RE: [GreenYes] Re: Grocery Bags

[Nicky Scott <NScott@devon.gov.uk>]

The only slightly salutary note on the Irish Plastic bag tax is this:  The
issue has taken pressure off the Irish from being abysmally bad (so I'm
told) at other recycling and waste reduction initiatives.  IE it can be a
very popular campaign to pursue - in fact you'll get the pro-incineration
lot backing you but don't let it be a stand alone campaign!
nicky Scott

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Waste Not [SMTP:wastenot@xtra.co.nz]
> Sent:	24 September 2002 21:28
> To:	greenyes@grrn.org
> Subject:	Re: [GreenYes] Re: Grocery Bags
> 
> In addition to below (great idea, Roger!):
> 
> ...a common excuse I encounter is people claiming that they cannot
> remember
> to bring their reusable bags (although they never seem to forget their
> wallets - another paradigm shift!).  How about the supermarkets offering a
> resuable bag 'rental/refund' system? In other words, if you don't have
> your
> own reusable bag, you can 'rent' one for, say, $1.00, which is refundable.
> This way hugely forgettable people can effectively stockpile reusable
> bags,
> then return them 'en masse' when they finally remember. The rental cost
> could equal the purchase cost, but you don't get the added bonus of a
> discount if you rent the bags!
> 
> Hope that wasn;t too cryptic!!!
> 
> Jessica
> 
> Jessica North
> Resource Consultant
> 
> Waste Not
> PO Box 33 1410
> Takapuna, Auckland
> New Zealand
> Ph (64-9) 486 3635
> Fax (64-9) 486 5764
> Mob 021 268 2957
> www.wastenot.co.nz
> 
> > Greetings:
> >
> >  I found a Waste Age article in the February 1999 issue, "Grocery Store
> > Solid Waste Management: Looking Behind the Aisles" which is a great
> article
> > about supermarket waste management issues.  It includes a side box on
> the
> > paper vs. plastic issue though I did not find a reference to the cost of
> > paper bags (though it does have one for plastic).  The Paper Bag Council
> > (part of the American Forest & Paper Association) also has an
> interesting
> > website which may be helpful:
> >
> > http://www.paperbag.org/index.htm
> >
> > As a final comment, the environmentally superior solution would a
> reusable
> > shopping bag.  One idea that I have, which I have not seen implemented
> > (though I would be interested in knowing if it has been done) would be
> for
> > the store to develop a branded shopping bag (one with its name and logo)
> > that it could sell but then give a small rebate to the consumer each
> time
> it
> > was used.  Perhaps a barcode could be attached to the bag so it was
> > scannable for the purpose of both awarding the rebate and tracking
> customer
> > bag reuse patterns.  Going further, each bag user could then become
> eligible
> > to win a prize that is awarded monthly by the store.  In this way, you
> have
> > a win / win situation - the store gets to save on single use bags,
> builds
> > store loyalty and has an environmentally preferable advertising
> platform.
> > The customer gets a useful (and hopefully nice-looking) bag, saves money
> and
> > gets a chance to win cash or merchandise.
> >
> > Roger M. Guttentag
> > 610-584-8836
> > rgutten@concentric.net
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Blair Pollock <bpollock@co.orange.nc.us>
> > To: <greenyes@grrn.org>
> > Sent: Monday, September 23, 2002 3:38 PM
> > Subject: [GreenYes] Re: [Greenyes Digest] V3 #103
> >
> >
> > > Greenyes/M. Lingenfelter:
> > >
> > > My memory is of one study several years ago  that detailed that cost
> of
> > the bag at $0.047 each,  thus the nickel should be sufficient for the
> store
> > to justify the refund because it itself saves that nickel. Can't cite
> the
> > study tho it may have appeared in Waste Age. there is some value to the
> bag
> > in the recycling mix at least here in NC, they call for it to be placed
> w/
> > OCC therefore, always has a positive value, Therefore, I don't know how
> to
> > comment on the 'cost' of recycling the bag. The large version of these
> bags
> > typically hold more than a plastic bag (the other day the checkout clerk
> > gave me seven plastic bags for ten items, no kidding. Thus comparing one
> to
> > one unless there's a volume reduction factor, does not give a true
> > comparison of that alternative.
> > >
> > > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> > >
> > > Date: Sat, 21 Sep 2002 01:55:06 -0700
> > > From: "susankinsella.com" <seek@susankinsella.com>
> > > Subject: [GreenYes] Grocery Bags
> > >
> > > I received the following request and don't have the exact stats he's
> > looking
> > > for. Do others? -- "I'm looking for a study done on or information
> leading
> > > to clear statistics on the cost of a traditional brown paper bag, what
> it
> > > costs to recycle that bag, and how much money is saved if the consumer
> is
> > > convinced to reuse that bag at the store of purchase. I am putting
> > together
> > > a presentation to encourage the grocery store I work at to return 5
> cents
> > > for every bag that is returned and reused.  Thank you." Rome
> Lingenfelter
> > > (You can answer direct to gypsywind71@yahoo.com.)
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > > Susan Kinsella
> > > Conservatree
> > >
> > > ------------------------------
> > >
> > > __________________________________________________
> > > Blair Pollock
> > > Solid Waste Programs Manager
> > > (919) 968-2788
> > > fax: (919) 932-2900
> > > PO Box 17177
> > > Chapel Hill, NC 27516-7177
> > >
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