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Plastic Shopping Survey SurveyMonkey

Q1 Check the that best describes where you live.

Answered: 265 Skipped: 0

Bucoda

Lacey

Olympia

Rainier

Rochester

Tenino

Tumwater 265

Yelm

Unincorporate d Thurston County I do not live in Thurston County

0 60 120 180 240 300

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Q2 Please rate the following statements:

Answered: 261 Skipped: 4

Strongly Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly N/A Total Average Agree Disagree Rating

I always 45.31% 28.91% 12.89% 9.38% 3.13% 0.39% recycle 116 74 33 24 8 1 256 1.96 my plastic grocery .

I am 54.86% 29.57% 9.34% 3.11% 3.11% 0% concerned 141 76 24 8 8 0 257 1.70 about the amount of and trash plastic bags create.

I always 17.83% 35.27% 24.03% 12.79% 10.08% 0% use 46 91 62 33 26 0 258 2.62 reusable bags when I shop.

Making 33.73% 29.32% 21.69% 4.82% 9.24% 1.20% plastic 84 73 54 12 23 3 249 2.26 bags uses too many resources.

I always 62.07% 28.74% 5.75% 2.68% 0% 0.77% my 162 75 15 7 0 2 261 1.49 plastic bags for other purposes, like picking up pet or lining my trash can.

I am 57.14% 24.32% 9.65% 4.25% 3.86% 0.77% concerned 148 63 25 11 10 2 259 1.72 about marine animals and birds being injured or killed by plastic bags.

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Q3 Are plastic bags recyclable in your curbside recycle cart?

Answered: 260 Skipped: 5

Yes

No

I don't know

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Answer Choices Responses

Yes 13.08% 34

No 61.92% 161

I don't know 25% 65

Total 260

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Q4 The average American uses 350- 500 plastic shopping bags each year. How many of these actually get recycled?

Answered: 256 Skipped: 9

5%

35%

65%

95%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Answer Choices Responses

5% 62.89% 161

35% 26.17% 67

65% 5.86% 15

95% 5.08% 13

Total 256

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Q5 Would you support an ordinance in Thurston County that bans plastic "check-out" bags in retail stores and allows stores to charge a fee for bags?

Answered: 262 Skipped: 3

Yes

No

Maybe - I need more information

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Answer Choices Responses

Yes 45.04% 118

No 26.72% 70

Maybe - I need more information 28.24% 74

Total 262

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Q6 We would like to know your thoughts about use in Thurston County! (ex: What do you like about plastic bags? How can we increase bag ? What are some arguments for or against a ban on plastic bags?)

Answered: 124 Skipped: 141

# Responses Date

1 I like to use plastic bags for garbage-yard waste. 10/5/2012 3:17 PM

2 Offer it curbside. 10/5/2012 9:32 AM

3 Reusable shopping bags breed bacteria leading to food poisoning. I find the plastic bags new are safer for 9/29/2012 5:24 PM food carrying. Plastic bags have been made recently more fragile. Tear easier, bottoms not fully sealed, thinner. All in the effort to apease the anti plastic bag people. I do feel for wildlife and the garbage waste on our beaches. I find it very sad people are so lazy they can't be bothered to dispose of bags. I use bags for pet waste, containing garbage to take to can, To keep food from being contaminated from other foods. I am disabled and the plastic bags are easier for me to carry vs. paper bags. I want the choice to use what I view is best for me. Not to be mandated what I have to use and charged on top of that. Fixed income means just that. We can't afford food, power, phone, shelter, transportation, medical care and now another charge is to be added. NO NO NO NO. Leave my plastic bags ALONE.

4 I grew up not using paper or plastic bags at stores in Europe. 40 years ago! What is taking us so long? 9/22/2012 8:11 AM

5 I like reusing them around the house. 9/20/2012 3:34 PM

6 No spell check needed-Examine to Portland ordinance that appears to be quite successful-Plagerism is the 9/20/2012 1:35 PM greatest for of flattery.

7 Provide more information to the public. 9/20/2012 10:57 AM

8 I reuse plastic bags every day of my life - for pet waste, garbage, transporting plants from my garden to 9/20/2012 8:11 AM friends, packing in , and on and on. I would be lost without them. And what about all the grocery items that sweat or leak? Paper bags are a joke in a like that - they break through! I can put a soiled plastic bag in the trash - think of the water, detergent and electricity I would use if I had to wash a "reusable" bag. If a is soiled, I can't even recycle it and must also put it in the trash. What about all the products that are made from recycled plastic bags - what would happen to fleece, other plastic items, etc. Make people aware of the other uses for the plastic bags - and make the recycle bins for these bags more available to the public. Or make a more "recycleable" plastic bag? How much do plastic bags contribute to total waste and litter? I'd even pay a nickle for a PLASTIC BAG!

9 More energy is used to make paper bags then plastic bags. 9/19/2012 1:03 PM

10 Banning plastic bags cannot happen soon enough. 9/18/2012 12:05 PM

11 Offer more places to recycle plastic bags and maybe charge 5 cents per bag?? 9/17/2012 8:26 PM

12 Some people cannot afford, maybe pre-pay for some so that all can have. 9/12/2012 1:47 PM

13 I'd really like to have a ban on plastic bags. 9/11/2012 2:59 PM

14 Make them biodegradeable so thy break down faster/easier. 9/7/2012 4:48 PM

15 The obvious benefit of plastic bags is the convenience. I think most people could be motivated to recycle 9/7/2012 2:56 PM bags by understanding the personal benefits. Alot of people aren't motivated by environmental benefits (GHG reduction, harm to animals/birds, less litter) and don't care as long as they don't perceive to be inconvenienced. People need to understand the direct financial benefit to our pocketbooks, how the social costs affect our pocketbooks and our local governments' budgets (which also affects our personal finances). People need help connecting the dots back to "what's in it for me?" I think people also need help understanding that reusable bags are inexpensive and as easy to remember to take into the store with you as remembering your purse or ...you make it a habit. Some arguments for the ban could be (1) our addiction to plastic bags further contributes to our dependence on foreign oil and how that impacts the American economy, (2) if we reduced by, say, half the number of plastic bags used in America in a year, how much money would that free up to invest in our economy and jobs? (or other viable comparison), (3) are the far-reaching consequences of our plastic bag addiction worth the amount of time bags are used? (e.g., the 30 or 60 minutes from store to home to recycle or garbage can).

16 They should be banned. 9/4/2012 2:04 PM

17 plastic bags littering the streets and freeways shows just how much of a throw-away society we are. 9/3/2012 9:25 AM Eliminating plastic bags can help change that mentality. Just the texture and feel of a paper bag intuitively tells people how easy it is to reuse or recycle, since we're all pretty used to recycling other paper products.

6 / 12 Plastic Shopping Bag Survey SurveyMonkey 18 I think plastic bags are a waste of resources and that reusable bags should become mandatory or a 8/31/2012 3:37 PM surcharge put on plastic bags to support recycling efforts. I also think they are a danger to marine life and a hazard to the well being of our planet. Credit for reusable bags and charge for plastic or paper would encourage the use of reusable bags. Some may argue that the manufacturers of these bags will suffer however some risk is always involved when change is necessary.

19 Because it recyclable and easy to use! 8/31/2012 10:54 AM

20 Used properly, plastic bags are an efficient item to use, e.g., pet waste and wastepaper baskets. If plastic 8/29/2012 10:45 AM bags could be recycled along with other curbside recyle, that might decrease littering and detrimental exposure to wildlife.

21 Eliminate the plastic holders on beer & pop cans - Please! 8/24/2012 2:54 PM

22 More recycle for bags - curbside 8/22/2012 4:51 PM

23 Good for wet items, take up little space. More places available for plastic bag recycling and advertise thse 8/22/2012 3:31 PM place to make them known.

24 I reuse my plastic grocery bags for garbage bags. I hate the idea of buying garbage bags. It seems wasteful 8/21/2012 1:05 PM to buy something for the purpose of throwing it away. That's why I "reuse" the plastic bags. However, since I have several reusable shopping bags, I guess it is equally wasteful for me to take the plastic grocery bags just to use them as trash bags. Either way they get thrown out. I think it comes down to the garbage bags cost me money and the grocery bags are free to me.

25 If there was a plastic bag ban people would quickly get used to having to bring their own bags to the grocery 8/17/2012 2:43 PM store.

26 I hope that this ban passes and the pro plastic bag lobbyists can't buy this decision. I have been using 8/11/2012 10:01 PM reusable bags for about 2 years now. It took awhile for me to develop the habit to remember them and take them into the store, but now I would rather carry items out by hand then use a plastic bag. As an avid outdoors-woman, I have seen far too many plastic bags around our county lakes, streams and wetlands, street gutters and vegetation. We have a better option now, lets use it. If people had the option of setting out their bags like they do their for recycling they would recycle more. People just don't remember to take them to the grocery store bin to recycle. On the other side, i could see people arguing against a ban because some people are really strapped for cash and paying $1 per reusable bag might seem insane to them.

27 I always reuse my plastic bags. In fact, my friends from a neighboring county save their plastic grocery bags 8/9/2012 11:49 AM for me. I reuse them as garbage liners, but my main use for recycle is for picking up pet waste. And donating them to the dog parks and entrances that have pet bag for people to place plastic bags in. I would not want to see plastic bag banned. A fee maybe, but not a ban.

28 More recycling bins. 8/8/2012 11:06 AM

29 Make options available. 8/8/2012 10:55 AM

30 keep govenment out of my life 8/8/2012 5:24 AM

31 See number 5. 8/7/2012 10:42 PM

32 I support the ban of plastic bags at retail outlets. I am prepared to shop without the use of the "free" plastic 8/2/2012 7:34 AM bags.

33 Make it easier to recycle along with other recycling. 7/28/2012 11:02 AM

34 I carry mesh produce bags & 3 bags in my purse at all times. I am getting better & better at using my 7/27/2012 4:37 PM own bags but it would be very helpful if the checkout person asked everyone if they want/need a bag. Sometimes I get distracted and before I know my "stuff" is bagged up! The worst thing about carrying your own bags is that people have to remember to wash them regularly...clerks shouldn't have to handle icky bags!! What helped me get into the habit was to find the right bags that fit in my purse. That way I always have them with me ( I use the "flip & tumble"bag...they wash up great & I can fit 3 in my purse). The cloth bags handed out by stores to be used didn't work because I didn't have them with me when I needed them!

35 I purchase Costco's can liners for my garbage cans.. .will those be banned too? How about the plastic 6-pack 7/27/2012 10:51 AM binders? Would a plastic bag ban be in effect in "all" stores? If I went to a hardware store and purchased a bunch of nails, or to a corner market and bought a bunch of candy, wouild I need to bring a bag in? I think it's a great idea!

36 I use reusable bags most of the time. Occasionally I intentionally ask for plastic bags to line my waste 7/26/2012 9:03 PM baskets. It makes no sense to buy plastic bags for waste baskets. Paper bags and even boxes used to be used in the stores. I favor going back to this approach.

37 I use and reuse my plastic bags from the store for home, garage, and car many times. When I am through 7/26/2012 8:28 PM with them, I ALWAYS put them in recycle at store. I do NOT like cloth bags, I have had produce and meat leak in them-threw them away, 2nd time I used a cloth bag, the grocer wrapped them in plastic which defeats the purpose of banning plastic. I will continue to use my plastic bags, will NOT support a ban, and will hoard and just bring my own to bag if necessary. I can't help it if others are too lazy to bring theirs back to the store & recycle. I would focus on the plastic pop/bottled water, and the plastic thing they use to keep the cans together.

38 Just ban them and people will be forced to do it right. the optional method hasn't made a big enough dent. 7/26/2012 5:30 PM It's not just that they are not aware, they either don't care of are too lazy. A ban is truly the only way to make the impact we must. thank you!

7 / 12 Plastic Shopping Bag Survey SurveyMonkey 39 Create a program for recycling plastic bags from home, such as an option to set them out on glass day. 7/26/2012 4:31 PM

40 An option for setting out plastic bags with recycling (maybe a small bin picked up on glass day) would be 7/26/2012 4:23 PM great. Currently we save any we get to take to the recycling center every couple of months, and if we forget our reusable bags (which is quite often with three kids in tow!) we ask for paper (since that is easy to recycle).

41 I like plastic bags. It seems a lot of folks do not/will not take responsibility for theirs. I wish they would. A few 7/26/2012 10:56 AM spoil it for the many.

42 I reuse them for other purposes, like pet waste. If they were recyclable in the recycle can I think more would 7/26/2012 1:47 AM be recycled. Look at recycling in general, before curbside recycling how much got recycled compared to after?

43 I try to take my cloth bags, but when in a hurry, I forget and will ask for paper when checking out put. . It 7/25/2012 6:31 PM would be nice to have paper available for the food we are buying to put the items before checking out.

44 more access to recycle locations 7/25/2012 2:18 PM

45 I would support banning plastic if there was no charge for paper...why should the public be fined for banning 7/25/2012 9:55 AM plastic? Please get more info out on recycling the plasatic bags...I thought I could only return them to stores with bag bins by the doors.

