The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: tizaala on October 01, 2011, 08:30:46 am

Title: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: tizaala on October 01, 2011, 08:30:46 am
From tomorrow all shops in Wales will be charging for carrier bags.  the rest of the country will follow soon.
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: manian on October 01, 2011, 08:32:16 am
 :( :( :(
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: Dizzycow on October 01, 2011, 08:53:21 am
Isn't it a good thing? Much more of a concern is that as of today Scotland has brought in bans on supermarkets discounting alcohol.   :gloomy:
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: robert waddell on October 01, 2011, 09:21:12 am
bloody supermarkets are to much in control >:(
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: DJ_Chook on October 01, 2011, 09:45:41 am
The Co-op here in Wales is going to be charging 5p for a standard plastic bag of which you'd need 2 because they are so thin. They are selling a thicker plastic 'bag for life' at 10p... when it breaks a handle or the bottom falls out of it, you can take it back for a free replacement... forever. Just keep taking it back and getting new bags for free. Next up in the range is a 50p microfibre mesh bag, then a £1 cotton bag.

I don't know what the other leading supermarkets in Wales have planned.

Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: Hermit on October 01, 2011, 09:56:52 am
I shop at the co op for what bits I need. I use the bags for life which they replace when worn for free. Clothes shops are different I suppose cause they need to advertise as well, but they should still be free fort that reason.
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: Oddbod on October 01, 2011, 10:37:20 am
I use the bags for rubbish instead of buying them, I am sure other people do that as well and as they are so thin, you often have a job getting inside without the bottom ripping.

I have some old fashioned bags that used to belong to my parents and thats great!
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: kaz on October 01, 2011, 02:27:16 pm
It should be interesting here in Wales when someone buys a really nice outfit and then they have to pay 5p for what is essentially a rubbishy plastic bag. Perhaps we should have paper ones, but then again that opens another can of worms. What happened to the good old fashioned shopping bags that all Mums used to carry around before the invasion of plastic.
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: Sylvia on October 01, 2011, 05:33:07 pm
Do you mean the brown paper ones with string handles? They were really good unless it rained :-\ I use a couple of cousin- made cloth bags nowadays :)
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: Lesley Silvester on October 01, 2011, 10:23:20 pm
We too use carrier bags for rubbish.  They are just the right size to fit a waste bin.  I have a collection of shopping bags which I usually forget to take with me, or take them but leave them in the car.  My husband does most of the household shopping, travels by bus and is a guide dog owner.  He finds it impossible to carry many bags as the dogs harness is in his left hand so he uses a large rucksack.  He can get a whole load of shopping in it.
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: northfifeduckling on October 02, 2011, 07:42:20 am
we use them for rubbish too but they tend to come in quicker than they get used. If shops charge for bags I will remember to take my own! Strange thing that I always remember at Aldi or Lidl to either take a cardboard box or my own bags (they have been charging for bags from day 1) but not if I go for groceries in a different supermarket...bad habits! ::) :&>
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: SallyintNorth on October 02, 2011, 08:14:00 am
Our village shop reuse plastic shopping bags, so we and most of the village just save them in one, when it's full take it to the shop with us.

Sadly the shop is up for sale as the owners are wanting to retire, so far no takers and we are told that, if not sold by then, the shop will be closed down at Christmas  :'(  Another nail in the coffin of village life.
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: pikilily on October 02, 2011, 08:44:10 am
Can i pass a gentle comment -
if you use the plastic bags for rubbish then is that not going to cause a problem for decomposing the rubbish they contain? These bags take hundreds of years to break down so will act as a protective barrier for the contents!!  I never use plastic bags for putting out rubbish, only use recycled decomposable binliners which get used several times before they are themselves chucked. In this house, any carrier bags get reused untill they are completely gubbed.

Just a thought!
Emma T
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: northfifeduckling on October 02, 2011, 08:57:39 am
you are my eco hero, pikilily!  ;D
very good suggestion. I must say that we do not have much rubbish, are good recyclers and composters and soon all paper tissues will go in the new stove. And I don't seal the bags when they go in the bin - no idea if we have landfill or an incinerator here.... My aim is just to reduce plastic bags in my house in general, will sort them and give them to the local charity shop which is always short of them - and of course be more disciplined when shopping! :wave: :&>
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: pikilily on October 02, 2011, 09:45:17 am
its just habit NFD !! My son completed his sustainable environmental management degree last year.  Reduce, ReUse, ReCycle is our moto!!

old trashed horse rugs get used for protecting woodpiles, old buckets get taped and used for gardening untill there is more tape than bucket, old saddle pads get used as dogbed padding. old duvets the same...once they are sewn into smaller sections. the cat gets used as dusters. ...the dogs as floor mops.....see its easy!!  ;D ;D

One of my friends NEVER uses carrier bags. she has several large plastic boxes (the storage type) and she goes to the supermarket with them in the boot of her car. She feels that they protect delicate food too. and makes it easier to bring the shopping in.
Emma T
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: SallyintNorth on October 02, 2011, 10:01:27 am
the cat gets used as dusters. ...the dogs as floor mops.....

