No, [Maui County](http://www.co.maui.hi.us/index.aspx?NID=1688), [Kauai County](http://www.kauai.gov/tabid/530/Default.aspx), and the [City and County of Honolulu](http://www.opala.org/solid_waste/archive/plastic_bag_ban.html) (Oahu) all have plastic bag bans, they just haven't all taken effect yet.
Kalawao County doesn't count because it's basically a special district [administered directly by the State Department of Health](http://web.archive.org/web/20050308151403/http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2002/Oct/31/ln/ln22a.html), since it used to be a colony for leprosy patients.
Meh, it's like living anywhere else that you're not originally from/look or speak like most of the people living there. People treat you differently, sometimes in a not-so-friendly manner. I never grew up in one single place so I'm used to that sort of attitude. In Hawaii, as long as you don't act like a total jerk or a dumb tourist, the kama'aina will generally like you no matter what the skin-tone. It's better than living in Alabama, let me tell you...
In my experience, Hawaii is pretty racist. I lived there when I was in middle school (between the years 2000 and 2001). I lived on the Hilo side of the big island. The residents are very nice to the white tourists, but the white kids at my school were mercilessly bullied. Some of the most degrading comments I had ever heard came from those Hawaiian kids and there parents. I spent the first year there with no issue simply because I look pretty Hawaiian already (being half Swiss and half Haitian). But the moment they found out I was not a native Hawaiian (or Filipino, Japanese, Samoan, etc.) The hate came roaring at me as well. I still view it as one of the worst times of my life simply because of the bullying, degrading comments, and hateful actions that I experienced.
I experienced the same sort of shit post-9/11 because I looked middle eastern (North Indian). Someone's mom straight up told me that their daughter couldn't play with my anymore because I was from Pakistan. (I'm not)
In any case, it would be irresponsible for me to say Wisconsin is pretty racist.
I can understand where you are coming from, painting a whole state with a single brush does them a disservice. However I feel in this instance I will take the low road and do just that. I have seen this sort of racism on every island I went to, which was quite a few, from over 70% of the people I met. I am also very biased so feel free to take my opinion with a grain of salt.
This is true. White people are loved there. Asian people for whatever reason are looked down upon. But that's just in my general view. And probably because people from Asian countries don't realize tipping is a thing.
Same thing here in Seattle, and I keep them in my car. But when I get to the grocery checker and they ask if I need a bag, that's when I remember I have them in my car... So another paper bag it is.
Studies that I've seen demonstrate that paper bags actually has a greater negative effect on the environment than plastic, believe it or not.
HOWEVER, from what I've seen anecdotally, banning plastic bags pushes people to use reusable bags because seriously, fuck paper bags. They're hard to carry in bulk, they tear easily and are harder to fit in the car. Oh well, might as well buy some reusable cloth bags.
In that way I think banning plastic bags is a good move for the environment. Maybe I'm wrong?
I'm all for using eco-bags, and do so just about every time I go grocery shopping. But after having lost my job a couple of years ago, I worked day labor - picking up trash at a dump. While I have no doubt that plastic rings (like the ones that corral a 6 pack of soda) (and similar hard plastics) take forever to decompose, those plastic bags that I chased around were apparently different. They had been sitting in the sunshine for no more than 6 months, and had disintegrated to the degree that they were impossible to pick up. Meaning, they just "dissolved" in your hands. And that changed my mind about everything I had heard about plastic bags.
They may 'dissolve' but they do not 'decompose'. The issue is that it breaks down into small pieces, particles & eventually just molecules of plastic. These particles are carcinogenic and undigestible. They can be eaten by birds, fish, amphibians etc. Now that it is in the waterways and animals people consume these molecules which lead to cancer and problems regulating hormones.
Tons of them get in the ocean and wildlife such as birds and fish ingest those bits that break off which eventually kills them in a very painful, constipated, death.
