China bans free plastic bags

[skylee]

This is good news, isn't it? The ban took effect on 1 June 2008.

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=china-sacks-plastic-bags

http://news.tvb.com/630pm/lcd.html?2008/0601/asx/05_200k.asx&2008%u5E746%u67081%u65E5%20%28%u65E5%29

[Senzhi]

Partly good news, don't compare it to the west:

Tonight, knowing of the ban, I went shopping with my personal bag in our local Da Zhong. I wasn't allowed to get in with the bag ... had to put it in one of the lockers.

Since I then did no longer have a bag, the cashier made me pay 1 yuan for a plastic bag ... since there was nothing else to put (all my beer) into.

On which I then had to put that plastic bag into my own bag ... as I needed to get all my belongings home.

Typical.

[rezaf]

So that's why I had to pay for the bag I felt something was wrong but didn't ask. Beer and stuff like that, I can put in my own bag but should we pay a lot of 1元s for buying fruit, vegetable and meat? It's a good news though.

[Quest]

Even if you bring in an empty bag? Write a letter to 有关部门 and post your experience in government web forums.

[Luobot]

I wasn't allowed to get in with the bag

That defeats the whole purpose of this exercise, since you walked out with yet another plastic bag. The store probably just hasn't caught up with the news yet. At Whole Foods in NYC, you now get 10 cents off your bill for each bag your bring, whether plastic, paper, or cloth. From what I can see, it seems to be good for business.

[roddy]

Quite funny that they're not letting people in with bags. I object to having to put my bag in lockers anyway - if you think people are stealing stuff employ a store detective, not someone employed to annoy customers.

Haven't been to the supermarket since the bag took effect, but it has been running 'green tills' for the last few weeks which don't give out bags. The queues there are always much shorter.

1Y for a bag is extortionate, is that one of the thicker types you can reuse often? I think the very thinnest type of bag is now banned, which is no bad thing. Would love to see them also do something about excessive packaging. And putting 30g of crisps in a 100g sized bag.

[floatingmoon]

We can use our creativity on those reusable bags.

But sometimes, there is a need of plastic bags. Such as buying something wet; and when walking your dogs (to pick up.....you know.....)

Also, I heard there is some new invented plastic bags, that made of plants and can decompose safely and quickly under the sun.

[gougou]

Also, I heard there is some new invented plastic bags, that made of plants and can decompose safely and quickly under the sun.

I think they're called paper bags.

[floatingmoon]

no, they are not paper bags, I saw it on tv. They are made of somethings from plants.

I saw it on a tvb documentary show.

and I wouldn't use paper bags to pick up.....

[gougou]

Yeah, I was not being serious here. But my point was, even without new inventions, there are many of alternatives that we can use now already.

I've never had a dog, so I'm not sure what they are made of, but in Germany and France, I've seen several places offering free bags to dog owners to clean up after their pets, and they looked like they were made of paper.

[skylee]

But sometimes, there is a need of plastic bags. Such as buying something wet; and when walking your dogs (to pick up.....you know.....)

I don't have a dog but I have seen my friend walk her dog and she brought thick piles of old newspaper and a bottle of water (in case the dog had to mark its presence before the owner could put the newspaper at the right place). I know there are bags which allow the dogs to carry such things on their back.

[roddy]

Supermarket downstairs from me seems to still be using the thin plastic bags used for bagging fruit / loose produce / etc - I would have thought those would be the worst in environmental terms as there's no way they're going to get reused, but it is hard to see what they'd be replaced with. Unless we're meant to bring our own Tupperware.

[Luobot]

But sometimes, there is a need of plastic bags. Such as buying something wet; and when walking your dogs (to pick up.....you know.....)

Skip the plastic -- how about reusable cloth doggie diapers ... and why not throw in a pair of suspenders just to make sure there's no losing it along the way, as shown in:

Pet Suspenders for Disposable Diapers

Their motto is: "Keep Your Peepers On!"

[cdn_in_bj]

I was at the neighbourhood grocery store this weekend and I thought it was a bit strange not that the checkout lady asked if I wanted a plastic bag, but rather if I wanted a small or a large one.

It was not until I got home and noticed how much durable this bag was that I realized it was no freebee (although I have no idea how much I paid for it as I threw away the receipt).

[Senzhi]

1Y for a bag is extortionate, is that one of the thicker types you can reuse often?

It was just their ordinary Da Zhong plastic bag, although the quality might be slightly better. Nevertheless, I agree: it's extortion ... but then, it's a bit to be expected, as there's no official upper limit for the prices of plastic bags.

I think things are a bit hectic now, but will cool off soon enough.

[skylee]

Unless we're meant to bring our own Tupperware.

Some of my colleagues have told me that some people do this. I think the key of success is whether the vender is willing to put the groceries/products in the containers the customers provide.

[liuzhou]

I've never had a dog, so I'm not sure what they are made of

Bones, chewy meat, fat, gristle and fur - mainly.

The local supermarkets have stopped throwing plastic bags at me with gay abandon, but yesterday and today the local shops and the market, where I do most of my shopping, were still happily slapping everything into plastic bags.

[Senzhi]

After the local Da Zhong experience, today the local Wal Mart (read: out of beer again )

Brought my own bag in ... no problems whatsoever ... just checking if it was empty.

Had a long queue: many locals were argueing with the cashier about the price of the plastic bags. None of them had their own bags with them whatsoever. People are learning the hard way.

Finally my turn to pay. I saw a cashier with a big smile of relief: finally a customer who had his own bag, not being annoying to a person that is simply doing her job, following government rules.

I got the best 谢谢 I've received in a long time.

Feeeeeeeeeeels soooooooo gooooooooooood!

[cdn_in_bj]

The Ikea here in BJ has been charging for their big yellow plastic bags ever since... I'm wondering what I did with mine since they're quite big and can fit a lot of stuff.

[rezaf]

Suppose that I somehow manage to bring the things to my home. I used those free plastic bags for my garbage. Without them I won't be able to take out the garbage. Maybe we should eat everything we need inside the supermarket after we pay the cashier.