Bags get sacked

Why doesn't he offer a .25 discount to people that bring their own bags, plastic or cloth? Sort of like an incentive rather than a punishment...That seems like it would be more effective.

Good for him! One of the bagboys at my grocery store used to ask, "Chemicals or trees?" as opposed to "paper or plastic" and it got me thinking. Now I have bags that I take back and forth to the market with me. They cost me .99 initially, but they last and last.

Charging for plastic bags will be more accepted sooner that you think. Australian law mandates a 39 cent per bag charge. Our local grocery store offers a 5 cent per bag discount if you bring your own bag.

Attorney Joan Ferraro: quit whining!

When I began reading the article I wondered why he didn't just change to paper bags, like my local fruit store does. But the more I think about it, I applaud him for his stand. I can't stand the plastic bags, especially the ones that end up on my lawn because of some lazy passerby. Discounts for those who do bring their own bags has less of an impact on those who don't than charging them does. Really, is it so hard to bring your own bag? The lawyer sounds like someone who likes to hear herself complain. Isn't that what lawyers are, paid complainers.

GOOD FOR HIM,he should charge more. I am from Germany, every store charges for bags and guess what? You hardly see anyone going into a store without them. I bring my own canvas bags to the grocery store the added benefit is I can carry more stuff home in one bag versus 10 flimsy plasti bags that cut off circulation in my hands. I also have a small bag in my purse, made of polyester or so, it folds really small but I always have it handy regardless of where I shop. Wake up people, plastic bags are unnessesary, stop showing your ignorance by running around with plastic bags. GET WITH IT ALREADY!

Smug reporting; cliched and none too clever. Get a canvas tote bag Rexie W. Maybe with the Tribune logo stenciled on it.
And good for Henry!

Wherever I've been to in Europe, including Germany and Norway, people bring their own bags. And the bags at the shop are priced steeper than 25 cents for four.

Way to go...

Good idea, Henry! I think we are going to see this more often around Chicago. The other day I went to Ikea and had a basket full of small items. The cashier asked me if I would like to buy a bag for 5 cents. Well, of course, I did. Next time I will bring my canvas bag I usually carry.

I buy from Henry, and others at the Evanston farmer's market every week, and always have my own basket. It is no big deal, not at all.....
I do not know why that lawyer made such a fuss! What a fool to put it in writing, which is something especially a lawyer should know not to do. I wonder if she yells at the cashiers at Costco?? No bags THERE either!

Typical of the holier than thou Chi-Chi crowd. As long as I can posture about organic and saving the earth and being so very pure it's O.K. But should I actually have to think my earth friendly posturing through, I will opt out for convenience ALWAYS.

This is the same crowd that according to Toyota research buys the Prius NOT FOR the decreace in pollution BUT FOR WHAT IT SAYS ABOUT ME>

So better to posture as if you care and live in ones smuggness.

I've been purchasing cloth type bags as souveniers instead of vacation t-shirts for the last five years. They fold up nicely, don't tear, get dropped into the laundry and remind me of vacation fun. Seriously, how many of us really wear the vacation t-shirts anyway.

Two years ago I had to literally stop the baggers at the grocery - NO I don't want to put the plastic bag IN the cloth bag; put it all in there!

My last vacation/biz trip to Halafax included a trip to a highly recommended grocery akin to Whole Foods and for a couple of bucks I pick up their cloth bag to use.

One word of caution - figure out how you like to carry it. I'm a fan of over the shoulder and need straps that will work for that otherwise you're carrying it in your hand which can be a challenge if you need your hands for bus card or car keys.

Good for him. It's not terribly difficult to carry a tote bag around with you--I have one in my purse that zips into its own little case. It's always there when I need it and I don't have to recycle all those plastic bags anymore.

When I visited Germany a few years
back I noticed how people carry
baskets when they shop.Makes sense
to me.Actually people all over Europe
use baskets or cloth bags.Another
thing you see is the trash cans on
the street.It has different sections
for paper,cans and glass.And yes
people use them.

Good for Henry. I no longer take plastic bags, I keep a set of reuseable bags in my car. People need to quit whining.

This guy is my hero!

Forget about the bag issue for a second.

Does anyone see the irony that a farmer concerned about the environment runs his tractors on reclaimed cooking oil and grease?

If he were a true "humanitarian" shouldn't he be boycotting the use of the cooking grease since fried foods are bad for us?

All said a bit tongue in cheek because this really isn't a newsworthy story in the first place.

BTW, think of all the dog owners who recycle their plastic baggies for picking up da poop. ;-)

This is news? I guess no one has ever been to an Aldi store.

Finally a published article worth actually reading.

I applaude Henry for taking a stand and sticking with it. Though change can be difficult for most, switching from a paper thin plastic bag that have the tendency for the bottom fall out when filled half way to a canvas tote from your favorite store or town or museum is really not going to upset the balance in anyone's life.

I keep a few in the seat back pocket in the car, and find pride in using and reusing them time and time again. Whole Foods dropping plastic bags was a great enviromental effort as well as a lucritive option for them to start selling bags.

I enjoy the comment about Toyota and the Prius population. I use the reusable totes, not because I want to avoid paying for bags at the grocery or other stores, but instead because I wish to ensure that generations to come can enjoy the natural outdoors as they are now, not as they could end up being as landfills and trash heaps.

Seriously, just use a reuseable tote, don't be so darn selfish let alone ingorant.

How ironic for a lawyer (Joan Ferraro) to complain how it isn't the farmers place to "punish" people as an incentive. Isn't the whole point of the legal system to provide punishment as an incentive to do that which has been judged "correct?"

Pops wrote:

This is news? I guess no one has ever been to an Aldi store.

Yeah, except what you pay for that guys stuff you get an entire cart from Aldi.