reusable_grocery_bags.jpg
A survey of customers and businesses in the two cities, where plastic bags are banned, shows most people are bringing reusable bags to the store more often. (AP Photo/file)

Survey finds support for Seattle's plastic bag ban

BY Tim Haeck  on December 19, 2012 @ 1:26 pm (Updated: 1:58 pm - 12/19/12 )

A group pushing for a statewide ban on plastic bags says new laws in Seattle and Bellingham are changing attitudes.

A survey of customers and businesses in the two cities, where plastic bags are banned, shows most people are bringing reusable bags to the store more often.

"Today, there's about two-thirds of folks going into grocery stores bringing their own bags," said Robb Krehbiel, with Environment Washington, adding "there's also a significant amount of people not even using bags at all."

The group claims that 76 percent of Seattle businesses and 85 percent of Bellingham businesses saw an increase in reusable bag use after the bag ban was implemented.

Environment Washington hopes Shoreline, Anacortes and Thurston County will follow the lead of Seattle, Bellingham and five other Washington cities that have banned plastic bags in retail stores.

Tim Haeck, KIRO Radio Reporter
Tim Haeck is a news reporter with KIRO Radio. While Tim is one of our go-to, no-nonsense reporters, he also has a sensationally dry sense of humor and it will surprise some to learn he is a weekend warrior.
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Comments (19)


  • Add A Comment

  • murr wrote...
    Ya Ya Ya follow the lead of Seattle.
    December 19, 2012 2:29 pm
    Then it will be the blind leading the blind. Have a toke while you are at it, but dont forget to switch seats before a citizen see's you.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • SeattleNative wrote...
    I intentionally avoid shopping for groceries in Seattle and Edmonds...
    December 19, 2012 2:31 pm
    ...and instead buy my groceries in Shoreline because I reuse the plastic shopping bags on a daily basis. And I know others who do the same.

    Shoreline, you have a competitive advantage. Don't lose it.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • irony wrote...
    me tooo.
    December 19, 2012 3:54 pm
    i'm not carrying 10 cloth bags around the store just in case i need them, or 20 in my car for the time i'm going make a large purchase.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • AM Jacker wrote...
    I can't get enough plastic shopping bags...
    December 19, 2012 2:50 pm
    I use them for trash bags, cat litter disposal,car garbage bags and I have ship packages every week always placing the contents into a bag in-case the box gets wet. Only shop in Shoreline so I don't have to buy multiple types of plastic bags.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • irony wrote...
    love the idea
    December 19, 2012 3:53 pm
    been doing the same
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • lemmelone wrote...
    Great......or not?
    December 19, 2012 2:59 pm
    Huh. Well, I like my plastic bags as my family reuses and repurposes them at home. Also, you all might want to look up the studies done on the grocery totes. Lots of bacteria in many of them, busy mixing it up with your produce and such. The same studies found no such issue in the plastic bags. I like paper, too, but they aren't as useful once you get home.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • monkeyal wrote...
    Out of town visitors
    December 19, 2012 3:17 pm
    should continue to bring in plastic reuseable grocery bags into Seattle for all their friends. They are so light in weight and it is great to have hundreds of them in storage and be able to use them in Seattle and make sure that the city gets their fair share of them after usage. Wink wink!!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Hakuzen wrote...
    "You can get used to anything.."
    December 19, 2012 3:58 pm
    What a BS story. It is proven that re-usable bags are germ-infested sickness machines, I will never, EVER, use them. I'm guessing most people who do use them are the same dirt-bags that never wash their hands and never cover their mouth when they cough in public. No thanks. I will continue to shop in cities that ignore this dumb movement, and my final thought to you all is look up Pen & Teller's BS (On showtime) episode on RECYCLING. There is a dirty little secret out there that the hippies do not want you to know about.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • kato1967 wrote...
    I'll be sure to use extra
    December 19, 2012 3:52 pm
    plastic bags to make up for the idiocy in Seattle and elsewhere.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • irony wrote...
    people are buying less
    December 19, 2012 3:53 pm
    i buy outside of the city. i don't like paper as it rips, and i'm not wasting tons of time hauling around 10 cloth bags just in case i might need them all. AND i'm not spending my evenings washing them out so they don't get mold.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • shark75 wrote...
    Of course they change behavior
    December 19, 2012 3:56 pm
    You need something to carry your stuff out with and if you forget its a huge inconvenience. Thanks A*-holes. Plastic bags have many uses, including strangling plastic bag nazis
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • montanarose wrote...
    they forget one thing..
    December 19, 2012 4:00 pm
    That study did not factor in those shopping elsewhere. Me for one. Such a stupid statement, there was an increase in reusable bags after the ban took affect. Well duh, folks had no choice. What a sad little commie country we are becoming. If they had there way we all live in cement cells and wear sackcloth. After all they know what's best, so shut up and smile comrade.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    Stupid Story for STUPID People
    December 19, 2012 4:55 pm
    You can get used to anything...Yep and thats exactly what your Democrat leaders want. Just do what we say and do not restist. You're all too stupid to make these super important decisions your self. Mommy & Daddy BIG Government will tell you whats best for you....What a bunch of mindless SHEEP!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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