over the country. Those plastic bags full of air and bubble wrap suck for the environment too, they blow all over the place if you unpack in your car.

originally posted by: TheLotLizard
They didn’t ban plastic bags. They’re just making you pay a dime for one. Walmart and all the large supermarkets are still using plastic.

Not in Mendocino County,where I live.The county passed an ordinance banning plastic bags.The Walmart where I work uses the recyclable bags.

I hate plastic bags almost as much as I hate Mc Donalds and I got food poisoning there in the early 80's and have never been back. In Michigan they cant outlaw them so I leave them in the carts for people to deal with.

So in California, you aren't allowed to get plastic bags at checkout? I use those things for everything - trash bags, lunches, carrying random stuff, you name it. I bring em all home and use em all until their lifespan ends.

originally posted by: darkbake
So in California, you aren't allowed to get plastic bags at checkout? I use those things for everything - trash bags, lunches, carrying random stuff, you name it. I bring em all home and use em all until their lifespan ends.

Yes, but you have to pay for them. Stores will not give them out for free.

The bags you find in meat and produce departments are exempt from the law.

We can still get brown paper by request. We usually make it a point to get a brown paper or two for the cats as they love to play with them.

Five countries are responsible for 80% of the plastic in the oceans. The U.S. isn't even in the top ten. All California is doing is inconveniencing their citizens (as usual).

originally posted by: Tranceopticalinclined
What do they put their doggie droppings in?

they sell bags for that. i moved to california earlier this year and was a little puzzled for a while about what i was going to use to clean out the cat box, but i discovered 'doggie bags' at the grocery store and petsmart. plus i do reuse my produce bags, and if takeout food comes in a bag as well, hehe.

originally posted by: Metallicus
Five countries are responsible for 80% of the plastic in the oceans. The U.S. isn't even in the top ten. All California is doing is inconveniencing their citizens (as usual).

it's not really that big an inconvenience. and i'm happy to lead by example.

a reply to: fiverx313

it's not really that big an inconvenience. and i'm happy to lead by example.

I would find it a big inconvenience and you aren't leading when you are off the rails.

My household rubbish/waste is neatly tied (like bunny ears) and binned

for collection, which leaves my outside bin neat and clean ..... however

after today's shop putting things away I noticed that my plastic shopping

bag, was filled with .....

# plastic wrapper off bananas
# stiff plastic cheese container covering
# stiff plastic container from doughnuts
# yoghort empty containers from fridge
# plastic orange juice bottle
# used butter containers
# prepared salad and fruit clear plastic containers
# plastic packaging from multi pack crisps

By this time it was full and ready to tie up for the bin, as I put it in the

bin I thought how ironic that I had paid for a bag to help the environment ..

then filled it up with plastic that doesn't biodegrade which I got free with

my purchases.

Doesn't make sense

originally posted by: eriktheawful
Always have missed the good ol brown paper bags:

Even when I was a kid in the 70's and 80's we always saved them after a grocery trip. Had a lot of uses for them from individual room garbage bags, to crafts and arts, to using them to cover school books.

Yup, very useful in the 70's.

a reply to: eletheia

Except for the plastic on the banana (never seen that before), each of those other plastics should be recyclable.

In rural Canada, we have to pay for garbage drop off, $5 a bag, or 3 bags for $10.
Recycling is free. Therefore, everything possible is recycled. Or beverage bottles returned for money.

I still get the plastic shopping bags though, they're easier, they get used for all sorts of things, and if my bags of bags overflows, they're recyclable.

a reply to: FredT

I love to go to store for bread. The checker rings it up
and asks," would you like a bag?" Then I grab the bread
walk'n away and with an accent on smartass say, " It's
already in a bag!"

a reply to: eriktheawful

ah the good ol day's,my parents had three boy's we went through some grocery's, we had stack's and stack's of them kept every one except the ones the meats were in, those always got bloody from the wrapping leaking.

the bag's got used for all kinds of things from storing stuff, book covers, overnight luggage you name. if there was a way to use them my mom did. and it was passed on to all of us boys even my dad.

and you can't forget the two bagger joke, in case theirs fell off.

originally posted by: Metallicus
I would find it a big inconvenience and you aren't leading when you are off the rails.

lol... i thought i would too but it was an easy adjustment.

and there's no need to be a dick about it

If it's too hard to recycle the bags they give you, why's it going to be easier to assume full responsibility for bags yourself? The stupidity. Convenience is american. I know the idea of living in a green utopia tickles some people's imagination, but it's unrealistic.

EDIT: For the record, we recycle all our plastic bags. We also use them for all manners of things around the house. And no I'm not interested in bringing my own bags everytime I shop. I'd rather shop online and let them know how I feel about it that way.

I have found many of the recyclable bags are only good for 4 to 5 uses.

and i have pillows made from the old one use plastic bags that work great.
i just stuffed a cheap dollar store pillow cover with the old one use bags till it was full.

We've been using reusable bags since the1980's

We always wondered why other people didn't use them

I guess they needed to be compelled.

I'm in CA & everyone is still buying plastic bags, the state banned them, but now we get to buy them..........

And how does this curb the plastic bag issue if were buying them at the same rate as before????!!!

ANSWER: it doesn't, but puts alot of money in the states pockets that's for sure!! SUPER Scam of the Century!!!

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

a reply to: BeefNoMeat

There is no ban on plastic bags,now you have to pay 10 cents for them,just another way of our commie govenor,takes our money,10 cents at a time,yes people are less reluctant to toss them,but not all that much