Failed "No plastic bag" policy

[CGW]

13 minutes ago, Letseng said:

Thai ppl bought their food, fish, meat, coconut milk and other wet or liquid stuff long before the arrival of plastic bags. Why can't they do it now? It is a learning process but in the end they get used to it.

Really, how long have plastic bags been in use? whats the average age of the Thai population?

[FolkGuitar]

19 minutes ago, Thomas J said:

When I was young we use to get paper bags but plastic replaced it because we were destroying trees. 

 

That was the lie the Petrochemical Industry told us... and we, wanting to do the right thing, believed it.

But the facts are otherwise. Trees are, and always have been, a renewable cash crop, just like wheat, corn, and beans. We were never in danger of losing our forests to puplwood.  (We ARE in danger of losing virgin forest and jungle for palm oil plantations that do little for the environment.) For the past 75 years, the Pulpwood Industry has been planting two trees for every one harvested. Pulpwood trees mature in 5-7 years, provide, besides a cash crop, a bio-friendly environmental tool that removes CO2 from the air and pumps back O2. In the US and many European countries, the cutting of trees on government land is strictly regulated, with clear-cutting outlawed many years ago. This was not the case 200 years ago. In the early 1800's the state of Vermont was 85% deforested, and the deer herd population almost extinct. Today 80% is second and third-growth forest, and the deer herd one of the healthiest in the nation.

 

We saw the 'convenience' of plastic bags, thought we were helping the ecology, and thought it to be a win-win situation. We never gave second thought to plastic pollution until fairly recently. And even today, the majority of us have no idea just how bad the situation really is. All we know is that we are being forced away from those convenient plastic bags, and we are reacting like children being deprived of our Christmas candy.

These photos, from National Geographic, might give you some idea. There are these huge floating plastic trash islands in virtually every ocean today, with two of them being larger than some US states! Obviously, not all plastic bags, these islands are made up of all sorts of single-use plastic trash. Getting rid of plastic bags is just one small step in stopping the proliferation of this pollution. Every step helps.

[Max69xl]

On 1/4/2020 at 12:52 PM, 4MyEgo said:

Cloth bags are the best, plastic bags are and will be seen like cigarettes were when they first came out, great, until all the damage was done.

Plastic bags are perfect as trash bags. Maybe you don't have a big enough condo with a kitchen or a house. A couple a week's more and I have to pay for garbage bags for my kitchen bin. It's not very often you see big shopping bags thrown away in ditches etc. 

[sandyf]

5 hours ago, Moonlover said:

What's the difference between a free plastic bag getting into the environment and a purchased plastic bag getting int the environment?

That would be 1 baht if you shop at Tesco.

[LarryLEB]

Well before the ban went into effect, I predicted that some retailers would use the new scenario to cut staffing costs by eliminating those who packed bags for customers.  Sure enough, at our large supermarket (on 2 occasions), no more packing staff ... even though we had brought several bags with us.  

[4MyEgo]

36 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

Plastic bags are perfect as trash bags. Maybe you don't have a big enough condo with a kitchen or a house. A couple a week's more and I have to pay for garbage bags for my kitchen bin. It's not very often you see big shopping bags thrown away in ditches etc. 

Someone earlier in this post suggested biodegradable rubbish bags at Big C, which we will be looking at tomorrow, also found this on the web and I would rather bury them, as opposed to burn them.

 

 https://www.lazada.co.th/products/trash-bags-biodegradable-recycling-degradable-small-garbage-bags-compostable-bags-strong-rubbish-bags-wastebasket-liners-bags-for-kitchen-bathroom-office-car-200-i602474700-s1135048629.html?exlaz=d_1:mm_150050845_51350205_2010350205::12:1498579383!58089999096!!!pla-814718130886!c!814718130886!1135048629!139902692&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4J-tuuD45gIV2yMrCh1LpAVGEAQYBCABEgKwmfD_BwE

[Moonlover]

45 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

Plastic bags are perfect as trash bags. Maybe you don't have a big enough condo with a kitchen or a house. A couple a week's more and I have to pay for garbage bags for my kitchen bin. It's not very often you see big shopping bags thrown away in ditches etc. 

For Condo dwellers I can understand the moan about 'needing plastic bags to take down the trash'. But for a normal household they are not necessary.

