Look At My Crazy Passport

[countblastula]

Since most of us get our news from LJ, here are two stories that everyone should be a little too exited about:

Arggh! Healdsburg!When the frigatebird first arrived they wouldn't even show him on TV because he was in such bad shape. Looks like he's recovering nicely and will soon be back to stealing other birds' food by forcing them to regurgitate

Comments

[polyphonicvegan]

I'm all for banning plastic bags once the government starts subsidizing biodegradable bags. I can't afford them and I need something to scoop Oscar's litter into; the "flushable" litter still fatally clogs old pipes.

I will miss the Whole Foods plastic bag. They're the best for changing the litter box. Note: I do use canvas when I have enough poop bags in stock or when shopping at a store that only has paper bags.

[countblastula]

Now, it would be great if the store could run background checks on everyone and if they were going to use the plastic bags for cats or garbage they would be allowed to have them for free, but how realistic is that?

Doesn't San Francisco have a plastic bag ban anyway?

[polyphonicvegan]

If the point of the plastic bag ban is to help the environment, the powers that be should make free alternatives available to everyone.

San Francisco does have a plastic bag ban, but a lot of businesses haven't made the switch to paper-only. I highly doubt the small businesses in my neighborhood are going to switch to paper unless the city starts fining them. Walgreens is the only major store I know of here that still has plastic.

[countblastula]

>If the point of the plastic bag ban is to help the environment, the powers that be should make free alternatives available to everyone.

If by "powers that be" you mean Whole Foods, they did just that:

Whole Foods Market has declared today "Bring Your Own Bag Day" and will give out over 50,000 reusable shopping bags to customers at the checkouts this morning to celebrate today's announcement.

After the promotion their reusable bag will cost $.99, which pays for itself after 20 shopping trips since they give you a 5 cent refund for bringing your own bag.

[polyphonicvegan]

>If by "powers that be" you mean Whole Foods, they did just that:

I meant a governmental body. It's great that Whole Foods is giving out reusable bags, but that doesn't solve the affordable trash bag problem.

[countblastula]

>but that doesn't solve the affordable trash bag problem.

I think the bigger problem is that there's still the idea of "trash", but I don't expect Whole Foods, nor anyone to solve that anytime soon.

[polyphonicvegan]

True, and that problem won't be solved anytime soon because the changes that need to be made are more systemic than just banning plastic bags. It involves every industry from food to refuse and everything in between.

[goldenmoonbear]

http://thedittybopsvideos.blogspot.com/2007/03/paper-or-plastic-musical_16.html

[zimbra1006]

Wait, really? I thought that bag ban was still forthcoming. Every store I go to still gives out plastic bags.

(For the record, I also have a lightweight bag that I use for groceries when I can, but I do collect the little plastic ones for trash can liners too.)

[polyphonicvegan]

I think the law was supposed to start this month. So far, I've only noticed Whole Foods (SF only), Trader Joe's and Safeway getting rid of plastic.

[zimbra1006]

That reminds me, I think there is also a ban on styrofoam containers, but I noticed that the Mexican place near here used the new biodegradable takeout containers for a while, but then quickly switched back to the others. I think I heard it's because the fine for being caught using the old ones is less than the money they'd lose buying the new ones. Or it might just be because the new ones leaked all over the place. The world will never know.

[countblastula]

I wish my town would ban styrofoam containers. They're worse than plastic bags because you can't even use them for animal poop purposes, unless you're really desperate.

I'm still surprised to see such an outpouring of love for Whole Foods plastic bags, especially from Lou and Stacy, two of the most environmentally responsible people I know.

[stacyinthecity]

:( I know. I try really hard to be a good environmentally responsible person, but I figure that not buying real trash bags is environmentally responsible (and cheap!)

Styrofoam totally sucks though. It isn't recyclable OR reusable! I like the plastic containers that can be reused as tupperware or recycled.

[zimbra1006]

yeah, although bans apparently mean very little since most businesses will just ignore them.

I don't know if the plastic bag outrage is that shocking... if you need plastic for scooping poop and whatnot but you're opposed to buying it, you're kind of screwed. But I think I personally have enough plastic bags stocked up to line my bathroom garbage cans for the next 10 years, so I'm not that distressed. Not that I ever shop at Whole Foods since it's nowhere near me.

[countblastula]

>yeah, although bans apparently mean very little since most businesses will just ignore them.

I don't know about that, the smoking ban seems to work.

>But I think I personally have enough plastic bags stocked up to line my bathroom garbage cans for the next 10 years, so I'm not that distressed

Maybe you could give half of them to Stacy so she won't boycott Whole Foods.

[stacyinthecity]

yep, also use it for the kitty liter. I also have old pipes, and I learned that the hard way. :(

And yeah, when I'm fully stocked I reuse bags whenever I can, but between garbage and cat boxes and such, I'm rarely over stocked! Or if it is paper only or something.

But yeah, and besides, in a landfill, NOTHING biodegrades, not even organic matter, so why bother spending extra money?

It will probably mean avoiding shopping at whole foods except when fully stocked on bags.