Sunday, January 31, 2010

Skip the Bag, Bring a Tote

For the last few years I thought I was ahead of the "being green" curve by using my once only-for-the-beach-and-weekends-away Bean Boat & Tote for general use around the city.


It made sense: when not in the car and running errands there's certain stuff you need that just won't fit in the pockets: iPod (when not in use), Nalgene, reading material, work stuff I'd carry around with no real intention of getting to it on the weekend. Then there was the opportunity to skip the bag and just load it all into the tote.


Now the rest of DC will be right along with me.

As of January 1, a $.05 tax will be added to your purchase if you need a disposable bag. If the store offers you a discount for bring your own bag (i.e. Trader Joe's) the business keeps a few pennies. The rest of the tax goes to the Anacostia River Protection Fund.

I'm not one that usually endorses additional taxes, but one that encourages the use of a Bean Tote AND protects our natural waterways, is one to support.


Image Credit: green.dc.gov
Posted by at 2:52 PM
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13 comments:

  1. I'm not a fan of new taxes either, but I can dig this.
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  2. BIG fan of them also... and good for DC in this case! They are classic.
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  3. That first picture looks like nothing more than a glorified man-bag.
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  4. JRS: This is good government in action. See a problem - 40% of the anacostia's pollution is plastic bags. Pin point the problem: how do we stop using plastic bags. Solution: stop using the bags, the bags are less likely to pollute the river and the money raise goes DIRECTLY back to the river to clean it up. Don't want to pay the tax, fine, bring your own bag.

    BJP: American Classic. American.

    Anon: I guess your right and I'm fine with that. Instead of bulging pockets and full hands, I have the shit I need to get through a of running errands by foot and not using additional bags.

    Man-bag? So be it.
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  5. Monogrammed Bean tote is for girls.

    Wouldn't be caught dead carrying one around town.
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  6. Anon (11:43): Yadda, Yadda, Yadda...
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  7. Oh I am completely embarrassed on the rare occassion that I forget my green bag for shopping. And, if I were to ever bury a time capsule it would most def have to include a monogrammed Bean tote...XXOO
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  8. Allie: Great point - a bean tote and boots should be in a time capsule. Welcome home, btw!
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  9. This comment has been removed by the author.
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  10. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/01/AR2010020103217.html
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  11. I still don't understand why I have to pay for paper bags, if the problem in the river is plastic. I've decided that every bag DC makes me buy I will throw directly into the river.
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  12. What size Bean totes do you have? Looking into getting a hunting one for my birthday.
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  13. Anon 1:41 - For day to day use, large is great. I like the hunting totes for groceries/errands because they are rubber lined and can be hosed out if somethign spills. For overnight use, the XL is the way to go.
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