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See Why We Pay For Bags Or Bring Our Own

Alameda County's new ban on single use plastic bags has been in effect since Jan. 1. Have you had to pay for a bag? This picture shows why.

If you've shopped in Alameda County since the first of the year, you know that stores no longer provide plastic bags thanks to a new law meant to curb litter.

Why was the plastic bag ban put into effect?

Well, there's a saying: one picture is worth a thousand words.

What you see here is that thousand-word explanation captured in a picture of a fence at the Waste Management landfill at Altamont Road in Livermore.

The fence is meant to keep plastic bags from blowing from the landfill toward homes in Tracy and other communities to the east.

"That employee in the lower right corner needs to get those bags off the fences before the wind changes," says Rebecca Jewell, a recycling coordinator with Waste Management who took the photo.

Good luck!

Have you had to pay for a bag? How are you getting your purchases home? What do you think of the ban? Sound off in the comments below.

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harold kandel January 18, 2013 at 03:50 pm
I wonder where these statements like " it's why other countries hate us" come from. How does the person know this is true? Did they survey all these countries? I always thought they were jealous of us and wanted what we have. Why do they risk their lives coming here?
Shree Nanguneri January 18, 2013 at 04:00 pm
To Harold Kandel's comments...
"....I wonder where these statements like " it's why other countries hate us" come from. How does the person know this is true? Did they survey all these countries? I always thought they were jealous of...." Agreed and it is only devastating and not joining but dividing. Facts show that they want to be here or at least have what we have at some point in their lives or as an extreme wish that their children will have what we have I suppose. Thanks for sharing your views here.
Shree Nanguneri January 18, 2013 at 05:20 pm
The ban is a benefit only if it meets county's goals - Storm Drain issue and Bags stuck on fence (Yahoo Upload). All other aspects are outside the county's project scope
So: -Are supporters trying to control people against or do they have data to positively influence those against? -Are people against the ban unhappy from lack of choice or is it the 10-20 bag charge? It can't be cost as Punxnotdead sent a link showing free cloth bag distribution although not everyone is guaranteed to get it for free. -Is it a fear if such a precedent is allowed, that other unreasonable bans will likewise come through? -Or is it simply a refusal to be told by the government on what is banned and what isn't? Look at the supply chain of rude oil to bags: Crude Oil->Petroleum->Ethylene->Polyethylene Resin->Polyethylene Compounded Pellets->Bags (Via Blown Film Extrusion). By reducing bag production, will any other streams upstream be produced to a lesser extent? It is like if a grocery chain doesn’t sell enough of a stock item, will the manufacturer produce less of it or go elsewhere to sell it? I don't think so or even heard of any approach to prove correlation between reduction in petroleum manufacturing as a result of reduced consumption of bags or anything else. Yes their inventories will go up, however, they will find other ways to reduce their cost margins and disseminate it. Even though Tim name calls that I don't appreciate, I second his challenge with the explanation above.
DeeDee Elliot January 18, 2013 at 07:13 pm
Shree,
We are capable of multi-tasking as far as eating and walking at the same time. I have no problem with me or anyone in my family eating and drinking and walking at the same time. I am not concerned with the safety of walking and drinking at the same time. We don't wish to store our drinks rather than drinking them while walking. You were bringing up safety issues with eating and walking so it seemed that you were trying to impose rules you have for your own children onto others. I personally don't care if your kids are doing cartwheels while they are chewing gum while walking down the street. I dont' think the we need to pass laws where we are charging people 10 to 25 cents for a bag, mandatory, stores have to do this there is no option not to do it. Having not that much money to begin with, since they pay for these things with their allowance, it was especially annoying to me to watch children be charged for bags, and made to be afraid of being stopped by the police for having plastic. I also got sick to my stomach watching a military lady get charged for her bags yesterday...guess she was too busy protecting our country to buy reusable bags. I almost gave her one of mine but I figure she might take it the wrong way so I didn't. Christy, as far as you are concerned, you don't know anyone's situation and who is a stay at home and who isn't, but your idea that stay at home moms have nothing to do is ridiculous...and kind of a weird insult since you are on here also.
Shree Nanguneri January 18, 2013 at 07:27 pm
Hi DeeDee,
In brief, where exactly did I point out that we should have laws to ban multi-tasking during walking? If you can kindly point it out, we will have no differences between our thoughts and I will withdraw my statement if I did imply that. Just because I said that one has to be careful does it automatically mean that I am implying a ban on that activity unless you were looking for a digression fodder to engage a discussion on? I didn't or never said one should not multi-task, but stated that I would advise my kids (cannot impose or cannot ban or control what they actually do when they are out there) and show them how to handle it. How exactly does that help you to interpret it as a baseline or grounds for a ban? I am truly amazed! Agreed?
