March 11, 2008
One More Time With the Plastic Bags
A state senator from Milton has unveiled a plan to apply a gradual tax to plastic bags, starting at 2 cents and then rising to 15 cents.
Those who already use canvas totes or paper won't need to pay. If you're a Whole Foods or Trader Joe's type, you probably don't use them at all.
We've been down this road before with the city council. Reasons for taxing the bags include the fact that they take forever to biodegrade and they're ugly. But some people actually reuse the bags, especially dog owners who use them on walks. Do you actually use these bags? And would a tax on plastic bags be such a hardship, especially if the stated goal is to phase them out and not to raid your wallet?
Image of German plastic bags from Wikimedia Commons.
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Wasn't there a recent article detailing that the whole issue was based on a typo? (Decimal point moved one space too many.)What the heck am I supposed to use to pick up my dog's leavings?
I hear that argument a lot, but it brings up the obvious question: how friggin' enormous are your dog's dumps that you need that big a bag to pick them up with? For any dog smaller than Marmaduke, all you need to do is go to the foil and plastic wrap aisle at the supermarket and pick up a box of the old-fashioned fold-and-close (the ones without ziptops) sandwich bags. A box of several hundred costs a couple bucks, and are more than roomy enough to handle any pile your pooch is likely to leave.
There are bio degradable bags to scoop with that might cost less than the proposed tax, but either way, we need to stop using so many plastic bags and a tax would be a start towards changing peoples' behaviors.
I read an article a couple weeks ago about how Ireland instituted a tax about 5 years ago and the culture has undergone a drastic change from plastic to reusable bags. No word on where Irish dogs poop, though.
Great idea. I feel the same way about trash. We should be allowed a certain amount (lbs) of trash. Everything above it should be taxed.
Hopefully this will encourage less waste.