SHOPPING BAGS - IT'LL COST YA!

Here in Seattle, they are trying to implement a fee for people that use disposable bags and other containers. Basically, if you bring your own you won't pay a fee.

My concern is about where exactly the money is going and are the grocery prices going to drop? Currently, I would imagine the grocery costs include all overhead, including the supplies needed for bagging. I would assume that the grocer isn't chipping those in for free to the consumer. I suspect this is just an incentive for the grocers to participate, which I think is generally good. I also applaud them for pushing forward even with these open questions that I (and surely others) have because you know what, people need to make decisions around here! This city and state seem to struggle to get things done because of wanting everyone to agree - don't get me started! 

So in an effort to keep my eye on the prize, I'm willing to pay for the greater good whether that be for the environment, mass transportation, a new bridge, etc. If we continue to say, "That doesn't affect me, I don't want to pay", I fear we will continue to be complacent, and it will soon be too late. OK, off my soap-box, and here's the article: 

At issue during the hearing before the council's Environment, Emergency Management and Utilities Committee was a total ban on polystyrene containers and a fee on disposable bags, be they plastic or paper.

The hearing served as a coming out party for the proposed regulations, which were floated by Mayor Greg Nickels in April. If enacted, the new regulations would ban not-so-green food containers -- from polystyrene to-go boxes to plastic sauce cups and forks -- and would assess a 20-cent-per-bag "green fee" on shopping bags.

Since its unveiling, the proposal has been received alternatively as a bold step toward a sustainable Seattle or an attack on Seattle's poor and middle-class residents.

Many store owners said they've already seen decreases in the number of disposable bags used. Others said a per-bag fee would create problems at the checkout line, and suggested instead that the city could mandate a flat, per-trip fee for each shopper using disposable bags.

"We should have a simple up-front fee," said Joe Gilliam of the Northwest Grocery Association. "I think this could work, and that we could get behind you."

The proposed regulations would begin to be phased in Jan. 1, when the bag fee and foam container ban would go into effect. The plastic container ban would be implemented in July 2010.

For every 20-cent bag fee collected by Seattle, most stores would be allowed to keep 5 cents to cover administrative costs and taxes. Stores pulling in annual gross revenue of less than $1 million would be able to keep the entire 20 cents.

Seattle Public Utilities estimates that the grocery bag fees would generate about $10 million a year. According to the city, that money would be used to enforce the new rules and support expanded waste-prevention programs.

Council members on the environment panel will take up the proposals at a July 22 meeting, when they may vote whether to move the regulations to the full council for a vote.

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