Jump to content
kerewin21

Motivated by a Tax, Irish Spurn Plastic Bags

 Share

17 posts in this topic

Recommended Posts

DUBLIN — There is something missing from this otherwise typical bustling cityscape. There are taxis and buses. There are hip bars and pollution. Every other person is talking into a cellphone. But there are no plastic shopping bags, the ubiquitous symbol of urban life.

In 2002, Ireland passed a tax on plastic bags; customers who want them must now pay 33 cents per bag at the register. There was an advertising awareness campaign. And then something happened that was bigger than the sum of these parts.

Within weeks, plastic bag use dropped 94 percent. Within a year, nearly everyone had bought reusable cloth bags, keeping them in offices and in the backs of cars. Plastic bags were not outlawed, but carrying them became socially unacceptable — on a par with wearing a fur coat or not cleaning up after one’s dog.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/02/world/eu...p;ex=1202101200

Inlovingmemory-2.gif

October 13, 2005: VISA IN HAND!!!

November 15, 2005 - Arrival at JFK!!!

January 28, 2006 - WEDDING!!!

February 27, 2006 - Sent in AOS

June 23, 2006 - AP approved

June 29, 2006 - EAD approved

June 29, 2006 - Transferred to CSC

October 2006 - 2 year green card received!

July 15, 2008 - Sent in I-751

July 22, 2008 - I-751 NOA

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: Other Timeline

I honestly don't know why more places don't outlaw plastic bags, or at least encourage the use of reusable cloth bags.

If you ask around your local grocery stores, probably more than one will offer you a 5 cent credit for each reusable bag you bring of your own. So if you bring 5 bags, you get 25 cents off your bill. Bring 10, you get 50 cents off. AND, you don't have to worry about the bags breaking before you even get to the trunk of your car, and you can stuff more stuff in them so there's fewer to carry.

Wal-Mart is even starting to sell reusable bags made of recycled materials. I dunno how much they are though, I couldn't find a price tag on any of them when I saw them, and I don't need any so I didn't get one.

If you have an arts n crafts store near you, you can buy blank canvas bags for about $2 or $3 each, which is less than half the price of what grocery stores sell theirs for with their store logo. (our Harris Teeter's here sells their canvas bags for $4.99 er summat) And if you like, you can buy some fabric paints and make your own logos!

If you're in Canada or have family up there, Loblaw's stores sells reusable bags made of recycled materials for 99 cents, (at least they were last year) you could have someone send them to you :yes:

divorced - April 2010 moved back to Ontario May 2010 and surrendered green card

PLEASE DO NOT PRIVATE MESSAGE ME OR EMAIL ME. I HAVE NO IDEA ABOUT CURRENT US IMMIGRATION PROCEDURES!!!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: Other Timeline

More breaking news on consumer protection from the Republic:

"Irish Republic lowers condom tax"

"Condoms in the Irish Republic are among the most expensive in Europe. The price of a packet of condoms in the Irish Republic is set to fall after the government decided to cut the VAT rate on non-oral contraceptives."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7221807.stm

:dancing:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: Country: Pitcairn Islands
Timeline
If the island's a rockin' don't come a knockin'...

:lol: :lol:

Exactly. :devil:

I was pretty proud of myself today. I finally cleaned out my old canvas shopping bags I brought over from Germany and took them shopping today. I forgot how much I liked them. They also helped me not to overspend because I decided not to put the overage in a plastic bag.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Of course, if plastic bags were unacceptable here for shopping, I'd have to start *buying* small plastic bags to use as trash bags.

Bethany (NJ, USA) & Gareth (Scotland, UK)

-----------------------------------------------

01 Nov 2007: N-400 FedEx'd to TSC

05 Nov 2007: NOA-1 Date

28 Dec 2007: Check cashed

05 Jan 2008: NOA-1 Received

02 Feb 2008: Biometrics notice received

23 Feb 2008: Biometrics at Albuquerque ASC

12 Jun 2008: Interview letter received

12 Aug 2008: Interview at Albuquerque DO--PASSED!

15 Aug 2008: Oath Ceremony

-----------------------------------------------

Any information, opinions, etc., given by me are based entirely on personal experience, observations, research common sense, and an insanely accurate memory; and are not in any way meant to constitute (1) legal advice nor (2) the official policies/advice of my employer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Plastic bags are good for the environment. They preserve our ####### in landfills for future generations. :whistle:

yup. Think of them as nesting material for turtles and woodland creatures too. Who are we to deny them waterproof homes?

"The fact that we are here today to debate raising America’s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. Government can’t pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government’s reckless fiscal policies."

Senator Barack Obama
Senate Floor Speech on Public Debt
March 16, 2006



barack-cowboy-hat.jpg
90f.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Russia
Timeline

Sort of a time capsule, huh? Able to be opened up even in a thousand years! :lol:

Plastic bags are good for the environment. They preserve our ####### in landfills for future generations. :whistle:

Jeffery AND Alla.

0 kilometers physically separates us!

K-1 Visa Granted... Wednesday, 21 May 2008

Alla ARRIVED to America... Wednesday, 12 November 2008

russia_a.gif Алла и Джеффри USA_a.gif

AllaAndJeffery.PNG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Go Ireland!

My housemate and I try to use reusable bags. I usually carry a cloth bag folded up in my handbag so if I need to buy something on the way home from work I don't need to use a plastic bag.

The Co-op supermarkets here I believe sell plastic bags that degrade in a matter of days, which is a little better than your standard variety.

One thing, though...what will dog owners do? :P I know my mother uses all her plastic bags for scooping up doggy business.

sharasugar.pngsharanomsugar.png

07/11/2006 - First met

08/22/2008 - K1 Visa in hand

12/27/2008 - Marriage

05/20/2009 - AOS complete

10/06/2011 - ROC complete

04/20/2012 - Annaleah born!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Of course, if plastic bags were unacceptable here for shopping, I'd have to start *buying* small plastic bags to use as trash bags.

I honestly think I have enough plastic bags at this point to last me a few years, so i'm not worried :P

Inlovingmemory-2.gif

October 13, 2005: VISA IN HAND!!!

November 15, 2005 - Arrival at JFK!!!

January 28, 2006 - WEDDING!!!

February 27, 2006 - Sent in AOS

June 23, 2006 - AP approved

June 29, 2006 - EAD approved

June 29, 2006 - Transferred to CSC

October 2006 - 2 year green card received!

July 15, 2008 - Sent in I-751

July 22, 2008 - I-751 NOA

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
- Back to Top -

Important Disclaimer: Please read carefully the Visajourney.com Terms of Service. If you do not agree to the Terms of Service you should not access or view any page (including this page) on VisaJourney.com. Answers and comments provided on Visajourney.com Forums are general information, and are not intended to substitute for informed professional medical, psychiatric, psychological, tax, legal, investment, accounting, or other professional advice. Visajourney.com does not endorse, and expressly disclaims liability for any product, manufacturer, distributor, service or service provider mentioned or any opinion expressed in answers or comments. VisaJourney.com does not condone immigration fraud in any way, shape or manner. VisaJourney.com recommends that if any member or user knows directly of someone involved in fraudulent or illegal activity, that they report such activity directly to the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. You can contact ICE via email at Immigration.Reply@dhs.gov or you can telephone ICE at 1-866-347-2423. All reported threads/posts containing reference to immigration fraud or illegal activities will be removed from this board. If you feel that you have found inappropriate content, please let us know by contacting us here with a url link to that content. Thank you.
×
×
  • Create New...