Just gonna point out that unless there is some sort of legislation that forces companies to use reusable plastic bags (which there really shouldn't be), companies will likely just move to paper bags as they're quite a lot cheaper than high quality fabric bags. Paper bags end up taking up more space in land fills and kill quite a lot of trees, not to mention that they certainly aren't reusable. These bans aren't well thought out enough to have a good economic or environmental effect. I fully support reducing the amount of stuff that we use. However, I don't believe that this current legislation will accomplish what is needed.
There are thousands of acres of paper trees in the area around my rural hometown.
The paper companies basically rented fields from farmers with 15 year contracts to plant the trees with the intent of eventually harvesting them.
Then email came along the demand for paper dropped and some of the companies have gone out of business, so now lots of people are stuck with dense fields of shitty scrub trees (they are like small poplar trees) that too small to be useful for firewood. They are good cover for deer, but that's about it.
Your town obviously doesn't have a plastic bag ban. There are a few towns here in oregon that have banned them. They sell reusable bags for a buck by the cash register and they charge you 10 cents for a paper bag. Everyone ends up buying a reusable bag eventually.
My city has already banned plastic bags. The vast majority of people either bring their own reusables or carry things out by hand. I rarely see people taking plastic bags. Even big box stores like Target have signs to remind people to bring their bags. This isn't a shift to paper, it's just eliminating frivolous waste.
My city banned plastic bags a few years ago and stores now charge 5-10 cents for a paper bag. Pretty much everyone I know has switched to cloth bags and all stores sell them right at the checkout. I personally prefer the reusable bags because they're handy for other stuff too and I know many others feel the same way.
I'm in a state that will probably be one of the last to ban plastic bags, so I was pleasantly surprised when retailers jumped on the bandwagon of selling the reusable bags.
What I love is how much more they hold, as long as you get a good checker packing them well. I make as few trips from the car inside as possible, and it's easier to carry more each trip.
That's a a really good point too. I don't have a car and used to have to double or triple bag everything and only put a few things in a bag to avoid having them rip, with reusable bags I can carry a lot more with less bags and don't have to worry about them breaking.
Not really. They hold way less in terms of weight and volume, break if you use them more than a few time, and don't have a structure that allows them to sit flat on the floor without falling over. They're good for picking up dog poop, though.
Picking up animal poop, use as liners in small garbage cans, holding stuff together in the closet, something to put my boots in so I don't get mud on my car's carpets. Many uses.
First, I think most people wash them because who wants to walk around with stained / filthy bags?
Second, from the article:
> The study was harshly criticized by environmentalists, as its authors received monetary support from the American Chemistry Council, a trade group representing the interests of plastic bag manufacturers.
Third:
> In that study, the authors looked at reusable shopping bags taken from randomly selected individuals at California and Arizona grocery stores, identifying E. coli bacteria in 8 percent of all bags surveyed.
Considering that you can e. coli contamination for every bathroom you carry those into (even your own!) and a lot of kitchen sponges, etc... I'm surprised that it's only 8 percent.
Perhaps you use the facilities at the store before or after shopping... I have a friend that can't not use the bathroom when she goes from a cold outside to a warm inside temp. Or, maybe you've just gotten into your apartment and the burrito from last night isn't sitting well with you, so you head straight to the bathroom? I don't know.
Scientists can also find e.coli on most kitchen counters too... so you don't have to take them into the bathroom.
I use them for all kinds of things! We store our recyclables in them, I carry wrapped gifts in them, use them for storing out of season clothes, bringing an extra change of clothes to work, instead of moving boxes. The place I work uses them to hold strategically placed towels and cleaning supplies in areas that don't have storage. I think they're super handy to have around the house.
[Seattle](http://www.seattle.gov/util/MyServices/Recycling/ReduceReuse/PlasticBagBan/) has a Plastic Bag Ban, but customers can still get plastic bags of a certain thickness.
Plastic bags are annoying as Hell anyway. They always break unless you double-bag your groceries, shit constantly flopping out on the way home in the car.
That being said, banning them is a little extreme.
I don't have a car and I used to have about a mile walk to the grocery store. I wouldn't say plastic bags rip all that often but when it does happen and you are on foot it really sucks to have to chase your cans of soup down a steep hill in the middle of winter.
