Thread: Re: Seattle Bag Tax

"squirltop" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
>
> Paul Hovnanian P.E. wrote:
>> Although I live just outside Seattle, the bag tax issue caught my
>> attention.
>>
>> For years, since plastic grocery bags became available, I've used them
>> (after hauling groceries home in them) as garbage can liners. They work
>> much better than paper grocery bags (if one must throw out something wet
>> and sloppy) and most of them are biodegradable (where the plastic trash
>> bags are not). As a result, I haven't bought plastic trash bags for
>> years. And that's not just me, but quite a few people I know do the
>> same.
>>
>> So, I got thinking: If I had to pay a bag tax, and was eventually
>> persuaded to bring my own reusable grocery bags, I'd have to start
>> buying trash bags again. So, I got to wondering: Who stands to gain if
>> the public shifts from reusing grocery bags to buying trash can liners?
>>
>> Where do companies like Glad stand on this issue?
>>
>> --
>> Paul Hovnanian mailto:[email protected]
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------
>> When cryptography is outlawed, bayl bhgynjf jvyy unir cevinpl.
>> -- Etaoin Shrdlu
I think it is a common fallacy that biodegradable plastic bags actually
degrade in a landfill. It is my understanding that the anerobic nature of
most modern landfills creates conditions where organics simply do not
biodegrade and the result is that the plastic bag, paper plates and
hamburger will still be there 1000's of years from now.

Doug Brown wrote:
> "squirltop" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>
>> Paul Hovnanian P.E. wrote:
>>> Although I live just outside Seattle, the bag tax issue caught my
>>> attention.
>>>
>>> For years, since plastic grocery bags became available, I've used them
>>> (after hauling groceries home in them) as garbage can liners. They work
>>> much better than paper grocery bags (if one must throw out something wet
>>> and sloppy) and most of them are biodegradable (where the plastic trash
>>> bags are not). As a result, I haven't bought plastic trash bags for
>>> years. And that's not just me, but quite a few people I know do the
>>> same.
>>>
>>> So, I got thinking: If I had to pay a bag tax, and was eventually
>>> persuaded to bring my own reusable grocery bags, I'd have to start
>>> buying trash bags again. So, I got to wondering: Who stands to gain if
>>> the public shifts from reusing grocery bags to buying trash can liners?
>>>
>>> Where do companies like Glad stand on this issue?
>>>
>>> --
>>> Paul Hovnanian mailto:[email protected]
>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> When cryptography is outlawed, bayl bhgynjf jvyy unir cevinpl.
>>> -- Etaoin Shrdlu
> I think it is a common fallacy that biodegradable plastic bags actually
> degrade in a landfill. It is my understanding that the anerobic nature of
> most modern landfills creates conditions where organics simply do not
> biodegrade and the result is that the plastic bag, paper plates and
> hamburger will still be there 1000's of years from now.
>
>

The archaeologists are gonna have a lot of fun with us. Some
have already started digging up 20th century landfills.

TDD

squirltop wrote:
> Paul Hovnanian P.E. wrote:
>> Although I live just outside Seattle, the bag tax issue caught my
>> attention.
>>
>> For years, since plastic grocery bags became available, I've used
>> them (after hauling groceries home in them) as garbage can liners.
>> They work much better than paper grocery bags (if one must throw out
>> something wet and sloppy) and most of them are biodegradable (where
>> the plastic trash bags are not). As a result, I haven't bought
>> plastic trash bags for years. And that's not just me, but quite a
>> few people I know do the same.
>>
>> So, I got thinking: If I had to pay a bag tax, and was eventually
>> persuaded to bring my own reusable grocery bags, I'd have to start
>> buying trash bags again. So, I got to wondering: Who stands to gain
>> if the public shifts from reusing grocery bags to buying trash can
>> liners?
>>
>> Where do companies like Glad stand on this issue?
>>
>> --
>> Paul Hovnanian mailto:[email protected]
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------
>> When cryptography is outlawed, bayl bhgynjf jvyy unir cevinpl.
>> -- Etaoin Shrdlu
>
>
> Interesting, we reuse trash bags and don't use them in the garage
> trash. If something will smell just toss it in a grocery bag and put
> it in the freezer.

I do that, but now have 7 freezers full of smelly garbage.

