Comments on: KILL PLASTIC BAGS WITH TAXES: look to Ireland

By: tracing the steps in the green movement… | transient travels

tracing the steps in the green movement… | transient travels — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 04:14:08 +0000

[...] become the forefront of a particular trend in 2008, when outlets such as the New York Times and Inhabitat would highlight Ireland as an example, a case study perhaps, for how all countries can choose to [...]

By: Aging Hippie

Aging Hippie — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 04:11:12 +0000

I’ve been making cloth bags and using them to carry groceries and all my stuff for YEARS! Finally, the rest of the world can catch up:-)

By: It’s in the bag « Green Librarian

It’s in the bag « Green Librarian — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 03:26:18 +0000

[...] other one is over at Inhabitat and it’s called “Kill Plastic Bags with Taxes: Look to Ireland” by Emly Pilloton. The government there has imposed a tax on plastic [...]

By: Death of a Culture « The Unheard

Death of a Culture « The Unheard — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 20:03:26 +0000

[...] On Light Bags – Business Daily: LINK KILL PLASTIC BAGS WITH TAXES: look to Ireland – Inhabitant: LINK China targets plastic bags – Los Angeles Times: LINK Bagging the plastic – Jerusalem Post: [...]

By: oakling

oakling — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 01:22:15 +0000

Here in California I find that most grocery stores will give you three to five cents off if you bring your own bag, or sometimes they have an option to donate that money to charity – there’s even a used clothing store, Crossroads, that does the charity option. But at many of them, if you don’t use a bag at all – which is usually my option – they don’t give you the refund! Seems ridiculous, since the point of the refund is to encourage me not to use more “disposable” bags (check) and to save them money on bags (check)!

By: Craig

Craig — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 23:42:45 +0000

Well – so glad to see this having a positive impact in Ireland. Bring it to the UK as soon as possible. I am continually amazed how people shop here without taking their own bags.

By: fiona

fiona — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 00:47:24 +0000

I am irish and while i think the no plastic bag law has been greatly recieved, the problem is that many big stores still what you to be a walking advertisement , when you purchase something from their store. so what many of them offer ( or rather hand you) , is a high glossy paper bag. when you consider that a regular brown paper bag takes 15time more energy to produce ( i acknowledge that this is only one stage of the lifecylce), however considering this production energy you can imagine the energy and enviromental costs of these high gloss / high print paper .

my central point then i guess is :the tax levy on plastic bags may be good, however this paper bag adoption is tainted. it gives the irish consumers a get out of jail free card. tighter legislation needs to be inplaced before anyone gets a pat on the back.

slainte

By: Nathan

Nathan — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 18:50:41 +0000

I too am amassing a reusable shopping bag collection. Each of the stores we shop at sell them for $1 at the register. Our city also handed them out for free for a week at each of the stores. They work great and I don’t feel guilty about the plastic bags. We have a huge bag filled with them and need to drop them off for recycling!

By: Benjamin

Benjamin — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 17:50:07 +0000

I live in Knoxville Tennessee USA
Food City a grocery store chain has started to sale these same bags.
They are $1 a bag, but they fit a lot of good and are sturdy; you just have to remember to bring the bag next time.
I bought two just because they are at the checkout.

By: Mika

Mika — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 12:08:34 +0000

I am living in Ireland, and but two days ago I overheard an elderly woman being offered a plastic bag for her goods, she kindly rejected, “Ohp, not for me, we’ve got to mind our bags now haven’t we?”
The woman at the register said that suddenly they cannot even get rid of the bags!

Granted, this occurs in a country where many still throw wrappers and bottles over their shoulder and look the other way…

By: UriShare - Ireland shows the way to reduce plastic bag use

UriShare - Ireland shows the way to reduce plastic bag use — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 22:41:52 +0000

[...] Ireland shows the way to reduce plastic bag useGood piece from Inhabitat showing how tax law rather than legal bans has reduced the number of plastic bags in Eire. Practical wisdom. Submitted: 1 minute ago Category: Science Submitter: RssFeed Website: http://www.inhabitat.com Report this link: Click here to report Comments: 0 [...]

By: Philip

Philip — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 22:13:50 +0000

Ireland was also the first country to ban smoking in the workplace, in n March 2004.
That too is a big success supported by smokers and non-smokers alike.
See
“increase in support for this law since its introduction, even among smokers, underpins its effectiveness”
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/32164.php

Smokers go outside pubs and restuarants to smoke, even in the worst winter weather, without fuss. A new sub-culture, in fact.!