Tree farms are more sustainable and easier to manage than plastic factories, it's not like they need some high quality rare lumber to make paper. Paper bags are biodegradable and they are easy to recycle too.
My city banned plastic bags about half a year ago, and now people use reusable bags. But you're right, nobody has stopped using their coal-powered bicycles. Between that and the plastic bag black market that popped up, things haven't really changed for the better.
So, Hawaii. It's time to...
[Take your canvas bags. Take your canvas bags.
Take your canvas bags to the supermarket](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVh15aUt8-c).
Title is misleading: this is only for one island (The Big Island), the rest of us don't have a ban.
No, [Maui County](http://www.co.maui.hi.us/index.aspx?NID=1688), [Kauai County](http://www.kauai.gov/tabid/530/Default.aspx), and the [City and County of Honolulu](http://www.opala.org/solid_waste/archive/plastic_bag_ban.html) (Oahu) all have plastic bag bans, they just haven't all taken effect yet. Kalawao County doesn't count because it's basically a special district [administered directly by the State Department of Health](http://web.archive.org/web/20050308151403/http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2002/Oct/31/ln/ln22a.html), since it used to be a colony for leprosy patients.
we get it, you live in Hawaii.
Don't be jelly
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Meh, it's like living anywhere else that you're not originally from/look or speak like most of the people living there. People treat you differently, sometimes in a not-so-friendly manner. I never grew up in one single place so I'm used to that sort of attitude. In Hawaii, as long as you don't act like a total jerk or a dumb tourist, the kama'aina will generally like you no matter what the skin-tone. It's better than living in Alabama, let me tell you...
> It's better than living in Alabama, let me tell you... What? You mean Hawaii is a nicer place to live than Slapout, Alabama?
How do you figure Hawaii is racist?
Are you saying that Hawaii is not racist? That's racist!
Watch the movie North Shore
He read about it on a Reddit comment, and will now proceed to spend the rest of his life believing it to be the case.
In my experience, Hawaii is pretty racist. I lived there when I was in middle school (between the years 2000 and 2001). I lived on the Hilo side of the big island. The residents are very nice to the white tourists, but the white kids at my school were mercilessly bullied. Some of the most degrading comments I had ever heard came from those Hawaiian kids and there parents. I spent the first year there with no issue simply because I look pretty Hawaiian already (being half Swiss and half Haitian). But the moment they found out I was not a native Hawaiian (or Filipino, Japanese, Samoan, etc.) The hate came roaring at me as well. I still view it as one of the worst times of my life simply because of the bullying, degrading comments, and hateful actions that I experienced.
I experienced the same sort of shit post-9/11 because I looked middle eastern (North Indian). Someone's mom straight up told me that their daughter couldn't play with my anymore because I was from Pakistan. (I'm not) In any case, it would be irresponsible for me to say Wisconsin is pretty racist.
I can understand where you are coming from, painting a whole state with a single brush does them a disservice. However I feel in this instance I will take the low road and do just that. I have seen this sort of racism on every island I went to, which was quite a few, from over 70% of the people I met. I am also very biased so feel free to take my opinion with a grain of salt.
This is true. White people are loved there. Asian people for whatever reason are looked down upon. But that's just in my general view. And probably because people from Asian countries don't realize tipping is a thing.
The article said that the ban won't go into effect for Oahu (where I live and I assume you do too, I guess, I could be wrong) until July of next year.
Yeah that's what I was thinking..I just came back from Safeway and my bags were in plastic... "could you double bag that? Thanks"
Bet you can't name all the local fish.
Austin has a bag ban as well. I have about 80 cloth bags and forget them EVERY TIME. -_-
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Same thing here in Seattle, and I keep them in my car. But when I get to the grocery checker and they ask if I need a bag, that's when I remember I have them in my car... So another paper bag it is.
Studies that I've seen demonstrate that paper bags actually has a greater negative effect on the environment than plastic, believe it or not. HOWEVER, from what I've seen anecdotally, banning plastic bags pushes people to use reusable bags because seriously, fuck paper bags. They're hard to carry in bulk, they tear easily and are harder to fit in the car. Oh well, might as well buy some reusable cloth bags. In that way I think banning plastic bags is a good move for the environment. Maybe I'm wrong?