There's got to be a better way.

In article
<[email protected]>,
squirltop <[email protected]> wrote:

> Paul Hovnanian P.E. wrote:
> > Although I live just outside Seattle, the bag tax issue caught my
> > attention.
> >
> > For years, since plastic grocery bags became available, I've used them
> > (after hauling groceries home in them) as garbage can liners. They work
> > much better than paper grocery bags (if one must throw out something wet
> > and sloppy) and most of them are biodegradable (where the plastic trash
> > bags are not). As a result, I haven't bought plastic trash bags for
> > years. And that's not just me, but quite a few people I know do the
> > same.
> >
> > So, I got thinking: If I had to pay a bag tax, and was eventually
> > persuaded to bring my own reusable grocery bags, I'd have to start
> > buying trash bags again. So, I got to wondering: Who stands to gain if
> > the public shifts from reusing grocery bags to buying trash can liners?
> >
> > Where do companies like Glad stand on this issue?
>
> Interesting, we reuse trash bags and don't use them in the garage
> trash. If something will smell just toss it in a grocery bag and put
> it in the freezer. Would use reusable canvas bags and all but never
> really know how much we will get at the store

Plastic bags are 5c each at the checkout in some chains here. We rarely
bother with them, but occasionally pick up one or two to use as rubbish
bags.

Miche

--
Electricians do it in three phases

Miche <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> In article
> <[email protected]>,
> squirltop <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>
>> Interesting, we reuse trash bags and don't use them in the garage
>> trash. If something will smell just toss it in a grocery bag and put
>> it in the freezer. Would use reusable canvas bags and all but never
>> really know how much we will get at the store
>
> Plastic bags are 5c each at the checkout in some chains here. We
> rarely bother with them, but occasionally pick up one or two to use as
> rubbish bags.
>
> Miche
>

Major supermarket chains in NSW still provide plastic bags, though I'm
sure that will change at some stage. Some other stores- Target, Borders,
eg.- charge for plastic bags. They of course sell their store branded
reusable bags :-)

I try to limit my use of the plastic ones. If I'm heading in to do
grocery shopping I'll make sure I have all my reusable ones with me. But
sometimes I don't know beforehand that I'm going to stop at the
supermarket on the way home from work. I don't drive, so can't do the
recommended trick of keeping them in the boot. Need to get some of the
ones that fold up small and keep them in any bag I might carry to work.

I've always reused the shopping bags, though have also purchased garbage
bags (I buy the biodegradable ones). Use of those for our garbage is
becoming limited though.

Our council has gone from a 2 bin (recycling and rubbish) system to a 3
bin one. One for organics (garden waste, all food waste including meat,
pet waste etc.) and that can't have any plastic bags in it. You can wrap
your waste in paper but not plasic. That's emptied weekly.

The recycling one remains (cans/bottles/paper etc). It is emptied
fortnightly, alternating weeks with a small residual rubbish bin. That
has caused some letters to the editor in the local press. Disposable
nappies have to go in the residual bin, so there's been a lot of people
complaining about stinky bins being emptied fortnightly.

--
Rhonda Anderson
Cranebrook, NSW, Australia

Core of my heart, my country! Land of the rainbow gold,
For flood and fire and famine she pays us back threefold.
My Country, Dorothea MacKellar, 1904

I wonder how many otherwise servicable items have been
landfilled. Automobiles, shavers, toasters, and maybe the
occasional tommy gun from the prohibition era. Some states
like Arizona are dry enough that the landfills are still
pristine, if some what dessicated.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"The Daring Dufas" <[email protected]> wrote in
message news:h6vofa$ht4$[email protected]..
> I think it is a common fallacy that biodegradable plastic
> bags actually
> degrade in a landfill. It is my understanding that the
> anerobic nature of
> most modern landfills creates conditions where organics
> simply do not
> biodegrade and the result is that the plastic bag, paper
> plates and
> hamburger will still be there 1000's of years from now.
>
>

The archaeologists are gonna have a lot of fun with us. Some
have already started digging up 20th century landfills.

TDD

Doug Brown wrote:
> I think it is a common fallacy that biodegradable plastic bags
> actually degrade in a landfill. It is my understanding that the
> anerobic nature of most modern landfills creates conditions where
> organics simply do not biodegrade and the result is that the plastic
> bag, paper plates and hamburger will still be there 1000's of years
> from now.

SOME of it is degrading - there's a market in harvesting Methane from
landfills.

Bob F wrote:
>>
>> Interesting, we reuse trash bags and don't use them in the garage
>> trash. If something will smell just toss it in a grocery bag and put
>> it in the freezer.
>
> I do that, but now have 7 freezers full of smelly garbage.
>
> There's got to be a better way.

Think: "Be Neighborly!"

Miche wrote:
>>
>> Interesting, we reuse trash bags and don't use them in the garage
>> trash. If something will smell just toss it in a grocery bag and put
>> it in the freezer. Would use reusable canvas bags and all but never
>> really know how much we will get at the store
>
> Plastic bags are 5c each at the checkout in some chains here. We
> rarely bother with them, but occasionally pick up one or two to use
> as rubbish bags.
>

Saw a Home Depot droid on a morning TV program demonstrating paint
application devices. The only thing I got out of the demo was when he showed
how you could use a Home Depot plastic bag as a seal when putting the lid
back on a paint can.

'Course he pointed out this only worked with HOME DEPOT plastic bags...

On Aug 25, 4:37*am, Miche <michei...@gee-mail.com> wrote:
..
> Electricians do it in three phases- Hide quoted text -
..
That's shocking!

On Aug 25, 2:14*am, The Daring Dufas <the-daring-du...@stinky.net>
wrote:
>
> The archaeologists are gonna have a lot of fun with us. Some
> have already started digging up 20th century landfills.

Thinking that in future time humans will be mining existing garbage
dumps and 'recovering' the minerals?
Right now enough wood goes to our local dump to heat not only city
hall but many homes at same time.
We are very much a throw-away society!

"squirltop" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
>
> Paul Hovnanian P.E. wrote:
>> Although I live just outside Seattle, the bag tax issue caught my
>> attention.
>>
>> For years, since plastic grocery bags became available, I've used them
>> (after hauling groceries home in them) as garbage can liners. They work
>> much better than paper grocery bags (if one must throw out something wet
>> and sloppy) and most of them are biodegradable (where the plastic trash
>> bags are not). As a result, I haven't bought plastic trash bags for
>> years. And that's not just me, but quite a few people I know do the
>> same.
>>
>> So, I got thinking: If I had to pay a bag tax, and was eventually
>> persuaded to bring my own reusable grocery bags, I'd have to start
>> buying trash bags again. So, I got to wondering: Who stands to gain if
>> the public shifts from reusing grocery bags to buying trash can liners?
>>
>> Where do companies like Glad stand on this issue?
>>
>> --
>> Paul Hovnanian mailto:[email protected]
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------
>> When cryptography is outlawed, bayl bhgynjf jvyy unir cevinpl.
>> -- Etaoin Shrdlu
>
The Moonbat Libs tried to pass the "bag tax" here in Maine last year to get
folks to stop using them as well but due to public outcry it was
dropped...They get re-used for EVERYTHING...Couldn't be more green...LOL

As a side note the tax was more about getting for funding for Maine's FAILED
publicly funded healthcare (Dirigo) then it was about being green...FWIW....

Doug Brown wrote:

> I think it is a common fallacy that biodegradable plastic bags actually
> degrade in a landfill. It is my understanding that the anerobic nature of
> most modern landfills creates conditions where organics simply do not
> biodegrade and the result is that the plastic bag, paper plates and
> hamburger will still be there 1000's of years from now.
>
>

Perhaps by then someone will figure out how to create fuel from the
trash, the ultimate recycling.

gloria p

Gloria P wrote:
> Doug Brown wrote:
>
>> I think it is a common fallacy that biodegradable plastic bags
>> actually degrade in a landfill. It is my understanding that the
>> anerobic nature of most modern landfills creates conditions where
>> organics simply do not biodegrade and the result is that the plastic
>> bag, paper plates and hamburger will still be there 1000's of years
>> from now.
>>
>
> Perhaps by then someone will figure out how to create fuel from the
> trash, the ultimate recycling.
>
> gloria p

Many venues do just that Gloria, all incoming trash is incinerated to
produce electricity. For those that worry about carbon release, the
majority of those incinerators are fitted with emissions scrubbers,
including carbon. That's one way to handle the trash flow.

The local landfills here are built with all the latest technology for
stopping groundwater contamination and are also built with the piping in
place for methane recovery from the rotting trash. That is then
scrubbed, dried, and put into use as a fuel for various purposes.

"stan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
On Aug 25, 2:14 am, The Daring Dufas <the-daring-du...@stinky.net>
wrote:
>
> The archaeologists are gonna have a lot of fun with us. Some
> have already started digging up 20th century landfills.

Thinking that in future time humans will be mining existing garbage
dumps and 'recovering' the minerals?
Right now enough wood goes to our local dump to heat not only city
hall but many homes at same time.
We are very much a throw-away society!

That is changing....Here in Maine we have 2 large trash incinerators that
burn trash to make power. They are large enough that we import trash....The
stacks have scrubbers and little or no pollution escapes..Several Biomass
(wood chips) Boilers that produce power have started up as well with
scrubber stacks....A local White Pine lumber mill (Robbins Lumber) has a
boiler that burns all the waste (bark , sawdust , ect. ) and produces it's
own power and manages to sell some as well...

On Tue, 25 Aug 2009 09:32:43 -0600, Gloria P <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Doug Brown wrote:
>
>> I think it is a common fallacy that biodegradable plastic bags actually
>> degrade in a landfill. It is my understanding that the anerobic nature of
>> most modern landfills creates conditions where organics simply do not
>> biodegrade and the result is that the plastic bag, paper plates and
>> hamburger will still be there 1000's of years from now.
>>
>>
>
>Perhaps by then someone will figure out how to create fuel from the
>trash, the ultimate recycling.
>
>gloria p

For some years at least part of the combustible trash from the city of
Hampton, VA went to a steam generating plant. The plant provided
steam to NASA Langley and probably to Langley AFB.


--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral,
48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974)

On Aug 24, 10:50*pm, squirltop <squirl...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Paul Hovnanian P.E. wrote:
> > Although I live just outside Seattle, the bag tax issue caught my
> > attention.
>
> > For years, since plastic grocery bags became available, I've used them
> > (after hauling groceries home in them) as garbage can liners. They work
> > much better than paper grocery bags (if one must throw out something wet
> > and sloppy) and most of them are biodegradable (where the plastic trash
> > bags are not). As a result, I haven't bought plastic trash bags for
> > years. And that's not just me, but quite a few people I know do the
> > same.
>
> > So, I got thinking: If I had to pay a bag tax, and was eventually
> > persuaded to bring my own reusable grocery bags, I'd have to start
> > buying trash bags again. So, I got to wondering: Who stands to gain if
> > the public shifts from reusing grocery bags to buying trash can liners?
>
> > Where do companies like Glad stand on this issue?
>
> > --
> > Paul Hovnanian * * mailto:P...@Hovnanian.com
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------
> > When cryptography is outlawed, bayl bhgynjf jvyy unir cevinpl.
> > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *-- Etaoin Shrdlu
>
> Interesting, we reuse trash bags and don't use them in the garage
> trash. If something will smell just toss it in a grocery bag and put
> it in the freezer. Would use reusable canvas bags and all but never
> really know how much we will get at the store- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Good idea, put those dead squirrels, rabbits and dog turds in the
freezer, maybe some drunk guest will think its a snack and eat it.

Stormin Mormon wrote:
> I wonder how many otherwise servicable items have been
> landfilled. Automobiles, shavers, toasters, and maybe the
> occasional tommy gun from the prohibition era. Some states
> like Arizona are dry enough that the landfills are still
> pristine, if some what dessicated.
>

The Iraqis buried some jet fighters. *snicker*

TDD

I heard on the radio, about a year ago. That some place up
north in Canada is separating out disposable diapers. (Would
that be a brown box, at the curb?)

The cellulose can be broken down by intense heat, and makes
a servicable low grade liquid fuel for oil fired boilers.

I'll leave it to others to insert the obligatory potty
jokes.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"stan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

Thinking that in future time humans will be mining existing
garbage
dumps and 'recovering' the minerals?
Right now enough wood goes to our local dump to heat not
only city
hall but many homes at same time.
We are very much a throw-away society!