How is the newly enacted ban on single use bags affecting you? ESC friends weigh in.
This Monday April 22 we saw the San Mateo County wide ban on single use bags go into effect. It was interesting to watch so many folks walk out of the store with their groceries in hand, not in bags. So how are you handling this transition? Below are some comments made by our neighbors on our Facebook Page on how they are coping.
*Rose Aragon: I hate it. I have shopping bags but I never have them with me when I need them and then when I do I have too few.
*Angelica Flores: I got one free yesterday from Safeway for spending more then 25$.
*Evan Klein: I hate it, too. I think the law should have made an exception for biodegradable bags or not insisted on the 10¢ charge. But thank you Erica for letting us know! I’ll make sure I go to Safeway tonight instead of tomorrow!
*Angelique Presidente: Oh sure the only day I don’t go to the gym lol
*Mike Bruno: It’s ten cents. Who cares? If you’re spending $50 for groceries, it’s not a big deal to tack on 40 more cents to the bill
Our neighbor Erica Hernandez creates these crafty grocery bags which can be bought online for $5
*Erica A Hernandez: ORRRRR, crafty folks can MAKE their own bags while supporting a South City resident (shameless self-promotion here, LOL): http://tinyurl.com/c2wybvm ericah64blog.blogspot.com
Erica’s Blog: Bag Ban Grocery Bag Pattern NOW AVAILABLE!
* Everything South City: Excellent work and site and we need to promote you, lots of good stuff here. Thanks. Keep us in the loop about new designs or specials etc. Thanks! ESC
*Junior Corea: Sht I wish I got out the grocery store with 4 bags.
*Celeste Bitanga Davis: That’s not the point. It’s tiring paying for what used to be free. We are getting nickel and dimed to death. When you are faced with not having a job those dimes add up. Just saying
*Jim Chazer: It never occurred to me that it was ALL retail stores. Thought it was just grocery stores. Left Macy’s carrying a few things. Won’t pay for bags!
*Mike Bruno: If you don’t have a job, you’re probably not buying many groceries anyway. Even so, if the bag fee is too much for you to shoulder, get a reusable. Just saying
*Jasmin Sutter: 100 dollars at Safeway on Spruce/El Camino last night got me 3 free bags which held all my groceries.
*Karen Pera: NONE AT PAK-N-SAVE ANYMORE!
*Mary Vance: I am armed with shopping bags in my car, just need to remember to take them into the store! A nice checker Trader Joe’s gave me 2 free shopping bags
*Alexandra Luna: I need paper for my recycling and plastic for my cat litter.
*Susan Reilly: I’ve been using my reusable bags for years, because I felt it was the right thing to do, but it used to be hard to remember them. So now I place the empty bags in my trunk the day after shopping. That way they were always there when I needed them.
*Michelle Attard: Spend $25 get 1 free bag $50.00 2 free bags $75.00 3 free bags Safeway has a coupon valid thru 5/22/13.Go get the coupon from the cashier
*Heather Gutierrez: I’m pretty sure we’ve always paid for plastic shopping bags, nothing is free. Big companies like Safeway probably mark up prices on items to cover the cost.
*Jim Chazer: Come to think of it, being able to buy bags is BS. I thought this was so people would only use reusable bags. If you can buy the bags, what’s the point? A stupid law just got more stupid.
*Denise Lucia Premenko: Chestnut Safeway is not giving away free bags….I was just there and of course forgot my bag….so I walked out with the few things I bought in my hands.
*Karen McEvoy: They give you a bag if you spend $25.00 or more depending on how much you spend you get up to 3 bags, I just carried my stuff out. It is going on all month long they told me and on the just for u site you can click to receive a free bag.
*Renee Gomes: I hate hate hate it. I have bags in my car and forget them. Now I will have to go back to my car and get the bags while I HOLD the line at the store……real nice for other folks???
*Elizabeth Murphy: Relax, you will get used to it. We are the only ‘western’ country that is still using paper or plastic. The entire rest of the WORLD has always done this. You will adjust. You are smart people. By Christmas you won’t even remember that this was you biggest problem!! It helps to keep one of those lightweight nylon bags in your purse. Mine rolls up smaller than a tangerine, and so I always have it when I run in somewhere to grab something. We keep the ‘grocery’ bags in the car we use for grocery shopping. It’s gonna be ok!!!
*Matt Wendt: First world problems, although I will miss having the free plastic bags to. Throw out my household trash.
Elizabeth is right. The rest of the world gets it and we will too. I suggest keeping a few between the front passenger seats. That way you can grab and go. They say it takes 3 weeks to form a new habit. Went to Target in Colma on Monday and saw no one with their bags. Hopefully that will change.