That's it, I'm off to report you to the RSPCA  ;) ;D
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: ellisr on October 02, 2011, 10:03:10 am
I don't use plastic bags any more but take cotton bags with me, and when they are done I sew some more. I try to recycle as much as possible and I also use a box on wheels that is brilliant for bottles and tins, much easier to get in the house and unpack.

I even recycle animal feed bags for packaging for fleeces that I sell
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: bazzais on October 02, 2011, 10:11:36 am
I hope the scheme works and the money is used well and not swallowed up by 'red tape'

I have stopped in a few local shops and they have stated they will be collecting the majority of the money for local charities - which I think is a great idea - thats choice for the consumer - real choice.

Its also worth considering that it takes far less energy to produce a plastic bag than a paper bag or a cardboard box - and also worth considering that nothing really breaks down on a refuse site, infact they are designed not to break down waste as it produces dangerous gasses and run off. Even paper which is what is mostly in landfill could be dug-up in many years.

I think they should have concentrated more on giving 'green' point for the re-use of bags - maybe give 5p back to the consumer for every bag re-used.

I for one will be heading to the bin liner isle last thing when I go shopping as if I pay for a bag - I at least want it to be a re-usable functional bag when I get home - unlike carriers bags which are too small to use for anything else.

Baz
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: Corrie Dhu on October 04, 2011, 11:31:00 am
My friend in Wales went to McDonalds, placed a large order and was asked if she wanted a bag (recycled paper) for 5p.  Apparently if you take your own bag they have to inspect it to make sure it's clean before they use it.

Is it just me  ;D ::)
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: bazzais on October 05, 2011, 01:31:59 pm
I went to town to by a pasty - and the shopkeeper told me that in Boots they could give you a plastic bag for free as long as you packed your goods in it outside!?  Cos until it was full - it wasnt classed as a 'carrier' bag?

I didnt need anything from boots so didnt try it out!?

Baz
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: feldar on October 05, 2011, 03:22:37 pm
My local supermarket has a recycle bin for plastic bags, so i take any spare ones back. old horse rugs i use as protective covers over my rabbit and cavy hutches and the saddle pads are washed and reused at lambing time to warm up orphans and cold ones.
in our old bath we grew tomatos
old wellies i give to the cavies to hide inside that's if the smell doesn't kill them first ;D
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: bazzais on October 05, 2011, 03:31:26 pm
They (the government) should have imposed the tax at a higher level - ie on production and most importantly purchase (by tesco, waitrose, sainburys etc etc!) - no consumer takes a bag home unless they need it - hence they store them and discard them - tax the people that need to produce it - tax the supermarkets!

Baz
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: bazzais on October 05, 2011, 03:33:33 pm
I guarantee that out of he 5p collected in this scheme - most will be spent on the armchair the guy sits on the decide where whats left of the 5p is going.
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: Cinderhills on October 05, 2011, 03:46:47 pm
I guarantee that out of he 5p collected in this scheme - most will be spent on the armchair the guy sits on the decide where whats left of the 5p is going.

 ;D ;D
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: bazzais on October 06, 2011, 11:15:56 pm
I know I am answering my own post to a certain extent - so sorry about that -

but charging 5p for a bag in your local chip shop or local store (as is the case) is just a farce.  Granted the thought is there, we all need to be aware of the cost of production of bags and the cost to our environment - but why not just pass it on within the costing margins of your establishment? Oh hang on - thats whats most local stores have been doing since the year dot.

5p a bag - fecking red tape! none of it is actually going to solve any problems

(signed a welsh 5p paying carrier bag man!)

Baz
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: Penninehillbilly on October 07, 2011, 01:45:23 am
the cat gets used as dusters. ...the dogs as floor mops.....

