Well, at less than $0.026 each (2.6 cents apiece, in today's depressed dollar - surely much cheaper in bulk from or within China) I wonder if it's really going to make much of an impact unless it becomes socially unacceptable to be seen with them. Even if you get a lot of food, you're paying less than a quarter. Although an unintended side effect is since they are paying for it, customers will complain when the bags fail, and when cashiers double bag items. I expect there's going to be some interesting outcomes. I wouldn't mind seeing it happen here, but where should we stop? Plastic bags are an example of some environmental cost that we are oblivious too as it's long been considered overhead. Could we also see in the distant future being charged for other overhead items that impact the environment and energy usage? As we move about the store, lights come on where we're at and a little meter ticks away on the shopping cart, which also measure how long we've kept the freezer door open getting things out. Stores would hate that, since they do everything they can to keep people in the store browsing. -Adam On 1/9/08, Mike Hord wrote: > CHINA passes us, for crying out loud! > > http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/01/09/asia/plastic.php > > FWIW, I haven't taken a bag away from a retail store more > than twice in the last 18 months, INCLUDING bags for > produce and bulk pack, scoop-your-own goods. It isn't that > hard, my bags NEVER rip and dump my groceries in the > snow, and it feels good to contribute. > > The hardest part is getting that pre-programmed > checker-bot behind the till not to just dump stuff into the > bag... > > Mike H. > > PS, yes, I know, on the whole it's a tiny thing for China to > do, but still... > -- > http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive > View/change your membership options at > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist > -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Moving in southeast Michigan? Buy my house: http://ubasics.com/house/ Interested in electronics? Check out the projects at http://ubasics.com Building your own house? Check out http://ubasics.com/home/ -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist