Go Canvas - Save Resources!
Ever run late, stop at the store, buy the groceries you need for dinner and head home? You are thankful for the convenience of the friendly neighborhood store. Those few seconds when you are asked “paper or plastic” seem to be the sweetest words you could ever hear. Now, can you imagine having nothing to carry your groceries home in? Of being told that you would be charged for any bag you would be provided?
This grocery bag charge was what Referendum No. 1 was trying to propose.
Seattle Said “No” to the proposed grocery bag tax.
Referendum No. 1, the disposable grocery bag tax, was soundly defeated. The measure, which was failing 58 percent to 42 percent, would’ve charged shoppers 20-cents per paper and plastic grocery bag.
Realistically, was this tax really such a bad thing???
Seattle Pubic Utilities has estimated that 360 million disposable bags are used in the city each year. The 20-cent fee would add a few dollars to weekly grocery bills, but was expected to cut the number of bags used by half.
Proponents of the bag fee say similar programs in Ireland have cut plastic and paper bag use by 90 percent. Which is a good thing!
The campaign for and against the grocery bag tax has received a lot of publicity and environmentalist are thrilled that consumers are now more aware of the grocery bag issue. Many people are now using canvas bags for their shopping.
Being one of the “canvas bag users” I was disappointed to see this referendum fall through. I hope in the future we can find a way to limit the plastic bags which are used in grocery and convenience stores. Until that day I will continue to keep my canvas bags in the trunk of my car and bring them into the grocery store. I will continue to make my small difference.
- Jayme Mattson
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