Whole Foods to stop using plastic bags in all 270 stores

[sonias]

Statesman Business blog
Whole Foods to stop using plastic bags in all 270 stores

By American Statesman staff | Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Whole Foods Market Inc. will eliminate plastic bags at all of its 270 stores in the United States, Canada and England by April 22, Earth Day. The initiative expands on a pilot project that began recently in Austin, San Francisco and Toronto.

The company said it’s the first supermarket chain to launch such an ambitious program.

Although most plastic bags are recyclable, almost all of them end up in landfills or as trash on roadsides and beaches. Environmental groups say it takes more than 1,000 years for the bags to decompose in landfills.

:applause::applause::applause:

Sonia

[theredpen]

1. We've been using re-usable bags for a few months already

They seem to be really catching on.

[tbyg52]

2. I should have done it a long time ago

not just to be a good person, but because it turns out to actually be easier to carry, easier to unpack, much more convenient for me all around. Who knew....?!

The only problem I have is remembering to take them in, especially if I stop someplace I didn't plan to. I got some bags with a message to help me remember. I got them here:
http://www.oldamericancentury.org/totes.htm
This is my favorite one:

Although it looks like they now have some on the same theme that are even better.

I also got a bunch of generic (very much) less expensive ones. After much research, I ordered these:
http://www.go-againbags.com/
and am very happy with them.

Edited to say that the go-again bags have, in addition to plain-vanilla bags, insulated bags for frozen and divided bags for bottles.

[sonias]

3. Great idea on the go-again bags

Don't you think it would be a great promotional item for groups and candidates?

I wish that there would just be hundreds of these to pick up at the store for free, as you walk in. If we don't get them into the hands of the end users this experiment is not going to work.

Sonia

[tbyg52]

7. >>Don't you think it would be a great promotional item for groups and candidates?

Sure would! IIRC, they are very cheap ordered blank and in bulk.

[WolverineDG]

4. Laredo is considering a ban on plastic bags

Yes, you read that right. Laredo, tail-end of the universe, has a ban on plastic bags on the table. It looks like it's going to be approved, too. :)

Target, Wal-Mart, & HEB are complaining, a bit, but seriously, HEB sells canvas bags w/HEB plastered all over them, for less than a $1, & can offer folks a discount if they use canvas bags. I know they do this in other places, so expanding this program to Laredo wouldn't be too much of a stretch.

And I can't wait to get paper grocery bags again! Kitties love them!

dg

[hobbit709]

5. Saw an article once on using old T-shirts

Sew the bottom closed, cut out the neck hole to the sleeves and sew it up, roll the sleeves up and sew into the carry straps.

[NoPasaran]

6. But by the time I'm ready to retire a t-shirt

It's holier than the canon of saints.

[GOPisEvil]

8. The reusable bags that WF sells are only 99 cents.

I bought my first one this week.

However, their paper bags are good for placing recyclable magazines, advertisements, etc in.

[Skittles]

9. good for cat shit too

cleaning the litterbox I mean - yes INDEED

[TexasBushwhacker]

10. And they're 80% recycled plastic!

So they're green 2 ways! Plus they're a nice size and quite sturdy. As an employee, I get 'em for 80 cents!

[muse]

11. Whole Foods gave me a resuable wine carrier thing

Totally cool. I bought six bottles of wine - which I think is the amount you have to buy to get a discount - and they put them in a very, very cool cloth wine carrier. It has six sections for the bottles.

Reusable. So, I drink the six bottles, bring it back and put the next six in it!

Totally awesome.

[sonias]

12. Six bottles of wine

I won't ask you how long it took you to drink those muse. :eyes:


Sonia

[muse]

13. I still have four!

And, it's been awhile. I don't ever stock up, so I feel like all of a sudden I have a wine cellar. In a cloth bag.

:)

[sonias]

14. wino

:hi:

Sonia