2049 replies to this topic

[nagel]

They're not as scary as the NRA.  If BC forced them to do it they'd have no choice.  Hardly anyone smokes here.

[mbjj]

Two guys who moved into the apt next to us are always out on the  boulevard smoking and now their butts are all over the place out there. They end up on our patch and it's disgusting. I keep raking them back.

 

We had a pack of the large-sized compostable bags for our scraps bucket and when my husband went to change it, the whole bottom fell out and there was rotten crap everywhere. I have a feeling that practice is going to go by the wayside due to frustration.

 

We're still using the same amount of plastic bags for our garbage as before. On rainy days I'm still carrying books in a plastic bag.   When we went to the beach over the summer, we were still using plastic bags for wet beach items. Nothing much has changed around here. I would say plastic packaging is a far bigger problem.

[Nparker]

But going after the manufacturers of all that excess plastic packaging wouldn't offer the powers that be nearly the same smug factor or virtue signalling as banning "single use" plastic bags.

[Victoria Watcher]

companies do not use “excess” packaging. they use exactly how much they require to minimize shipping damage vs. the cost of the packaging. it may seem excessive when you take it from walmart to your house. but for the other 7,000 km of its journey it’s vital to keep damage and costs down. if you want less packaging expect to pay more.

[Nparker]

...if you want less packaging expect to pay more.

Getting rid of plastics at every stage of the game will cost more. I accept that. I'd prefer to see some of that responsibility at the manufacturer level and not just the consumer. 

And honestly, there is no excess packaging here?

[Love the rock]

Part of the excessive packaging is to curb shop lifters .Expect to pay more for this reason too if you used less .

Edited by Love the rock, 15 September 2018 - 10:19 AM.

[johnk]

I know of one city grocery market still doling them out, perhaps because the owner sees them as bought and paid for from the supplier so he's going to use 'em up, Helps & Co. notwithstanding.

[Nparker]

I know of one city grocery market still doling them out, perhaps because the owner sees them as bought and paid for from the supplier so he's going to use 'em up...

IIRC, the "CoV Plastic Police" won't start their rounds until the new year.

[mbjj]

I was in two businesses in the city today and both offered me a plastic shopping bag. I didn't need them today, but I may take them up on their offer next time so I can stockpile.

 

Lots of items we used to buy loose now comes encased in that horrible rigid plastic. Too bad we can't go back to that as it would sure cut down on the plastic a lot. Things just came in bulk in a box and you took one out and paid for it. Also, I like to keep a working transistor radio on hand in case of emergencies. You used to buy one in a small cardboard box so you could take it out and look at it. Now it's that damn plastic so no way to physically check it to see if it's what you want.

[Mystic-Pizza]

The ironic thing about the plastic bag ban is that plastic bags that you got at the grocery stores had been recyclable for about the last 20 years (if not longer). The Problem was that very few people ever recycled their plastic bags. Now with the ban it's supposed to be all positive and great for the environment.....however I was just thinking the other day that now there are all these cloth bags that have to be washed all the time due to germs, bacteria, blood from meat products etc. and as a result it's causing and increase in Water use, soap detergents, and electricity to keep the cloth bags sanitary. Never heard anyone mention that point during the lead up to the ban. Interesting eh?

[Nparker]

...Never heard anyone mention that point during the lead up to the ban. Interesting eh?

And you never will. The "single use" plastic bag ban in the CoV, was low hanging fruit. I can't believe very many people honestly believe it will have significant global environmental benefit.

[shoeflack]

IIRC, the "CoV Plastic Police" won't start their rounds until the new year.

Yup. Dollarama across from Mayfair was providing plastic bags as of the other day. Good place to stock up, btw. Get a bag with ever 79 cent chocolate bar you buy!

[Mystic-Pizza]

Yup. Dollarama across from Mayfair was providing plastic bags as of the other day. Good place to stock up, btw. Get a bag with ever 79 cent chocolate bar you buy!

I go there often, and they now charge 5 cents per bag. All the Dollarama's went to charging for bags about 2 months ago.

 

Fairway Markets are the only place left that I know of (Grocery Store) wise that still give out plastic bags for FREE as part of customer service and for spending your money in their establishment.

[Mike K.]

The girlfriend got a plastic bag with her clothing purchase at the Bay Centre today.

[gstc84]

The girlfriend got a plastic bag with her clothing purchase at the Bay Centre today.

I got one at Hillside Mall today, too. (assuming Hillside is in Victoria and not Saanich - I’m honestly not sure)

[Nparker]

Hillside Centre is in Victoria.

[Mystic-Pizza]

The girlfriend got a plastic bag with her clothing purchase at the Bay Centre today.

 

The Ban does not go into full effect until next month or something like that.  Stores are allowed to get rid of their bag stock until a certain date in VIC, then no plastic bags are allowed at all. That's what the girl at the Dollarama told me

Edited by Mystic-Pizza, 15 September 2018 - 07:34 PM.

[Nparker]

From the CoV's website:

Businesses may provide paper checkout bags for a minimum charge of 15 cents per bag (rising to 25 cents on July 1, 2019), and reusable checkout bags for a minimum charge of $1 per bag (rising to $2 in 2019).  These fees should be stated on customer bills...The City will begin administering fines in January 2019, if required. The Bylaw states that an individual can be fined between $50 and $500, while a corporation can be fined between $100 and $10,000 dollars.

Yup, a business could face a $10,000 fine as of January 2019. The homeless can take over one taxpayer funded park after another, causing millions of dollars in environmental damage, but the real evil in our society comes from retailers that dare to offer a plastic bag to their customers. 

These are indeed strange and unusual times.

[Mystic-Pizza]

From the CoV's website:

Yup, a business could face a $10,000 fine as of January 2019. The homeless can take over one taxpayer funded park after another, causing millions of dollars in environmental damage, but the real evil in our society comes from retailers that dare to offer a plastic bag to their customers. 

These are indeed strange and unusual times.

Long live the brilliant, convenient, genius, affordable invention of the plastic bag.  Remember.............Plastic is a scientifically Natural" product that comes from the earth. And what comes from the earth, goes back to the earth. Our planet has a wonderful way of taking care of itself that 99% of the population don't realize.

[mbjj]

I hate to admit it, but I've never washed my Thriftys cloth shopping bags, lol. So far so good! Not even stinky. Don't see the need, everything is either in a box or wrapped in plastic to start with. All fruit and veg in a bag, meat in a bag, etc.