Shree Nanguneri January 18, 2013 at 07:50 pm
Yes, I agree that you are still discussing it though. We won't discuss it anymore unless you bring it up and/or use derogatory terms like "Stay-at-Home Moms" and in one case it wasn't a "Mom" at all.
Shree Nanguneri January 18, 2013 at 07:57 pm
Hi DeeDee,
Didn't you receive the URL punxnotdead sent yesterday on free cloth bags being given away on specific days in the area? I will try my luck (I am referring to myself and NOT you or anyone else so that my thoughts are not misunderstood) in getting some of those if I happen to be in that area during that time.
DeeDee Elliot January 18, 2013 at 10:19 pm
Christy, we can't be responsible for you choosing to accept email updates and then being pissed off when they come in..pissed off that people are discussing plastic bags for days on end on a thread on plastic bag bans. Let me help you out....why don't you cancel receiving the updates. It's really not that hard.
Shree Nanguneri January 19, 2013 at 12:39 am
To Christy Robles...
This is what you write and your recent response that you were not derogatory is in conflict as you mention ......It must be nice to be stay-at-home mom's with nothing better to do!! Jeez!"..... Nothing better to do.... I am not sure anyone would interpret this as a compliment! I can consider it if it was a typo or a misread, however, this one is not even close to a typo. You had to be thinking deep to come up with this description.
Shree Nanguneri January 19, 2013 at 12:53 am
To Christy Robles,
...."Since when is Stay at Home Mom a derogatory term? I too was one when my daughter was young and loved it. But I certainly didn't waste my time talking about plastic bags for days on end! My god you are laughable! You just love to twist everything around. What a joy you must be to live with!!"... So why do you conclude that someone else other than you are being inefficient and ineffective when it comes to this discussion forum? In fact if you paid attention to your email alerts, you would not have even had to invest any time in such discussions that you consider non value added and could have eliminated this headache for all of us. Additionally, your topic in our conversations was non-plastic bag anyway and it wouldn't have even mattered, but thanks you stuck around though. Since you make a decision on whether it is a joy to live with someone based merely on chat forums, I pray and wish you all the luck with that. As for being laughable, I am thrilled to know that I contributed to a slight betterment of your health as laughter is always good for the health as I hear lately.
Shree Nanguneri January 27, 2013 at 04:55 pm
To LL,
For the interim (which is my focus), I proposed ways to use cloth bags (in some cases it would only work with support of the store), I also argued against the fact that consumers have to pay when the store is charging us for it without reducing the cost of the bag that was originally integrated into the food price. This way the store is double dipping into the cost and getting away with the government having to pay for free cloth bags, instead of the store. So you may have not read all the threads in their entirety and so I am not sure what your point is on my stance on controlling or dominance. Please explain. Besides my discussion on other aspects, if you wish, you can also address this comment if you want by several others ... just re-quoting it...... "What a bunch of crybabies. "Waaah! I want my plastic bags, I don't care about litter..." You do realize that our selfish obsession with convenience even when it causes so much waste is one of the more valid reasons other countries hate us, right? Buy a reusable bag and grow up."
Shree Nanguneri January 28, 2013 at 02:12 am
LL,
I just explained what I was commenting on and I am surprised that you have misunderstood on how this has anything to do with your behavioral issues in this thread, nor is there any persuasion to do anything other than what you wish to do. In fact the post you saw below that I copied and pasted is much more directed to you than any of mine from what I have understood and sure you have shared your views with that person. BTW, your freedom (and mine plus others) to choose has nothing to do with this thread or discussion and hasn't been affected negatively in any way whatsoever. Anything stated in these discussions are not going to affect anyone's freedom on how they choose to live their lives. Why should that even be a question or raise doubts here?
Shree Nanguneri January 28, 2013 at 02:42 am
Shelley,
The question of saving the trees has been challenged with the fact that when one saves on paper in one area it finds itself into other parts of our eco system. For example Alameda county has started this program to avoid the storm water drain clogging issue. So in your opinion, how do share information that shows that paper avoided in one area doesn't get to go elsewhere and cause more trees to be fallen? I am tempted to believe the same with Plastic. The petroleum refineries will not stop refining crude oil just because the bags are not used here as they will find use elsewhere. One way I see the plastic bags issue being solved is to educate people or incentivize them (as education may not be the right term for all of us) to avoid using the bags in a way that they end up in the garbage other than recyclable plastics. This way we have the choice of using plastic but wisely with the convenience it provides as well as the cleanliness of the environment if you would agree. Any suggestions?