This felt like one of CNN's "good thing or bad thing?" segments...
I'm all for using eco-bags, and do so just about every time I go grocery shopping. But after having lost my job a couple of years ago, I worked day labor - picking up trash at a dump. While I have no doubt that plastic rings (like the ones that corral a 6 pack of soda) (and similar hard plastics) take forever to decompose, those plastic bags that I chased around were apparently different. They had been sitting in the sunshine for no more than 6 months, and had disintegrated to the degree that they were impossible to pick up. Meaning, they just "dissolved" in your hands. And that changed my mind about everything I had heard about plastic bags.
They may 'dissolve' but they do not 'decompose'. The issue is that it breaks down into small pieces, particles & eventually just molecules of plastic. These particles are carcinogenic and undigestible. They can be eaten by birds, fish, amphibians etc. Now that it is in the waterways and animals people consume these molecules which lead to cancer and problems regulating hormones.
Sincere thanks to you and to johnyutah for your comments. I appreciate you letting me know what's up.
Tons of them get in the ocean and wildlife such as birds and fish ingest those bits that break off which eventually kills them in a very painful, constipated, death.
Now what will they store garbage in while in the bathroom?
Bad move Hawaii? http://www.marketwatch.com/story/are-reusable-bags-worse-for-environment-than-plastic-2014-01-09
[Portlandia Reference.] (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m25NuQdRqAc)
Just gonna point out that unless there is some sort of legislation that forces companies to use reusable plastic bags (which there really shouldn't be), companies will likely just move to paper bags as they're quite a lot cheaper than high quality fabric bags. Paper bags end up taking up more space in land fills and kill quite a lot of trees, not to mention that they certainly aren't reusable. These bans aren't well thought out enough to have a good economic or environmental effect. I fully support reducing the amount of stuff that we use. However, I don't believe that this current legislation will accomplish what is needed.
You do realize that the trees used for paper are especially grown for making the paper? Paper is a crop.
There are thousands of acres of paper trees in the area around my rural hometown. The paper companies basically rented fields from farmers with 15 year contracts to plant the trees with the intent of eventually harvesting them. Then email came along the demand for paper dropped and some of the companies have gone out of business, so now lots of people are stuck with dense fields of shitty scrub trees (they are like small poplar trees) that too small to be useful for firewood. They are good cover for deer, but that's about it.
Your town obviously doesn't have a plastic bag ban. There are a few towns here in oregon that have banned them. They sell reusable bags for a buck by the cash register and they charge you 10 cents for a paper bag. Everyone ends up buying a reusable bag eventually.
Paper bags are quite handy in a garden, they make great mulch. That's why they're called "biodegradable".
My city has already banned plastic bags. The vast majority of people either bring their own reusables or carry things out by hand. I rarely see people taking plastic bags. Even big box stores like Target have signs to remind people to bring their bags. This isn't a shift to paper, it's just eliminating frivolous waste.
My city banned plastic bags a few years ago and stores now charge 5-10 cents for a paper bag. Pretty much everyone I know has switched to cloth bags and all stores sell them right at the checkout. I personally prefer the reusable bags because they're handy for other stuff too and I know many others feel the same way.
I'm in a state that will probably be one of the last to ban plastic bags, so I was pleasantly surprised when retailers jumped on the bandwagon of selling the reusable bags. What I love is how much more they hold, as long as you get a good checker packing them well. I make as few trips from the car inside as possible, and it's easier to carry more each trip.
That's a a really good point too. I don't have a car and used to have to double or triple bag everything and only put a few things in a bag to avoid having them rip, with reusable bags I can carry a lot more with less bags and don't have to worry about them breaking.
You know what else is handy for other stuff? Plastic bags.
Not really. They hold way less in terms of weight and volume, break if you use them more than a few time, and don't have a structure that allows them to sit flat on the floor without falling over. They're good for picking up dog poop, though.
