This week, the Wood River High School Environmental Club lost their bid to ban disposable plastic grocery bags in Hailey, Idaho.
The club spent nine months working on the student-led ballot initiative, which also specified that paper bags had to be made of at least 40% post-consumer material and exempted plastic bags for packaging bulk items such as nuts and grains and for wrapping meat, fish, plants, baked goods and medicines.
Hailey Students Try to Ban Plastic Bags
Reusable Grocery Bags Only Option in Ski Towns
The Carbondale, Colorado, Board of Trustees voted 5-1 in favor of a plastic grocery bag ban, rather than adopting a usage fee. The ban takes effect in May 2012 and closely mirrors one passed by neighboring Aspen’s City Council.
For now, the new ordinance applies only to bags provided at grocery stores larger than 3,500 square feet. It prohibits the distribution of plastic shopping bags to customers and imposes a 20-cent fee for each paper bag shoppers opt to use. Currently, there is only one grocery store that exceeds 3,500 square feet in Carbondale.
Nonprofit Reusable Bag Giveaway Winner Announced!
Our reusable bag contest ended on October 14. Nonprofit organizations and school groups posted on our Facebook wall the reasons why they needed 200 reusable bags. Using the power of social media, they then spread the word far and wide to get ‘likes’ for their post.
The winner of our first-ever giveaway is Alpha Phi Omega at San Jose State University, a coed community service-based organization. They plan to use the bags at a dinner to benefit Wild Care Bay Area.
We also had nine other wonderful organizations submit entries.
Nonprofit Reusable Bag Giveaway: Two weeks left!
Our contest isn’t over yet! Join the six great schools and nonprofits already entered to win 200 Drawstring Latitudes Foldaway Shopper bags! Check out these awesome entries (so far!):
Bulletin Bag Staff Reviews: Canvas Grocery Bags
Every week we pick two of our reusable bags and have our staff members put them through the wringer. We’ll comment on the outcomes here (and encourage our clients to do the same!). This week, we’ve chosen two great canvas grocery bags: Full Sized Recycled Cotton Market Bag and Full Size Organic Market Bag. In addition, these two bags are on sale until the end of the month!
We love canvas shopping bags because they are strong, durable, and natural. Canvas reusable bags can be machine washed with regular laundry in cold water. Best of all, our wholesale canvas bags provide the ideal ‘canvas’ for logo printing. Custom shopping bags like these also have high perceived value, making them a great vehicle for your branding.
Win A Reusable Bag Fundraiser!
Hey, Nonprofits and Schools! Tired of fundraisers with low return on investment? Here’s your chance to WIN a reusable bag fundraiser, and the proceeds are 100% yours to keep!
Bulletin Bag [.com] is giving away 200 Drawstring Latitudes Foldaway Shopper bags—printed with YOUR logo–-to the winning school or nonprofit! The suggested sell price is $10 per bag, but the winner ultimately sets the price based on how much they want to earn. If the bags sell for $10 each, the nonprofit could make $2000!
Plastic Bags & Big Tobacco: Switch to Reusable Bags Now!
The August 4 issue of Rolling Stone (of all places!) includes an amazing article by Kitt Doucette about the lack of importance the US places on curbing—nevermind eliminating—single use disposable bags. Did you read it? Are you angry? You should be!
Guinness World Records has named plastic shopping bags as “the most ubiquitous consumer item in the world.” As we’ve been saying for a long time, they are also a leading source of pollution.
But did you know that while the rest of the developed world is fighting to curb or eliminate plastic bag usage, the US plastics industry is doing whatever it takes to defeat anti-bag measures nationwide? Among their tactics: political donations, intensive lobbying, misleading PR campaigns, and lawsuits.
Bulletin Bag Staff Reviews: July 20
Every week we pick two of our reusable bags and have our staff members put them through the wringer. We’ll comment on the outcomes here (and encourage our clients to do the same!). This week, we’ve chosen our Folding Snap Nonwoven Tote and Large Nonwoven Folding Reusable Bag.
These two bags are popular due to their budget-conscious price point and portability. The Folding Snap Nonwoven Tote is a bit smaller (16″w x 14″h x 3-1/2″d) than the Large Nonwoven Folding Reusable Bag (15″w x 18-3/4″h x 7-1/2″d), but that’s where the differences end.
Bulletin Bag Staff Reviews: July 12
Every week we pick two of our reusable bags and have our staff members put them through the wringer. We’ll comment on the outcomes here (and encourage our clients to do the same!). This week, we’ve chosen our best-selling Little Thunder Grocery Tote and Big Thunder Grocery Tote .
We love the “Thunder Totes.” They are by and large our most popular bags due to the quality of the material, durable design and budget-conscious price point. The Little Thunder Grocery Tote , (12”w x 13”h x 8”d), is smaller than the Big Thunder (13”w x 15”h x 10”d), but that’s where the differences end.
The Little Thunder and Big Thunder are made from heavy-duty 100 GSM non-woven polypropylene. Most non-woven polypropylene reusable grocery bags will weigh between 70 and 100 GSM (the larger the number, the higher the density and durability). It’s also worth noting that not all nonwoven polypropylene is the same. While GSM is a measure of density, it’s not a measure of the quality of the polypropylene itself. The Big Thunder and Little Thunder totes use the highest quality, most consistent polypropylene we’ve seen.
A Custom Reusable Bag Contradiction
We, of course, love the idea of everyone never, ever, ever using another plastic shopping bag. We are also realistic, and know that this is one wish that will probably not come true for a long while.
However, if you’re going to try to make the switch to reusable bags for shopping, and you feel the need to broadcast your efforts on a customized tote, make sure you abide by Dr. Seuss’ wise elephant, Horton, and “Say what you mean, and mean what you say!”
Contradicting your shopping bag choice is never eco-cool!
Thanks, Tosh.0 for sharing!