Judy Galletti January 28, 2013 at 02:47 am
Stores collecting 10 cents for a bag costing much less than 5 cents......required to give the rest to ACounty.
Regional Bureaucrats, once again, in our pocketbooks.
LL January 28, 2013 at 03:10 pm
Judy, it's a new penalty tax.
Shree Nanguneri January 28, 2013 at 03:18 pm
LL,
Why would you even think I am dictating when I am only saying that none of what that gets discussed here is going to affect your freedom? Does sharing my idea mean dictating? If others like me and yourself are sharing their ideas does it mean we are dictating? If so you are equally dictating isn't it? Likewise you have dictated that my choice of words are empty and lot - so how are we supposed to interpret that - a dictatorial statement or sharing of thoughts? Need your advice here.
Shree Nanguneri January 28, 2013 at 03:24 pm
LL,
Are you saying you feel bullied? If so, I am sorry for that. I will not bully you anymore with my words.
hals1 January 28, 2013 at 05:44 pm
The increase of paper bags use must have a effect on how many trees are cut down. We already have lost a majority of the rain forests due to cutting of trees. Have these brilliant Envirementalists done research on the effects of this ban? We now have a Carbon tax to clean the air but are losing the cycle that makes the air. They should be planting trees not cutting them down for bagging groceries. I guess a paper bag ban will be next when they think we will accept that. Funny how a few on the fringes are always smarter then the rest of us and will try to force everyone to accept their way of life right or wrong, they don't care
Judy Galletti January 28, 2013 at 05:46 pm
Right LL,
We must get rid of these guys. PLZ come to the meeting, tomorrow.... 7PM = Jan 29 = Pleasanton Library
Shree Nanguneri January 28, 2013 at 08:54 pm
LL,
If you didn't feel bullied why would you want to speak for others? Don't others have the same rights as you do to express their opinion or feelings? I am asking you if I bullied you because you brought it up. I never asked you if you are scared of bullies. Simple question (looking for an answer yes or no) and I already offered you that if there was something wrong, or miscommunicated I am sorry for it. Any reason to extend this on whether this is a bullying tactic for others? Despite this, if you are saying I tried to bully you (or bullied you) or anyone else you are totally mistaken. This is the best I can offer to bring closure between us unless you are looking for something else.
Shree Nanguneri January 29, 2013 at 03:51 am
We are already proceeding toward the "solution" direction and if you wish to, you are welcome to join us. You just took a detour on accusing me of bullying which I tried addressing with you. Now that you have agreed to stop, I don't need to address the digression anymore. Thanks again for your patience in this regard.
LL January 29, 2013 at 04:07 am
Shree, You just can't stop can you? Your self importance is just over the top. Just stop, will you? Please.
Shree Nanguneri January 30, 2013 at 01:50 am
LL,
Thanks for your polite request and I appreciate it. You had stated that you were interested in "solutions" in your statement above, we don't have one yet. So what is it that you want me to stop doing exactly? Kindly post. Take care now and have a nice evening.
LL January 30, 2013 at 02:15 am
I intend to involve myself in making a difference. The library was a good place to find that out. Signing off. Good luck.
LL January 30, 2013 at 02:16 am
Thanks Judy. I was very impressed tonight.
Judy Galletti January 31, 2013 at 06:01 am
Thanks for coming. Hope you can make it to the monthly meetings. I didn't realize you were there. It was a great meeting. I've been to so many of Mimi's talks and I learn something new every time.
The information about the Pleasanton School District grades was stunning. Equalizing higher performing districts with new, lower performing students is shocking. Can't imagine what kind of people think these things up. Hope I never meet them. They have to be stopped. We need an army to speak up at council meetings, regional meetings, school district meetings and more. Thanks for coming.
LL February 7, 2013 at 10:07 pm
Punxnotdead, Let me talk to you so you can understand.
Hopefully, someday, you will be old too. And perhaps you will be just as useless as those you are tormenting now. It is my experience that old people have great wisdom that young people can't seem to understand. It's because young folks haven't lived long enough and haven't seen enough to put it all together, to understand the bigger picture. Lay off the old folks, cause one day you will be old and I'm sure it will be very upsetting to you to be treated so badly. Old is good and people of all walks of life have something to contribute, even you. This is a forum about exchanging ideas, lets do that and stop with the insults already.
LL February 7, 2013 at 10:10 pm
Tim, I like your style.
JCS February 11, 2013 at 04:41 am
I am part of a citizens group that is helping the people standing up for their rights on this issue.
Please visit Stopthebagban.com and Saveourbags.com to join in on the fight. We our currently collecting signatures to overturn the proposed bag ban scheduled to take effect in October 1, 2013 in Cupertino. We base our efforts on the fact that some cities have collected enough signatures from angry citizens and successfully overturned bag bans or ordinances. Basalt, CO and Snowmass, CO are two great examples.
LL February 14, 2013 at 04:24 am
Put them to the curb, someone might need them. :)
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