Grocers react to Eugene plastic bag ban
EUGENE, Ore. -- The City Council approved a plastic bag ban, and retailers have six months to implement the change.
"I agree with it totally. I think there's alot of other options and better options than plastic bags," said Eugene resident Chris Butler.
At Fred Meyer on West 11th Avenue, store director Mike Brown said they're on board with the changes. "Our direction is to hopefully get the shopping habit more built into customers using recyclable bags or reusable bags," said Brown.
"We've done this successfully in Portland and Corvallis, so it's going to be an easy transition for us to move into that," said Brown.
As part of the plastic bag ordinance, retailers must charge customers a minimum of 5 cents per paper bag.
Mark Lew, owner of Capella Market, said they'll donate the 5 cents per bag to an environmental cause rather than keeping the money.
"We've never charged a nickel. Now it's an extra nickel. We're going do something good with it," said Lew.
There are exceptions to the ban, including plastic bags that carry produce or meat, and thicker plastic bags like those at retail shopping or clothing stores.
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Another one: http://www.bagtheban.com/
OK someone wrote. Â People will be putting there dirty reusable bags on the same counter where I'm buying my nice clean food. Â I really hope your washing your food before you eat it. Â Its not as clean as it looks. Â For the people planning on shopping in Springfield. Â That will work util it goes state wide just like the smoking ban. Â I'm so glad people don't have the right to force me to breath they're used toxic smoke anymore. Â This whole thing is just common sense. Â I know we should be allowed to vote on every decision the council makes but its just not going to work that way. Â When we elect someone we are giving them the ability to make these changes without our consent liberal or not.Â
 This mayor we have sucks.  When I voted this year there was no other person running so I just left it blank.  I cant believe not one person thinks they can do a better job. Â
Canvas bags are washable.  Any reusable bag can be washed and sterilized and its not hard to do.  I think the reason people are not fighting this is because we never asked for plastic bags in the first place.  I grew up on paper bags and never understood why they switched to plastic other than to save a buck.  So this is a win for stores and customers.  I think people believe they will be doing something for the environment and will be trusting  there own bags.  I also think that people have a pretty good idea that the amount of plastic bags we receive when we go shopping is way worse than using our own, just go spend one or two hundred bucks at Walmart and count how many plastic bags you have when you get home.  Its ridiculous!  If you have ever saved the bags that you receive to be taken back to the store to be recycled then you know how much less plastic you will be using.Â
Oh and for the people who think they should not be able to take your plastic bags away, Â I don't think they should have been able to push the plastic bags on me. Â Or about a million other products that I can think of. Â Free enterprise is one thing but when it comes to garbage well that's all these plastic bags are good for. Â You know some people prefer to carry all there belongings in a garbage bag. Â I'm not one of those people.Â
The canvas bags, which can breed bacteria and can cause foodborne illness, have to be used 131 times to ensure they lower there global warming potential, but statistically on average used only 52 times before going to landfill. Paper bags require cutting down poor helpless trees and plastic bags only account for less than 0.5% total waste.. Very little is being accomplished by this in my opinion.
@CC Yes and because of this I purchased 1000 recycled plastic grocery bags from Amazon. I use my plastic at least three times so I hope those with cloth bags are using them 393 x to compete with my usage. I don't intend on putting cat litter or garbage in the trash in cloth bags either. Stupid law forcing people to not have the right to choose. All those opposed should do the same. Purchase your recycled plastic bags in bulk from Amazon and see the sale of plastic go up like it did in all the other cities with the ban. Bag the Ban. http://www.bagtheban.com/
Liberals, these bag bans will not work as you claim. At least half of the population does not and never will think as you do. Those you think you are encouraging to by tote bags will not do so and in large numbers. You are simply increasing the number of trees which get cut down. But paper can be recycled right? So can HDPE plastic but plastic won't produce a fraction of the greenhouse gases (yes composting does that too) compared to millions of paper bags. The wood industry loves these bans by the way and I have nothing against them but this is madness people. Where's the science to back up the claim that bag bans are better? Deluding yourself into thinking bag bans are better for the environment has no scientific basis unless you agree that we should produce more greenhouse gases by producing "reusable" tote bags vs. the plastic grocery bag. FYI, those "green bags" are made of plastic too (polypropylene) but figuring out how to recycle them is a bit of a pickle... Voters of Oregon need to unite. Oregon law allows us to file petitions to force these issues to a vote. I do not believe these bans represent the will of the majority and it's about time we reminded people that that's exactly what democracy is supposed to do. Laws should be based scientific facts, not opinions of people that think they know what's best for everyone else.
It doesn't stop with plastic bags,soda, salt,trans fats whatever the fascist liberals deem bad for us will be banned. Wait until Obamacare kicks in and in the name of preventative healthcare will ban anything they deem bad for us. They could have used common sense and found a way to incentivise  recycling they could have created jobs instead of destroying them.
KVAL HAS BIASED REPORTING! When I saw this story I got this fuzzy feel good chill up my leg by gosh we are doing something good for the environtment and everybody thinks this is a great idea but then my common sense kicked in and I realized the do gooders were thinking for me again because I'm too stupid to make my own decisions and the same for private businesses. Why didn't Kval interview those plastic bag companies and salespeople who will be losing business and losing their jobs in Eugene? What about the citizens who will take their business and their dollars to Springfield? What is the economic effect of this decision? Where is the balanced reporting of those who disagree with the ban? I am sick of our 3 local news stations they are only good for finding out the weather and what are the Ducks up to these days. Other than that it is nothing but puff pieces and spin. I wish Eugene had an option for fair and balanced news but as long as they get sponsors they will continue to spoon feed us what they feel we need to know.
When the ban takes effect I am going to go to Fred Meyers...Buy 3 grocery carts full of groceries...Tell the cashier to put my grocieries back in the carts I refuse to buy my own bags and I do not want to pay for paper bags then after it is rung up I will ask for carry out to load my vehicle! But that would not be fair to the poor carry out person. I'll request the manager Mike Brown who is all for this ridiculous ban!
If you haven't voted yet write in JIM TORREY for mayor. Miss Kitty is running unopposed because this city is sooooo left of left. She barely won last time that says a lot about her ability to lead or shall I say be divisive and partisan. These City councilors need to go too!
 @liveright I'm so glad I am not the only one who wrote in Jim Torrey...lolI plan on taking my dollar and business to Springfield.. But I sure like your idea about freddy's.. Gonna have to do that myself...
I'm bringing my own plastic bags
@gatorade Exactly. I purchased 1000 recycled ones at Amazon.
We, the people, should have the say so in this. Â Let us vote.
I am native to Colorado born and raised in Golden. During the years I watch a wonderful, fun, city of Boulder turned into a Nazi council ran town. That is what I see happening to Eugene. Boulder was ruined by this same dictatorship. Eugene is a wanna be Boulder Co. and I don't understand why. Boulder Co sucks, you can't even enjoy yourself just simply doing a walk about town without being told, you can do that it's against the law...and that is just sipping coffee and walking...extreme YES stupid YES stop the Nazi rule before it goes to what has happen in Boulder. This Mayor Kitty needs to rethink her agenda and realize that her support comes from Votes not money.
Guess I will never shop in Eugene again. Fascist pigs.
Looks like it's time to BOYCOTT EUGENE!
I'm sure when Miss Kitty sends her chauffeur to the store with her personalized designer grocery bags it isn't because she's being lazy - it's more because she can't stand shopping with us little people, who are already pinching pennies at the check-out stand. I re-use my plastic bags for cleaning out the litter box for my cat - what do I use now? My own purchased designer bag (which is filthy after one use), or the paper one I going to be forced to pay for?
It is simply not acceptable for a few people to force their agenda on other people. That is exactly what has happened here. This movement all started in Portland, leaked down to Corvallis, passed by Salem (because they really don't have control there yet) and landed in Eugene. When Portland did this we all knew it was coming, and yet the people sat by and voted all Progressive Liberals into the city coucil positions. They got the control, and now they dictate. It is highly unlikely this will ever get to a public vote unless pressure is applied. Recall efforts might force a public vote, but I doubt it. If you believe in individual liberty, then you have to act now.
Eugene City council and that" not my mayor" person.. seem to forget our sister city to the east..WHO does not impose a ban on plastic bags..Trees are a renewable resource.. For them to charge for paper bags is holding folks hostage to either having to pay up to have something to take groceries home in..or buy nasty germ laden bags to carry home the groceries..I foresee many grocery stores in Eugene losing business to Springfield.Some of us shop and buy for a month at a time.. or even a few weeks.. these bags they want to sell you..don't carry much..They are thinking that folks buy just for the day. I am so sick and tired of the dictatorship in Eugene,, There is an option for recalling the mayor..The major is suppose to work for the people..not against the people.. They are afraid of a public vote.. they know their little schemes would be voted down in a heartbeat!
I think this should have been voted on by the public. The dictator's of city counsel thinks they know all the answers. We the people are getting tired of being pushed this way and that way by local government. I'm going to do my part to vote you dictators out of office.
 @Ah Shucks I stand with you. WE THE PEOPLE are the forgotten. Just the dictators who think they know what is good for us. I will not use those other dirty bags. I see people who get them from their trunks and they have not been washed. They put them on the counters where I am getting my clean food and contaminate it. I guess I will be doing my shopping somewhere else besides Eugene. Sorry Fred Meyers you just lost a customer.