46 I like to reuse plasic bags for food trash liners, but would prefer a stronger decompostable liner. We should 7/24/2012 10:47 AM eliminate plastic in grocery stores and charge a fee for paper (another wasted resource). That will force people to take responsibility for their actions and encourage them to remember to bring their own shopping bags.

47 I use and reuse plastic bugs all the time. 7/23/2012 2:09 PM

48 I reuse my plastic bags when I gorget to use my shopping bags. 7/23/2012 10:45 AM

49 Our environment is, on an immeasurable scale, more important than our "right" or "freedom" to produce/use 7/20/2012 8:50 AM certain products. Plastic shopping bags are on the list of such products.

50 I would recycle my plastic bags if I could curbside. I would fully support a ban on plastic bags in Thurston 7/18/2012 1:28 PM County. If bags were banned, I'd like to have alternative bags available for free to those individuals that cannot afford to purchase re-usable bags.

51 Plastic bags are NOT the problem - Careless people are - and you can't regulate them!! It would be nice to be 7/15/2012 5:04 PM able to put torn plastic bags in the recycle bin but we repurpose all good bags. Banning plastic bags will not keep plastic from harming animals - they will still be exposed to dirty Pampers, and other plastic products. Will there also be a ban on plastic and red Solo cups ??? Mfg. of plastic bags employs people! And a final thought - there are some stores that provide plastic bags that are bio-degradable!!!

52 simply offer recycling in the normal recycle cart or curbside in a separate instead of another 7/15/2012 3:10 PM ridiculous ordinance

53 I'd like to see equipment developed that would allow the recycling of plastic bags, as long as we have to deal 7/9/2012 12:18 PM w/them being manufactured in the first place.

54 Arguments for: It could encourage people to use their own reusable bags Argument against: The people who 7/3/2012 1:07 PM would get penalized are people who are already stressed financially/ don't happen to have mental space to focus on bringing their own bag (?) Idea: maybe the plastic bag collection- place in Safeway, etc. could be bigger? That would probably just penalize Safeway though (taking up visual space)...Good questions...To keep the conversation going and get good ideas, this question could be put to students from elementary- high school or college, through essay contests or drawing contests (like "Reflections" contests PTA's used to sponsor). Maybe different groups (conservation, business, government) could be approached to pool money for small prizes. Some of these ideas could be shared through media interviews (goal being: to get everyone thinking about what they CAN do, versus seeing it as an "us versus them" example. Teachers could be encouraged to have students research/ debate/ role play different perspectives.

55 We need curbside plastic bag recycling bins just like we have for newspaper and other . 7/2/2012 10:58 PM

56 Make curb recycling available. I use them for cat litter and bathroom trash liners. Sometimes I forget my 6/28/2012 9:10 AM cloth bags or don't have enough when I go to the store. A ban would be good, or charge for plastic, but not paper.

57 promote the danger of plastics on the enviornment, see the short film "bag it", have Komo4 problem solvers 6/21/2012 10:42 AM do a special on the evening news and promote a youtube link to the film "bag it". curbside recycle would be good. banned plastic bags in stores.

58 We reuse our plastic bags when we walk the dog. Also we line our waste baskets with them. In addition we 6/18/2012 4:21 PM take plastic bags in our luggage when we for dirty or sandy , collecting our aluminum soda cans for recycling. We recycle extra plastic bags at the grocery store.

59 We use the plastic bags as waste basket liners, as shipping "peanuts", etc. 6/17/2012 10:22 PM

60 I like having them for cat litter clean up, but that is somewhat inappropriate and I could easily get along 6/13/2012 2:37 PM without them. Ban away!!!! They are not worth the resources and the garbage they create - we got along fine without them before we had them - they don't hold too many groceries anyway.

61 In support of ban-use of plastic bags increases our reliance on foreign oil and our environment. 6/13/2012 9:22 AM

62 If Thurston county is going to ban plastic bags, I think it would be in the counties intrest to offer several free 6/12/2012 10:56 AM

8 / 12 Plastic Shopping Bag Survey SurveyMonkey recyclable bags initially. 63 PLastic bags are a blight on the environment and the future of our way of life as a community, nation, and 6/11/2012 9:01 PM planet. We can either rid ourselves of plastic bags or choke on them in the near future. It's not always easy for the consumer to reduce the use of these things but if the stores didn't give us the choice,as they do in other countries, I'm sure we would get used to it.

