Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Is Seattle in Europe?

It's official plastic bags at the grocery store in Seattle will cost 20-cents each starting January. It's about time the U.S. caught up with Europe in reducing the number of flimsy plastic bags floating around our landscape. It seems like most Seattle-ites support the new law, but there are some who claim 20-cent per bag is too expensive and is unfair to lower income people. That may be true, but luckily I am sure the City will be handing out free re-usable bags to people for January to promote the new law.
The hard part will be to remember our re-usable bags when we go to the store. Kelly and I have had a pair of bags for 3 years now. We remember the bags when we go to our weekly grocery shopping trip, but we often don't have them with us when we just stop at a store on the way home or whatever. I guess we'll just have to keep a bag in the car or pay the 20-cents.
Anyway, it's a good law in my opinion and about 15 years over due. Now we just need to get a better public transportation system.

2 comments:

Holly said...

I think it's a solution. It would be better if they banned plastic bags altogether, but I suppose this is a start. I just hate the idea of them making money off the bags and still letting them damage the environment.
On another note, I think of taking my canvas bag to the grocery store, but not to Staples. We walked out last night with a plastic bag. I'm going to have to change my thinking I guess.

Unknown said...

I'm glad they're doing this it should be more widespread. Anyway, check out tote2go.com for a Seattle-made recycled cloth bag option. (you get 2 rolled up into one tote, which I think is great for grocery trips) I also have a clip-on bag from Kiva that's handy for always carrying around since you can just clip it to your purse or key chain.