Our Frugal Journey

Earlier this week, Washington D.C. gave final approval to a 5-cent fee on all disposable bags — plastic and paper.

Way to go, District of Columbia! As far as I know, D.C. is only the second major city in America to approve an ordinance to ban or tax single-use bags. San Francisco was the first.

In D.C., retailers affected include groceries, drug stores, restaurants and liquor stores. The vote was unanimous.

According to bizjournals.com and ecobags.com:

The collections from the new 5-cent disposable bag fee, to go into effect after a citywide public awareness campaign and free reusable bag distribution to the elderly and low-income families, will flow toward a new cleanup fund for one of the country’s dirtiest rivers. City leaders had estimated up to $3 million to $4 million in the first year, and the food and liquor retailers will keep at least 1 cent of the fee each time it’s charged.

Safeway, which has 16 groceries in the D.C. area, will donate reusable bags to 10,000 low-income families to help jump-start the success of the new law.

The promotion of disposable bag usage is a favorite topic of mine. Click here to read a previous post about my positive experience using reusable bags as well as a proposal in my home state of North Carolina to ban plastic bags on the eco-sensitive Outer Banks.

It’s only a matter of time, in my humble opinion, before cities and states across the country, start banning and/or taxing single-use bags. With most retailers selling reusable bags for 99 cents, it’s a small price to pay for a greener world. And if retailers are smart, they’ll jump on the eco-bandwagon and offer customers perks for using the bags. In my case, I’m actually “paid” to use my string bags. Click here to read about the stores in my area that  offer customers incentives to bring their own bags.

Do any of the stores in your area offer perks for providing your own bags? I’d love to compile a list.