64 people could simply become accustomed to using their own (canvas? etc.?) bags and save a lot of harm to 6/11/2012 3:03 PM innocent fish animals and birds, plus the side of the road looks cleaner and less saturated.

65 I like plastic bags because they are easy and convenient. I own many reusable bags, but unfortunately forget 6/8/2012 10:20 AM to bring them with me into a store. One way to reduce plastic bag usage is to reeducate store clerks on how to bag groceries. I don't know how many times I've in packed my bags with just a couple of items and sometimes only one item in a bag! Educating the public about why the bags are bad news to throw away is probably the best. I appreciate just about every store I shop has a bin to recycle the bags.

66 I try not to throw my plastic bags away I feel guilty!! So I save them in a giant garbage bag and use them for 6/7/2012 10:42 PM other things. I would be ok with using paper but what's the extra fee I just don't want something else to have to pay for I would then just use the reusable bags or go bag less

67 I think having a supply of plastic bags in the house is quite handy. I reuse them to line wastebaskets, pick up 6/7/2012 4:02 PM the pet waste my neighbors leave in my lawn and transporting dirty and shoes. I use reusable canvas grocery bags on occasion and when my stockpile of plastic bags becomes excessive I recycle them at the grocery store. If you want to increase bag recycling, allow them in the curbside bins. If they clog your machine, build a better machine. I am against the ban on plastic bags. If the issue is the bags becoming litter, enforce littering laws. We don't need more laws, we need to enforce the existing ones.

68 I'd support a ban on plastic shopping bags. I don't think the recycle industry deals well with 'em. Use of paper 6/7/2012 2:17 PM bags and personal re-usable shopping bags should be encouraged.

69 Anything that can be done to reduce the use of plastic bags would be very good for our environment. 6/7/2012 12:38 PM

70 I would support a fee for plastic bags, but not banning them all together. They have many reuse purposes. 6/7/2012 10:07 AM Most stores offer a 5 cent credit if you bring your own bag. So why not just charge 5 cents per bag or per $10 (self check outs) When I have too many bags I bring them to the store to recycle. Concerns/Questions: 1) torn bags are usually thrown away - can they be brought to the store to be recycled? 2) Reused bags get dirty and are thought to be less sanitary than fresh bags. 3) Costco and the food co-op don't offer bags at all. Costco uses boxes, for free and the co-ops expect people to bring their own bag, use no bag, or have a space where customers can bring bags to be reused by other customers. 4) It is more appropriate to put some products with a potential to leak liquid in plastic bags rather than paper or cloth.

71 I believe we are not addressing the cleanliness issue when people are bringing their own bags into the 6/7/2012 10:04 AM grocery store. Customers are bringing their own dirty bags that are covered with pet hair into the grocery store and laying them on the where I am putting my groceries--yuck! Checkers are having to handle these filthy bags and then handle my fresh produce. I am against the public bringing in their own bags!

72 Plastic bags are re-used for many purposes not the least of which is to pick up dog poop and many other 6/7/2012 9:04 AM kinds of litter. We always carry a plastic bag while we walk to pick up litter. If we didn't have plastic bags, we wouldn't do that. We re use plastic bags for garbage, storing items, carrying damp or wet items, i.e. flowers, camping gear, baby items, etc. There are TOO MANY uses for reusable plastic bags that I can't name them all. Most of uses require that bags get so dirty they have to be washed and that uses extra water & detergent. Whenever we try to change things we always forget the law of unintended consequences. Banning plastic bags will just result in waste of other resources in the end!

73 We always reuse our plastic bags that we get from retailers. However our newspaper arrives in a plastic bag 6/2/2012 8:05 AM and we don't have a reuse for that and I don't know where to recycle the bags. The Trosper Road Albertsons used to have plastic bag recycling, but that seems to have recently disappeared.

74 A little actual research (as opposed to the feel-good idea that plastic bags MUST be bad) would reveal that 6/1/2012 12:38 PM reusable bags are actually worse for the environment (many are based, harbor germs and must be used over 100 times to break even on the environmental impact of making them) than plastic bags. If store clerks in Thurston County could figure out how to put more than one item in a plastic bag, that would reduce the number of bags I get at the store. Seriously, buy 6 things at ANY grocery store and see how many bags you end up with--it's crazy.