 

Our rubbish goes into the peddle bin and when full it's tipped into the garbage bin which has a 90 liter bin bag in it. I take that, twice a week to the community disposal site. I see no point in putting our trash into a plastic bag, only to be put into another plastic bag.

 

So our household plastic bag use is now just 2 X 90 liter bin bags a week and they are unavoidable, but I make sure I buy the biofriendly ones that are now available.

 

As for the peddle bin, Yes, it gets a bit dirty. So what? It's only a peddle bin and it's easily washed.

 

Folks need to start thinking outside the box and stop making mind limiting excuses.

[ukrules]

6 hours ago, newatthis said:

No, they won't. That's not even a decent bottle of wine per night; let alone groceries.

On a yearly basis that's 156k Baht or just over $5k from one person, believe me when I say this - they don't want to lose $5k a year from any customers for any reason ever but they managed to do it.

 

I will consider going back when they copy what Villa is doing.

 

[Samuel Smith]

Packing your own bags means you can't keep an eye on what's ringing up on the till, unless you wait for everything to be scanned.

[scubascuba3]

1 minute ago, Samuel Smith said:

Packing your own bags means you can't keep an eye on what's ringing up on the till, unless you wait for everything to be scanned.

That's true. They are often bad at packing anyway, throw the veg in, heavy objects squashing bread etc

[Dante99]

1 hour ago, Moonlover said:

Folks need to start thinking outside the box and stop making mind limiting excuses.

How about just thinking?

 

20 minutes ago, Samuel Smith said:

Packing your own bags means you can't keep an eye on what's ringing up on the till, unless you wait for everything to be scanned.

Now that is a crisis for sure.

[Ajarnbrian]

My Thai family are happy when I bring 1 dollar multiple use bags from Woolworths Australia. Even more useful now and promotes good habits.

[FolkGuitar]

58 minutes ago, Samuel Smith said:

Packing your own bags means you can't keep an eye on what's ringing up on the till, unless you wait for everything to be scanned.

 

Do you feel that they are all out to cheat you?  Careful eye on the prices being rung up? Double check your change?

[Samuel Smith]

48 minutes ago, Dante99 said:

Now that is a crisis for sure.

Not a crisis for me, but only for those behind me, who have to wait for me to watch my stuff scanned & then for me to pack my bags.

[mrfill]

On 1/4/2020 at 6:05 AM, meand said:

It is not that simple unfortunately, when you take everything into account. The irony here is the traditional plastic bags everyone is trying to get rid of are actually quite effective due to how thin they are. A cotton bag has to be used over 7,000 times to be as environmentally friendly as a single use plastic bag. I doubt most of us would get to 7k. Hard to argue reusing things is bad but i think the answers are more complex than we think. 

 

https://qz.com/1585027/when-it-comes-to-climate-change-cotton-totes-might-be-worse-than-plastic/

How about instead of using expensive and water gobbling cotton, use hemp instead. Low cost, low water use, more resilient and easy to grow almost anywhere. It can be made into bags, paper and rope cheaply.

[Humpy]

I went to a Mini Tesco today and purchased a roll of bin bags, used one for the few things I bought. The bag will be used to line the bin and when full will be collected and dumped by the local Council next to the lake ! T he roll of bags will be kept in the car for next time..... so Tesco have a win win  situation !!! So those of us who dispose of our waste properly have to make do because the knuckle head oxygen thieves couldn't give a toss on how they dispose of their waste.

[Jip99]

It all back-fired on me (and Friendship) today.

 

 

My fault really and I do fully support the no plastic bag policy. Usually, I plan my shopping and take bag/s with me.

 

Today I was walking in Pattaya and thought ‘I will get some pork tenderloin from Friendship’....... while I am there I thought I would buy a couple of cauliflowers, same for broccoli plus a couple of packs of Brussels Sprouts.

 

As I approached Friendship I remembered that they were one the first to give advance warning of a no bag policy from 1 Jan.

 

Before taking a basket I asked the girl if they were issuing bags. “ no bags” she said. I asked what about bags for life....”no have” she replied.

 

That meant that they lost my veg sale. I bought the pork and carried down to the vegetable market on Pattaya Tai where the war on plastic had obviously not yet started.

