2049 replies to this topic

[rjag]

I like to buy frappuccinos at Starbucks, but now they are doing away with straws. I am not going to sip those through a plastic lid.
Instead, I am going to buy up plastic straws in bulk and give them away on the street corners.
I will be bringing my own personal straw when I go out for those drinks the require them.
This whole straw thing is nuts.

As long as people keep voting in ‘progressives’ who have a need to control every aspect of people’s lives this will continue.

[DustMagnet]

Does the ban include Regina Park?

Yes, but it's not enforced because optics and stuff.

[tjv]

With profit margins between 1 and 3%, grocery stores don't have an incentive to drop your price beyond a few pennies if you bring your own bag. That's why Market on Yates drops your bill by $0.03 if you bring your own bags (plural; 1+ bags = $0.03 maximum discount).

 

A straw literally costs $0.001 to $0.01 when purchased in bulk. There's no financial incentive to be offering patrons discounts to be bringing their own straws or bags if that incentive is beyond a penny or two.

Not saying that's not true, but I find most stores charge 5 cents for a plastic bag.  There is a reason I go thru the Save On self check out and help myself to free plastic bags and just enter 0 in the terminal.  Ya ya I guess I am a thief lol

[Langford Rat]

This whole campaign against distracted driving is going to get cranked up to eleven when this plastic straw ban comes in. It will be total chaos as Victorian motorists attempt to suck the tapioca pearls out of their bubble tea without straws. Accidents caused by brain-freeze will also increase causing ICBC rates to sky rocket as a slight bump in the road causes you to pour half a Slurpee down your throat as you attempt to take a strawless sip. Don't even think about trying to master a McDonalds triple thick shake...

"is that for here or to go?"

"to go"

"Good God, man. Be careful

[Midnightly]

I like to buy frappuccinos at Starbucks, but now they are doing away with straws. I am not going to sip those through a plastic lid.

Instead, I am going to buy up plastic straws in bulk and give them away on the street corners.

I will be bringing my own personal straw when I go out for those drinks the require them.

This whole straw thing is nuts. 

 

 

this brings up a question i have been wondering... when this "plastic straw ban" come in would it be an all out ban where they will not be allowed to be sold.. or just businesses no longer allowing them? will say i still be able to go to my local dollar store and buy a bag of 100+ for personal use or will they be pulled off the shelf there too (taking business away from the dollar store).. and what about juice boxes? they come with plastic straws..wrapped in *gasp* plastic.. that is glued to the front of the juice box (what is again all wrapped and sealed in plastic 5pks) will those straws be banned too

 

or is this just an excuse for adults to start drinking from disposable single use sippy cups

Edited by Midnightly, 10 July 2018 - 07:13 PM.

[DustMagnet]

or is this just an excuse for adults to start drinking from disposable single use sippy cups

When handles appear on each side of the cups, then we'll know.

[G-Man]

While I am not generally opposed to the bag ban, I did have a little experience yesterday.

When I was buying BLANK yesterday, an elderly woman with a cane was needing a bag to carry multiple BLANKS in and was very frustrated that she couldn't have a bag. Finally the woman at the counter opened a drawer and pulled out a plastic bag. Gave me a look, I winked and she told the lady, "You didn't get this from here."

Everyone was happy and in some small way the city created a little piece of community there.

[lanforod]

Maybe the new federal disablity legislation can be used to force these local politicians to allow bags and straws again. Straws especially are very much needed by many disabled people (and they need to be bendable, not hard stainless steel!).

[Jackerbie]

this brings up a question i have been wondering... when this "plastic straw ban" come in would it be an all out ban where they will not be allowed to be sold.. or just businesses no longer allowing them? will say i still be able to go to my local dollar store and buy a bag of 100+ for personal use or will they be pulled off the shelf there too (taking business away from the dollar store).. and what about juice boxes? they come with plastic straws..wrapped in *gasp* plastic.. that is glued to the front of the juice box (what is again all wrapped and sealed in plastic 5pks) will those straws be banned too

 

or is this just an excuse for adults to start drinking from disposable single use sippy cups

 

Seattle's ban applies to food service industry only, and adds to the existing ban on non-recyclable take-out containers implemented in 2010. You will still be able to buy plastic straws and utensils from stores.

[DustMagnet]

^^^ I think this point tends to get lost in the simplified concept of the ban.

 

This does not ban the existence of the item(s) (bags, straws) but it bans a specific outlet that it identified as a problematic vector.

 

But it is normal for those affected by change to construe excess negativity - in this case conflating a ban on retailer-provided plastic shopping bags with the idea that the existence of all plastic shopping bags are banned.  This why Change Management is a thing, and it's not been done very well in this case (it's not done well in many cases, both public and private).

[DustMagnet]

Everyone was happy and in some small way the city created a little piece of community there.

That's a heartwarming side-effect.

 

Or maybe that the true secret reason for the ban...?

[Nparker]

...This does not ban the existence of the item(s) (bags, straws) but it bans a specific outlet that it identified as a problematic vector...

With very little localized data to support the supposed problem.

[DustMagnet]

With very little localized data to support the supposed problem.

Maybe not, but irrelevant to the scope of it.

[Nparker]

Maybe not, but irrelevant to the scope of it.

How is not knowing if these sort of bans will have any environmental benefit "irrelevant"? We are being told that is why they are being implemented. I think the least we can ask is evidence that the bans will be beneficial at the local level.

No-car weekdays would have a much greater environmental impact. Local governments should ban all "single-person cars" Monday-Friday each week. There are sufficient transportation alternatives which, although less convenient, will be much better for the planet. People just need to get used to it.

[Midnightly]

No-car weekdays would have a much greater environmental impact. Local governments should ban all "single-person cars" Monday-Friday each week. There are sufficient transportation alternatives which, although less convenient, will be much better for the planet. People just need to get used to it.

 

i can just imagine the chaos at the grocery store now with everyone who has to do large shops limited to only weekends.. costco would have to close on weekdays

[Nparker]

i can just imagine the chaos at the grocery store now with everyone who has to do large shops limited to only weekends.. costco would have to close on weekdays

People should be walking to get their groceries like I do. It may not be convenient but it's much better for the planet. Think of it like the "single use" bag ban and all should go smoothly. 

[rmpeers]

To me, this is like the bike lanes. I support the idea of reducing plastic use, just as I think protected bike lanes are a good idea. But in both cases, the approach and execution could have been handled so much better and achieved the same result without upsetting as many people.

Also, just because I don't agree with something doesn't mean I can't deal with change. That talking point is way past its sell-by date.

[sdwright.vic]

City Council and their trip the band aid off approach to everything

[DustMagnet]

How is not knowing if these sort of bans will have any environmental benefit "irrelevant"? 

No, you misunderstand.  The arguable specious reasoning and or (lack of) evidence used to support that ban is irrelevant to the point that the ban does not ban the existence of the items, but rather the delivery vector.

 

Can you still buy plastic bags in a box off the shelf?  If so bags themselves are not banned.

 

I thought I was being so clear about the distinction, but I suppose the train doesn't often leave the track.

[Nparker]

I'd argue that if the language of the ban references the term "single-use" plastic bag it could be overturned by providing sufficient evidence that a majority of these bags are in fact used more than once. Someone with more chutzpah than I have should do this.