75 Reusables carry food bourne illnesses. Plastics are lighter gauge and use way less energy and raw materials 6/1/2012 10:29 AM than paper. I reuse my bags or I recycle them. You need to educate your customers about plastic bags getting recyled. Getting rid of plastic bags hurts business and won't help the environment. Thank you

76 A ban is just stupid. Hard to enforce,... For example, .. the city of Portland has banned plastic bags from 5/31/2012 4:03 PM grocery stores etc for a little over a year now. Okay,... great... but what about all the other stores and places that use them. Food venders, ... the Goodwill, .. Thrift stores, book stores etc... they're still out there. Sure... grocery stores and places like that are the big producers of the problem...but if it was made easier to recycle them... (like being able to put them in the recycle bin with all the other stuff....) I would be more likely to be more conscientious about what I was doing with them.

77 Increase bag recycling by allowing in recycle bins. Have to currently remember to take them to Safeway or 5/30/2012 11:51 AM Fred Meyer (only places I know of that have place for them). I often forget to put them in the car or take them out. Would be easier to put in a bin. I otherwise use 97 percent of them for pet waste and if didn't have them would have to find another alternative (would not desire to buy bags for that). Sometimes they are flimsy and break though and recycle is only option.

78 Plastic bags are easy to use and are available at the store check out. There needs to be an alternative bag 5/22/2012 1:50 PM

9 / 12 Plastic Shopping Bag Survey SurveyMonkey that the store provides, if plastic cannot be used. I recylce over 95% of the plastic bags that I receive. When I shop, I would need 10 or more reusable bags. This is not practible and what happens if I purchase more than will fit in the bags that I bring? I would not want to be forced in buying additional reusable bags. 79 Let's face it, people take the path of least resistance. Curbside pick-up for plastic bags would make it more 5/21/2012 1:23 PM convient for the average customer to recycle their bags. I do support a ban on plastic bag use! It's too easy to forget your reusable bags when there's the easy alternative of plastic bags. Businesses can always have paper bags or recycled boxes (think Costco) available for folks without reuseable bags.

80 We all forget our bags sometimes, so plastic bags are convenient, but the cost to the environment is too 5/21/2012 9:08 AM high. So lets ban them and we will have to remember our bags or pay something to have the store provide papper bags.

81 I only get plastic when I forget to bring in my own shopping bags. If I take home I recycle and use some for 5/19/2012 5:06 PM pet waste. I would not know what bags would be used for produce. I have my own I use, but never enough for all the produce I buy. Wet items seem like they would be difficult to not have in plastic.

82 I worry about a backlash about banning plastic bags, although I think it would be a good idea. Perhaps 5/18/2012 7:52 AM charging at the store an amount for new bags that would encourage bringing own bags would be less difficult.

83 I don't like plastic bags but I don't prefer using cut down trees for paper bags either. The tough thing about 5/16/2012 10:32 PM banning plastic bags is the handles on paper ones are not usually equal to the strength of plastic bags. Thank you for the idea - I'd love to know more!

84 I don't like plastic bags and try not use them. I always recycle any plastic bags that I get. 5/16/2012 7:15 PM

85 None of my plastic bags goes directly into the trash. I reuse them for many things: dog poop, waste basket 5/16/2012 6:10 PM liners, to carry my lunch to work, as trash bags in my car, to store things at home, etc. My lunch bag gets reused repeatedly until it falls apart. If I use my reusable bags for grocery or other shopping too often, I don't have enough plastic bags to reuse.

86 recycling bags at the curb would be nice...... I like the stores that give a .05 credit for bring your own bags. 5/16/2012 11:12 AM

87 Occasionally they are handy when I forget my bags or I underestimate how many bags are needed. But, I 5/15/2012 8:25 PM would be just as happy with paper or I try to get away with no bag at all.

88 Other than the fact that I would continually have to run back out to my car to get the reusable bag that I had 5/15/2012 2:06 PM forgotten to take into the store, I ALWAYS use the self check-out when possible and don't know how the reusable bags work with those.

89 Plastic bags are recycled to make decking or other products. Paper bags can be recycled into new paper 5/15/2012 11:44 AM bags. Also can be placed in the yard waste bin to be transformed into fertilizer. Hawaii's Kauai has implemented a requirement preventing plastic bag use and the stores, etc. appear to be adapting well. (Except Walmart which has turned it into a profit making exercise.) Hilo Hattie's uses plastic like bags which are biodegradable and can be placed in the garbage (after being reused a couple of times). I think a greater issue is plastic water . We are teaching a whole generation of kids to drink only from single use plastic water bottles and to shun drinking fountains and kitchen sinks for water.