That's it, I'm off to report you to the RSPCA  ;) ;D

You beat me to it Sally, I hit reply then realised there was another page ;D
the dog as a floor mop I can almost picture, but does cat have a fluffy tail? :o  ;D
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: tizaala on October 07, 2011, 05:43:20 am
The cat and dog recycling sounds good, but working it through logicaly- if it wasn't for having them in the first place we wouldn't need to wash the floor or do the dusting so often, ...........sort of self generating shitmachines really.
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: northfifeduckling on October 07, 2011, 07:02:05 am

[/quote]
the dog as a floor mop I can almost picture, but does cat have a fluffy tail? :o  ;D
[/quote]

[/quote author=tizaala link=topic=18684.msg176545#msg176545 date=1317962600]
...........sort of self generating shitmachines really.
[/quote]

that so made me laugh - and they are self-generating pee machines - judging only from how many times a day our elderly cat misses the loo (almost like a man :D)
OH threatened his last cat for years to make a muff or hat out of her but when she died it didn't happen - would have been nice to have something to remember her by.  ;D: cat: :&>
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: Mel Rice on October 07, 2011, 12:13:28 pm
Shopping bags was one of the things I really liked about moving here...everyone has one. Often the lovely basket type carried bu both men and women, baskets that live in the car boot, lovely cotton bags everywhere, everyone has something!...Also every supermarket charges for and refunds on bottls plastic and glass. Each store has a little machine that you feed your bottle into it reads it and credits the charge then at the end churns out a recipt wich is redemable as cash or against your shopping at the till.
People here also do lots of little shopping trips not the huge trolly loads that I used to do in the UK1
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: ellisr on October 07, 2011, 01:35:17 pm
My GSD sits and his tail goes side to side so fast he cleans the floor I just now have to work out how to get him to do the whole floor daily ;D
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: bazzais on October 07, 2011, 06:36:59 pm
I like frightening my chickens when they come into the garage as when they lift off they make a clean, swept, blown dry bit on the floor ;)

Chicken 'crop circles' in dust

Baz
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: Plantoid on October 07, 2011, 07:01:59 pm
its just habit NFD !! My son completed his sustainable environmental management degree last year.  Reduce, ReUse, ReCycle is our moto!!

old trashed horse rugs get used for protecting woodpiles, old buckets get taped and used for gardening untill there is more tape than bucket, old saddle pads get used as dogbed padding. old duvets the same...once they are sewn into smaller sections. the cat gets used as dusters. ...the dogs as floor mops.....see its easy!!  ;D ;D

One of my friends NEVER uses carrier bags. she has several large plastic boxes (the storage type) and she goes to the supermarket with them in the boot of her car. She feels that they protect delicate food too. and makes it easier to bring the shopping in.
Emma T

 Emma you owe me a new keyboard and a set of clearners for my 19 inch flat screen. monitor for that little gem

 I'd love to use nextd oors mutt as a floor cleaner  , for I know exactly where to shove the broom's tail , trouble is it is a short haired yapping staffie so not much good for floor cleaning  ;)
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: Penninehillbilly on October 08, 2011, 01:11:05 am
Has anyone got a budgie that I can use to wipe these laughter tears away? or would a cavy be better? LOL (where's the smiley for LOL?)
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: SallyintNorth on October 08, 2011, 01:17:50 am
LOL (where's the smiley for LOL?)
That would be  ;D ;D ;D ?
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: feldar on October 08, 2011, 11:38:12 am
Has anyone got a budgie that I can use to wipe these laughter tears away? or would a cavy be better? LOL (where's the smiley for LOL?)
Yep got some baby ones   no feathers yet though ::) also got plenty of cavies could reuse them as slippers mount the heads on the front, might squeak a bit when i walked though :-[ :o  only kidding  honest!!
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: ty capel flock on October 08, 2011, 03:28:25 pm
I was in the toy shop picking up a present today for a friend. 

On the counter they have now placed a Sooty money box which customers are asked to put the 5ps in.  However, Conwy council has written to all the shopkeepers informing them that they have to deduct VAT from the 5p because it is a sale.

I ask you?  How ridiculous is that!!!!

I told her to ignore it because the 5p is a donation to charity which does not attract VAT. 

Another example of bureaucracy gone mad..... >:(
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: pikilily on October 10, 2011, 08:16:55 pm
Plantoid.....sorry i dont have any in stock ..

...but could i interest you in the lid of a cardborad box, with little squares drawn on....i could even throw in some scrabble letters!! Oh and as a special offer I do have some old knickers for screen cleaning, guarenteed not to scratch or smear !!!   ::) ::) ::) :o :o :o
Emma T  (still trying to reuse and recycle)
Title: Re: Plastic shopping bags
Post by: Fowgill Farm on October 14, 2011, 09:26:46 am
Did anyone watch the One Show last night, lovely dress made out of carrier bags, never realised they had so many uses!!
mandy  :pig: