Green | February 03, 2008 | 3 comments

Motivated by a Tax, Irish Spurn Plastic Bags

source: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/02/world/europe/02bags.html?em&ex=1202187600&en=a0cb9e6b4946b...

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covelogibbs
In 2002, Ireland passed a tax on plastic bags; customers who want them must now pay 33 cents per bag at the register. There was an advertising awareness campaign. And then something happened that was bigger than the sum of these parts.

Within weeks, plastic bag use dropped 94 percent. Within a year, nearly everyone had bought reusable cloth bags, keeping them in offices and in the backs of cars. Plastic bags were not outlawed, but carrying them became socially unacceptable — on a par with wearing a fur coat or not cleaning up after one’s dog.
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3 comments // Motivated by a Tax, Irish Spurn Plastic Bags

  • covelogibbs
    • 0
      covelogibbs  

    • I thought all grocery stores offered inexpensive reusable bags to put your groceries in? At least in California most do.

      What's really sad is to visit Mexico or Jamaica and see the plastic bags blowing all over the place, getting caught on fences and in trees. I remember going to Mexico as a young child with my family when there were no plastic bags (in trees and in fences anyway) and everyone used their bolsas for shopping.

      The amount of plastic bags that get burned on this planet is shocking. People don't seem to realize or care that burning plastic causes cancer.

      Why all our plastic is not made from HEMP is a crime.

      Big oil, politicians and corporations suck.

    • 5 years ago
  • royalstar23
  • mischabarrett
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