90 The only thing I like about them is that I can reuse some of them in garbage cans. I alway use canvas bags 5/15/2012 9:43 AM for shopping.

91 At grocery try not to give out the bag or charge them. Encourage them to bring recyclable bags. Actually I 5/15/2012 9:09 AM don't need to deduct 5 cent each bag i bring. Try to charge 5 cent or more to encourage them to bring their own bags. My hubby always use plastic bags and he refused to use recycle bags ;-/ I think its dpened on individual some people aren't care and some are do.

92 I just think they are wasteful but there are times I forget my reusable and end up with plastic. If I could 5/15/2012 8:11 AM recycle them at home that would be very helpful.

93 I don't like plastic bags at all except that I can use them to line my garbage can sometimes. Having curbside 5/15/2012 7:56 AM recycling would help. I'm on the fence right now about bans and wish there were a better way to encourage retailers to find other methods to package purchases.

94 I use my plastic bags for all household needs, from storage to delivering things from one place to another. I 5/15/2012 7:04 AM recycle the ones I DON'T use at Fred Meyer regularly. I do NOT like or use reusable cloth bags. The first time I used one, my meat had leaked in the bag and I had to toss it. I can't imagine the bag itself breaks down any better in a and may be worse. I went back back to plastic and will continue to use plastic, will NOT support a plastic ban. My extended family uses them as well.

95 Lets get rid of them! Having the capital of Washington become a plastic bag free town will help our green 5/15/2012 12:49 AM reputation. I'm proud to live in WA and have been working at home for a cloth company for the last 2 years. We are a very eco conscious family as are most of my friends. I think this idea would go over smoothly in our county. I did not realize bags were recyclable. I would suggest a plastic bag ban week and advertising on the bridge on capital... With a reminder to recycle plastic bags,!

96 Plastic bags are a problem, and it would seem that we could work harder to recycle them--but my concern is 5/14/2012 11:31 PM all the freezer bags, and all of the plastic rings on 6 packs, and the prepared foods. Why can't manufacturers come up with something that won't fill the land fills and create a real problem for our habitat? 1

97 We MUST save our planet! We can do much better than we are doing, and banning use of plastic bags is 5/14/2012 11:05 PM only a tiny effort. We can do this!

98 We use them for disposal of kitty litter and lining garbage cans. We prefer reusable bags for groceries. 5/14/2012 9:46 PM Charging for a bag would remind us to use our own bags. Aren't paper bgs a waste of resources also? 10 / 12 Plastic Shopping Bag Survey SurveyMonkey "They" used to say to use plastic rather than . We are for Reduce Reuse Recycle and let's minimize waste. 99 It would be great if we banned plastic bag! I have been using my own bags for groceries even before it 5/14/2012 8:59 PM became a popular thing to do. I am very concerned about how much plastic is being produced in our society.. and long-term health effects as well as impacts to fish and wildlife; for example, the Great Garbage Patch in the Pacific Ocean. Educate kids about the impacts of plastic and reusing bags.. give incentives for those that bring in their own bags..

100 Reverse the process, in other words charge for plastic bags at the checkout instead of a credit for reuseable. 5/14/2012 8:47 PM The charge could be $.25 per bag. Melodie

101 Allow the bags to be placed in recycling bins! It would be 100% easier to recycle. I would support a bag ban 5/14/2012 8:47 PM but I'm not sure charging extra for paper would fly- food is so expensive as it is. Make bags available to purchase cheap at every grocer.

102 I would like to see plastic bag usage decrease drastically. I would choose my canvas bags over paper and 5/14/2012 6:24 PM paper over plastic. Recycling is hard because stores like Fred Meyer only want their bags back where Best Buy takes everything. Plastic bags that are of plastic that can recycled more than one time is preferable.

103 If the plastic bags are biodegradeable I would support there use 5/14/2012 4:23 PM

104 Paper bags with handle would be necessary. Charging for plastic bags would be ok. I know sometimes I go to 5/14/2012 3:53 PM the store for just a few items and end up with a ton of bags. store seems to give you more than you need. I'd LOVE to be able to use my curbside recycling. I would recycle 100% of my bags.

105 I use ALL of my plastic bags for picking up dog waste; which I feel is also important for the environment. If I 5/14/2012 3:13 PM have to buy bags I will be less likely to perform this job.