 

My bad for not planning my purchase better, Friendship’s bad for not supplying an alternative like Big C et al.

[ukrules]

4 hours ago, Jip99 said:

Friendship’s bad for not supplying an alternative like Big C et al

This is the problem which will cost them a lot of money.

[david555]

My both 2 ,7/11 ones on the condo premises  are both no plastic bag's available , so I think it get winning ????

[Don Mega]

On 1/9/2020 at 4:27 PM, ukrules said:

 

I only spend about 4000-6000 per week while shopping so I'm sure Gourmet Market won't miss me too much as a lowly customer with no say in how things work there.

 

 

Thats bout what I spend on meat a week.... it is delivered in a styrofoam box filled with ice.

[billd766]

On 1/7/2020 at 11:21 PM, Trujillo said:

7-Eleven did not even have a bag to sell me. 

 

This will only alienate customers. 

Good for 7/11. It is not that this was sprung overnight as a surprise.

 

If you and others persist in demanding plastic bags and threatening to go elsewhere is that you will run out of places before the shops run out of customers, and then where will you be able to buy essentials like food?

[billd766]

On 1/10/2020 at 11:27 AM, allenberg said:

That's all well and good, but the problem is disposal. If as much energy was expended to correct the disposal problem, rather than banning a perfectly good plastic bag, the disposal problem can be solved.

Design and write up a good working plan and send it Prayuth.

 

Many people complain but do nothing about it, so now is your chance.

[billd766]

On 1/10/2020 at 12:22 PM, Dante99 said:

You really can not figure any of that out?  

I was under the impression that all the farangs in TVF are much smarter than Thais. Judging by the quality of some of the replies on this and other threads, it ain't necessarily so. ????

[billd766]

On 1/10/2020 at 4:34 PM, LarryLEB said:

Well before the ban went into effect, I predicted that some retailers would use the new scenario to cut staffing costs by eliminating those who packed bags for customers.  Sure enough, at our large supermarket (on 2 occasions), no more packing staff ... even though we had brought several bags with us.  

Can you not pack your own bags?

[Jip99]

56 minutes ago, ukrules said:

This is the problem which will cost them a lot of money.

 

Easily corrected - if they think it through.

[ukrules]

2 hours ago, Jip99 said:

Easily corrected - if they think it through.

I walked by Gourmet Market today, they have replaced the 159 Baht 'fancy cotton' bags with a 'bag for life' type bag which is priced at 29 Baht

 

Villa sell theirs for 5 Baht each....

[ukrules]

2 hours ago, Don Mega said:

Thats bout what I spend on meat a week.... it is delivered in a styrofoam box filled with ice.

Interesting, do you order the meat over the internet or buy it locally?

 

I've considered buying higher end steaks and salmon from one of these companies that ship it like you get yours, packed in dry ice and sent overnight but I don't know anyone who uses them and which offer a good service...

[impulse]

On 1/10/2020 at 7:47 AM, Humpy said:

So those of us who dispose of our waste properly have to make do because the knuckle head oxygen thieves couldn't give a toss on how they dispose of their waste.

 

You can be as diligent as you want.  But when it's cheaper to dump it on the side of the road than it is to haul it all the way to a proper waste disposal facility (if there even is one in the area), there will always be contractors who increase their profits by dumping your waste wherever it's cheapest.  Often times that's on the side of the road.

 

[impulse]

On 1/10/2020 at 7:29 AM, mrfill said:

How about instead of using expensive and water gobbling cotton, use hemp instead. Low cost, low water use, more resilient and easy to grow almost anywhere. It can be made into bags, paper and rope cheaply.

 

Is growing or possessing hemp even legal in Thailand?  I know the rules are changing.  But in 2019, it took a special permit to even grow hemp for research purposes.  There's a BKK Post article (9/2/19) about it, which I'm not allowed to link to...

 

[Max69xl]

1 hour ago, impulse said:

 

Is growing or possessing hemp even legal in Thailand?  I know the rules are changing.  But in 2019, it took a special permit to even grow hemp for research purposes.  There's a BKK Post article (9/2/19) about it, which I'm not allowed to link to...

 

Why didn't stores go for biodegradable shopping bags instead? They could have charged 1 baht extra for every bag.