Douchebag of the Week Award

[walkonby]

but i reuse plastic grocery bags from everything to kitty boxes, storage, carrying stuff, holding recycling, dirty gym clothes, camping . . . too many to name.  am i a douchebag?

Kitty Bags

holding recycling, camping

storage, carrying stuff, dirty gym clothes

uhmmm . . . besides being linkin park's biggest fan . . . is there anything you don't know??!!  

thanks for the info.  i'll look into those.

[vansmack]

That's pretty interesting, but what is the worse crime against the environment?  Using a plastic bag that my paper is delivered in twice (once for the delivery and once for the poop scoop) or throwing away that plastic bag after one use and then throwing away a second eco-friendly bag?

You still get a paper newspaper?

[nkotb]

I don't read it...I just toss it immediately into the trash can.

I do still get a real paper.  Keeps me in the local loop better than the web (at least for me).  Plus, I can't live without my morning crossword puzzle, and there's no way I'd print them out from the web to do.

By the way, my post wasn't snarky...just curious from an environmental standpoint.  I always assumed that the dual use was better since it's only one offense.

That's pretty interesting, but what is the worse crime against the environment?  Using a plastic bag that my paper is delivered in twice (once for the delivery and once for the poop scoop) or throwing away that plastic bag after one use and then throwing away a second eco-friendly bag?

You still get a paper newspaper?

[vansmack]

By the way, my post wasn't snarky...just curious from an environmental standpoint.  I always assumed that the dual use was better since it's only one offense.

Yeah, sorry.  The answer is it depends. 

If your newspaper is delivered in an enviromentally friendly bag, by all means use it twice and let it bio-degrade in the landfill with your pet waste.

If your newspaper is delivered in a recyclable bag (for example, in SF a #2 plastic), you're better off recycling it with your blue can recycling (not using it twice if that means that it won't go in the recycling bin, but if it means using it to keep your recyclables, then use it twice).  There should be a number on the bottom of the bag to let you know, then check with your waste company to see what # plastics they recycle.

If your newspaper is not delivered in a recyclable bag or enviromentally friendly bag - write an op-ed to that newspaper encouraging them to get with the program.  It's 2010 for god's sake!

[Venerable Bede]

You're only a douchbag taint if you don't bring your own reusable bags...

darn. . .guess that's me.  i see no reason why i should pay extra for a bag to dump kitty litter in when i can get one for free from, well, an increasingly limited number of places here in ess eff which is why i go to daly city to get my plastic bags from target.

if you are upset about litter, fine the litterers; if you think, however wrongly it may be, that plastic bags are worse than paper bags, then educate the public and provide alternatives first.  course, we all know that neither of those are the real reasons why these taxes and bans are put into place. . . .

<insert vansmack ad hominen "rebuttal">

[walkonby]

perhaps people should just grow their own food and stop this whole silly supermarket thing.  that will show them.

[vansmack]

if you are upset about litter, fine the litterers;

They are.  5 cents a bag.

You and I have been through this before many times so there's no need to rehash it here.  I'm not for paper over plastic or vice versa.  I'm for reusable over all else, and biodegradable where reusable is not feasible (like your kitty litter).

[Herr Professor Doktor Doom]

Vansmack, well said.

I find it interesting how many people see a fundamental difference between littering and throwing something out.    But if it's non-degradable it's as bad for the environment whether it goes to a landfill, or the Pacific Ocean, as if it ends up on your sidewalk.

[godsshoeshine]

i'm trying to wrap my head around how it makes good economic sense to go out of your way to avoid bag charges at a target

[sweetcell]

i'm trying to wrap my head around how it makes good economic sense to go out of your way to avoid bag charges at a target

it's not, it's about proving a point, maaaaaaaaaaan...

[James Ford]

i'm trying to wrap my head around how it makes good economic sense to go out of your way to avoid bag charges at a target

Because driving to a suburban DC Walmart will give you cheaper prices than a DC Target, and you'll also get the bonus of shopping alongside a more diverse population of shoppers in the burbs.

[sweetcell]

I dunno, those soccer moms all sorta look alike...

[godsshoeshine]

but soccer moms go to target

[James Ford]

but soccer moms go to target

and the minorities and blue collar white people go to Walmart...

[godsshoeshine]

thats what i was saying