106 People should bring their own grocery bags with them to the market. We do. 5/14/2012 2:46 PM

107 I willuse plastic bags for some things like meat that might contaminate other things, and for fruit and veggies 5/14/2012 11:47 AM and gooey bakery atuff, but we always use them over to line our kitchen compost

108 I would like the curbside recycling to pick up the plastic bags, even if it's in a separate container. Plastic bags 5/14/2012 11:32 AM are handy and easy to use, but we can do without them. The negatives of plastic bags FAR outweigh the benefits.

109 Poorly written questionaire. 5/14/2012 11:21 AM

110 I support a ban on plastic grocery bags. However, I do not support the stores charging for paper bags. In my 5/14/2012 10:59 AM opinion, that's the cost of doing business. Maybe the stores' executives could accept only a $1 million raise per year instead of more...

111 Change human behavior now: start charging for use of plastic bags: 25 cents each. 5/14/2012 10:48 AM

112 Offer recycling of these bags just as we do other recyclables 5/14/2012 10:23 AM

113 Curbside recycling would be GREAT! Also having more locations in grocery stores could help. 5/14/2012 10:15 AM

114 I think that curbside recycling would greatly increase the amount of recycling of plastic bags. 5/9/2012 1:51 PM

115 Seems checkers are encouraged to put only a few same type items in one bag. 5/8/2012 2:51 PM

116 There are no valid arguments against a ban. There are plenty of alternatives to plastic bags. 5/8/2012 11:58 AM

117 I often use cloth bags when shopping, but, when I do get a plastic bag, I reuse/recycle it. I use reuse them by 5/4/2012 10:04 AM using them to pick up pet waste and placing in the trash. For bags that have too many holes in them to reuse, I recycle them at a local grocery store. I feel that I am a responsible plastic bag user, but feel others are not. Because of this, I would like to see a ban on plastic bags. (Even though it means I would have to buy bags for pet waste disposal!)

118 The number of plastic bags used is ASTONISHING! I think there's got to be a better way. Banning their use at 5/3/2012 4:50 PM the check-out stand while charging for the use of paper bags is a great idea: many fewer plastic bags will be used AND shoppers have an incentive to bring their own reusable bags. My grocery store gives me a 5-cent credit for each bag I bring --also a good idea!

119 Plastic bags are great for a multiple of uses. I use them to line my bathroom garbage can, to pick up after 5/3/2012 4:46 PM my animals at home and at the dog parks. There have been times that I have extras which I take to the dog park for other dog owners that do not have anything to use to pick up their animal waste. Plastic bags do have a use in a lot of american households.

120 I like having the bags to reuse for "icky" household waste that has to go in the garbage. (i.e. snotty tissues, 5/3/2012 12:19 PM rags used for really gross cleanups, etc.) I reuse plastic bags at least once, and sometimes more. I take reusable bags with me whenever I can. It helps when the stores have "Did you remember to bring your bags" signs, especially when those are posted in the parking lot. I do not support a plastic bag ban. Bans are not all that effective. See William Rathje's book, "Rubbish" and his research in The Garbage Project.

121 Get your hands off of your tax payers. If you ban the bags then we will just PURCHASE plastic bags for our 5/3/2012 12:04 PM garbage and pet waste. This will in turn increase the manufacturing, shipping and other related items to get these additional bags to the consumer. This will increase fuel consumption (green house gases), energy use to manufacture, etc. I am unsure if the plastic bags can be placed in the recycle container but will happily do so if the service is provided. I do like to reuse the bags for garbage can liners and pet waste and to temporarily hold damp clothing for the wash. I also like to reuse paper bags for storing shredded documents for recycling.

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122 I would like to see more recycling stations for plastic bags. I tend to reuse mine for other purposes, but I 5/3/2012 9:13 AM would recycle them if it was available where I shop.

123 Biodegrable plastic bags would be the way to go. The stores could provide them so people don't have to 5/2/2012 1:47 PM purchase them-if they couldn't afford to. Argument for plastic bags: they are cheap to produce (i don't know if that is true) Everybody else uses them, what's wrong with them?

124 Please institute a ban on plastic bags- another concern I have, being a part time janitor, that I would guess 5/2/2012 9:49 AM that there is a huge amount of plastic bags used in small office trash can liners. What to do about them? Can you pass a law that allows only the use of bags that are biodegradable?

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