Posted on 01/01/2019 11:46:27 AM PST by DoodleBob
LOWELL -- Paper or reusable?
That's the question you'll be asked in Lowell supermarkets later this week when the plastic bag ban goes into effect.
On Jan. 1, the Mill City will join a rising number of Massachusetts communities banning single-use plastic bags, including Boston most notably in mid-December. Westford's ban also goes into effect on Jan. 1.
The Lowell City Council voted in May to approve the ordinance. The city ban is limited to retail establishments 3,000 square feet or larger.
The Market Basket at the corner of Fletcher and Broadway streets now has signs in the checkout line for 10-cent reusable "tough-durable-recyclable" bags with handles.
"It's the right thing to do," Mayor Bill Samaras said. "It's for the environment. The environment just can't take plastic."
(Excerpt) Read more at lowellsun.com ...
Today as I was "enjoying" the benefits of forced envirnmentalism, I watched as my bagger, a gentleman with Down's Syndrome, struggled to bag my things and accidentally rip the paper bag. I harbored no anger toward the bagger (who, it should be emphasized, was at work early on New Year's Day...kudos to him) but I wished some local bureaucrat had to witness this sad result of "saving the planet."
As I paid and walked away, I commented to this gentleman "boy, they're making your job harder with those paper bags."
He replied "yea...I hate them."
I responded: "So do I."
Austin did this years ago. There was denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance... followed by a general revolt, and some business have gone back to offering bags because a great many people said, “fine, I’ll shop elsewhere”.
Enjoy the irritation for the next few years, at a minimum.
Seems to me that the Market Basket stores have bent over backward to find a job for everyone.
The paper bags were roomier and about half had those cord handles so they weren't really difficult to carry and the ONLY advantage plastic has over paper is on a rainy day.
Modern Americans, for the most part shop where they ride to, whether car or public transportation and ALL supermarkets have buggys so gettin' your stuff (remember George Carlin) out to the car and into it is not a chore nor dangerous to the paper bag.
No, doing away with plastic will shut a LOT of greeny weeny mouths.
Stores can provide plastic on rain days and paper all the rest.
I remember when paper bags were evil.
just think, take away a half dozen airplane junkets from the govt class and you could save a whole bunch more energy than banning very very thin plastic bags..
Me too. Greenies couldn’t wait to ban paper.
These are the same plastic type bags we were shamed into using many years ago by the same environmental whack-o’s claiming we were deforesting the planet by using paper bags.
I recall the argument about replenishable trees to make biodegradable paper products versus non biodegradable plastic, but the Tree Huggers just knew so much better than anyone with common sense, and of course the mainstay of the support for the Democrats has always leaned environmentalist, and I mean whack-o environmentalist, therefore laws were made.
In Austin’s case, it was because the libs got tired of seeing bags caught in the trees. No joke.
If they have a problem with trash, perhaps they should address the homeless encampments and street corner beggars, that leave a trail of !@#$ everywhere they go.
Perish the thought.
Me too. The left's War On Plastic is just flat weird.
Here in Nevada plastic bags in trees are the state bird and protected.
Paper bags with no handles are difficult to carry and load into your car.
Paper bags with handles certainly cost more than plastic.
Paper bags take up more space in your dumpster.
Paper bags are not waterproof, so spills spread.
Paper bags are not fire-proof.
Plastic bags have lots of uses before being thrown away.
Greenies will soon be protesting about all the trees that are being sacrificed to produce paper bags.
And they're legal.
A Publix in Atlanta has a blind bagger. She’s been working there for years.
Some say black plastic bags are ok
If it happens where I live I’ll just go on-line and buy myself a large quantity of plastic bags and take some with me when I shop.
.
Oh, they're a step ahead of us....at the store today, I had the "option" of buying a reusable bag.
I suppose in 5-10 years the reusable bags will be blamed for putting paper bag manufacturers out of business and rendering illegal employees unemployed.
Me too. Greenies couldn’t wait to ban paper.
= = =
Uh, my aging eyes and mind inserted ‘toilet’ between ‘ban’ and ‘paper’.
Well, maybe tomorrow they will.
...many people said, “fine, I’ll shop elsewhere”.
- -
That’s what I did. I now grocery shop the next town over. I use those plastic disposable bags for all sorts of things like garbage can liners.
If Austin doesn’t like seeing old bags in the trees, then they’d better keep Hillary Clinton from flying her broom around there.
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