Why not offer a place at the store for people to put their old plastic bags for recycling? Of course the best option is for everyone to bring their own reusable bags and stop using paper or plastic, but that would mean folks would have to be prepared before shopping.

No - they should not be charged! We re-use our grocery plastic bags to carry lunches to work, to carry shoes or dirty clothes, to line small garbage cans, etc. Thankfully, I do not live in Seattle. But if I did, this new policy would end up costing me a lot more money as I would have to either pay for the bags when I get my groceries or else buy more plastic garbage bags. Using re-usable bags for your grocery shopping is nice for people who can afford it but if you are penalized monetarily for not doing it you are putting more of a burden on poor people. It should be voluntary and not mandatory.

No - they should not be charged! We re-use our grocery plastic bags to carry lunches to work, to carry shoes or dirty clothes, to line small garbage cans, etc. Thankfully, I do not live in Seattle. But if I did, this new policy would end up costing me a lot more money as I would have to either pay for the bags when I get my groceries or else buy more plastic garbage bags. Using re-usable bags for your grocery shopping is nice for people who can afford it but if you are penalized monetarily for not doing it you are putting more of a burden on poor people. It should be voluntary and not mandatory.

I think it is a great way for consumers to be aware of our environment. I use cloth shopping bags about 50% of the time, but I too use my plastic and paper bags for household uses and need them from time to time. However, I think a greater payout would also help. If they want to charge 20 cents for bags, then give us back 20 cents for re-using; instead of the 5 cents as stated.

Mayor Greg Nickels is concerned about the environment? This is just another way to tax Joe Public. Maybe instead of finding pretty ways to package new taxes on hard working people, Mayor Nickels should look for ways to cut government spending. He could start by paying city government employees a competitive wage instead of the outlandish wages (and benefits) typical for our state. Then he could do his part to see to it that no more voter-rejected initiatives are pushed through by eager government officials at the state level; this has been a problem in Washington State over the past fifteen years, notably with mass transit and stadium referendums. We seceded from England for being taxed without having a political voice, and suddenly we’re in the same situation today. At best, the voters in this state don’t have a voice on if they will be taxed, but how. It’s true for governments too: It’s not how much you make; it’s how much you spend.

I very simply will NOT shop anywhere that i am charged a green fee.

Thanks for the green fee, people will now keep their bags instead of throwing them into the enviroment.
JBG

I don't really care about all the long winded politics of this issue, but if your action or inaction causes me discomfort, or is a drain on my time, ie: Pulling plastic bags from my trees, and landscaping, then you need to be fined, or be made to realize that your behaviour is objectionable.
JBG

All the markets in my area, including WallyWorld, have recycling depots when you walk into the store, and heavy recycling on the lot as well.
JBG

I think this is about as bad as it gets taxing for paper or plastic bags.I am on a fixed income since I became totally dissabled and I for one cannot afford this stupid tax.I have enough problems paying by bills and shopping now.I think this is just another way to get more money from the people who can least afford to pay.

Although I can understand the concept behind Mayor Nichol's "green fee" - I don't see it as very practical. First off I think the twenty cents is too high - even my 16 yr old said start at a reasonable five cents and raise it over the span of a few years. I agree with the fixed income people to some extent - if they were to purchase cloth bags then they wouldn't have the charge each time they go to the store and the cloth will last them a very long time. As a frequent visitor to Seattle I will find it a big inconvenience..... honey, did you remember to pack your socks, swim trunks and shopping bag? I also wonder how fair it is to only put this tax on grocery, drug and convenience stores. I don't like to think of more taxes, but is it fair that not all stores (department etc) charge for bags? If you think about it, the bag coming from the department store is just as ungreen as the local grocery store. I am not sure what the answer to the problem is, but I think that this needs more thought before being putting it into affect.

If the Mayor's plan for charging for grocery bags goes into effect then grocery clerks should be required by law to know how to properly bag groceries. I've lost track of how many times I've gone grocery shopping and the clerk put my groceries into two separate bags when they would have easily gone into one. I have no desire to pay for an extra bag just because some idiot grocery clerk does not know how to properly bag groceries.

One more reason to move out of King County!!!
Greg Nichols would do better to concentrate on hiring and retaining enough police officers to serve and protect the residents of Seattle. If he still had time on his hands and needed another project he could find better ways to provide for our senior citizens in the Seattle area.
Charging for grocery bags - of any kind - is unacceptable for many, many reasons.

Grocers already add the cost of the bags to the cost of the food. If you choose not to use a bag, you should be reimbursed for the bag costs, not fined. The fine is extra cash into the store's pocket.

one case of 1000 bags cost about $14.70 = $0.0147 per bag

Charging $.20 per bag = $200 per 1000 bags

If I stand outside the store and charge 1/2 the price per bag, $0.10, I walk away with a $85.30 profit margin per case of 1000 bags.

If people really wanted to protect the environment they would stop finding ways to rip off the public and start finding ways to reuse what we all ready have.
With this "Green Fee" you are simply taking additional money out of the publics pockets and still looking at the same problem of what to do with the bags.