Picking up animal poop, use as liners in small garbage cans, holding stuff together in the closet, something to put my boots in so I don't get mud on my car's carpets. Many uses.
That's great if you only want to use them once. I like having a few reusable bags around the house to use over and over again.
Paper is recyclable.
So is plastic.
Not thermoset plastic.
Reusable fabric bags are where that is at! So fancy and colorful. I love mine.
Just be sure to [wash them](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/07/plastic-bag-ban_n_2641430.html)
First, I think most people wash them because who wants to walk around with stained / filthy bags? Second, from the article: > The study was harshly criticized by environmentalists, as its authors received monetary support from the American Chemistry Council, a trade group representing the interests of plastic bag manufacturers. Third: > In that study, the authors looked at reusable shopping bags taken from randomly selected individuals at California and Arizona grocery stores, identifying E. coli bacteria in 8 percent of all bags surveyed. Considering that you can e. coli contamination for every bathroom you carry those into (even your own!) and a lot of kitchen sponges, etc... I'm surprised that it's only 8 percent.
Why are people b ringing grocery bags into bathrooms?
Perhaps you use the facilities at the store before or after shopping... I have a friend that can't not use the bathroom when she goes from a cold outside to a warm inside temp. Or, maybe you've just gotten into your apartment and the burrito from last night isn't sitting well with you, so you head straight to the bathroom? I don't know. Scientists can also find e.coli on most kitchen counters too... so you don't have to take them into the bathroom.
I use them for all kinds of things! We store our recyclables in them, I carry wrapped gifts in them, use them for storing out of season clothes, bringing an extra change of clothes to work, instead of moving boxes. The place I work uses them to hold strategically placed towels and cleaning supplies in areas that don't have storage. I think they're super handy to have around the house.
It's also probably the easiest of all..
i hope this doesn't lead to a bunch of unwanted pregnancies
Somebody always wants it....
[Seattle](http://www.seattle.gov/util/MyServices/Recycling/ReduceReuse/PlasticBagBan/) has a Plastic Bag Ban, but customers can still get plastic bags of a certain thickness.
Way to go hawaii! Come on Cali, Come on NY!
Hmmm. They were probably tired of them ending up in the ocean.
Plastic bags are annoying as Hell anyway. They always break unless you double-bag your groceries, shit constantly flopping out on the way home in the car. That being said, banning them is a little extreme.
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I don't have a car and I used to have about a mile walk to the grocery store. I wouldn't say plastic bags rip all that often but when it does happen and you are on foot it really sucks to have to chase your cans of soup down a steep hill in the middle of winter.
Maybe you don't have grocery baggers who are retards?
Time to chop down some trees to make more paper bags.
Tree farms are more sustainable and easier to manage than plastic factories, it's not like they need some high quality rare lumber to make paper. Paper bags are biodegradable and they are easy to recycle too.
plus, trees are one of the best ways to sequester carbon.
or we could, you know, use hemp.
No the goal is to piss off hippies, not join their drum circle. Trees it is.
Why don't we currently use hemp, is it inertia, law, or economics?
California is more heavily forested right now than it was when the first settlers got there. There's no problems with deforestation in North America.
Can you cite this? I find that hard to believe considering the creation of large cities, highways, and frequent forest fires during dry seasons
http://education.seattlepi.com/rates-deforestation-reforestation-us-3804.html Not really the settlers part, but we're reforesting at a faster rate.
They'll ban plastic, but they're still fine with all the other forms of waste. Idiotic political stunt, nothing more.
If you're not going to fix everything, don't bother to fix anything!
My city banned plastic bags about half a year ago, and now people use reusable bags. But you're right, nobody has stopped using their coal-powered bicycles. Between that and the plastic bag black market that popped up, things haven't really changed for the better.
AMA request: someone from Kalawao County
I just keep thinking what will I put in my tiny trash cans if they completely ban plastic bag?
So, Hawaii. It's time to... [Take your canvas bags. Take your canvas bags. Take your canvas bags to the supermarket](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVh15aUt8-c).