Yes on the Bag Tax

This is not a paid political announcement, but it is, unabashedly, a RantWoman endorsement for Seattle's 20 cent a bag tax on one-time-use cheapoid plastic shopping bags. Here are the high points of RantWoman's views:

First, at this point, RantWoman is getting really turned off by the No on the Bag Tax campaign. Can you say overkill?

Second, in addition to all the people needing double bags, RantWoman has watched far too many "Paper or plastic? Both" encounters at the checkout stand. Add to that far too many experiences with cheapie bags that either disintegrate entirely or have handles shred off while the bag is performing the humblest of ordinary expected services. That is, there is too much crap on the market and a lot of the bags out there are such miserable failures that RantWoman has no pity whatsoever for the poor benighted Chemical Council or whoever it is wailing so piteously alledgedly on consumer's behalf. Folks, if you really cared about consumers, we would not have been putting up with your garbage all this time.

Speaking of garbage, RantWoman could concede a few pluses to plastic bags, at least in the removal of garbage department. RantWoman actually thinks garbage is a bit of a problem. RantWoman is disinclined to use grocery bags for trash if she has to pay 20 cents apiece, at least until the bags are well and truly worn out and, chances are, no longer capable of containing whatever needs to be contained. RantWoman does not exactly have her thumb on the price of the things actually called garbage bags, but RantWoman is aware of current garbage removal practices and the requirements for plastic bags.

In terms of eliminating plastic from landfills, RantWoman thinks the bag tax is not enough. We still need to remove our trash, and RantWoman would like the containers used for that to have enough heft to be useful in a short term and to be biodegradeable in the longterm, either that or go on an ever bigger trash reduction campaign. Boy can RantWoman imagine chemical company caterwauling if we were to mandate trying either of these approaches though.

RantWoman in fact takes issue with the volune of trash the modern US lifestyle generates. Besides, when RantWoman thinks of paying money for shopping bags, RantWoman easily waxes nostalgic about previous summer travel in many world capitals. RantWoman was not crazy about paying for shopping bags, but she quickly learned the merits of holding onto the ones she had, of having bags that actually held up in the presence of liquids, and especially of still, to this day having a couple tangible sentimental reminders of previous travels.

Seattle's bag tax has already done a huge public service by increasing the number and variety of reusable grocery bags available: canvas, ripstop nylon, recycled soda bottles; foldable, packable, crunchable, washable. RantWoman grumbles and takes issue with design issues for many of these products, but she is so thrilled to see the variety that she often makes allowances for design grumbles when she is thinking of small gifts or impulse buys.

RantWoman is well-used to carrying around a compact collection of grocery bags, to whipping them out for purchases, and to minimize the number of plastic bags she takes home. RantWoman is pretty sure almost anyone else can handle it. Go Seattle. Keep the bag tax and them boycott it with excellent reusables!