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Bye Bye Paper and Plastic; Hello BYOB

Bring your own bag is a trend that is gaining steam among legislative bodies, retailers and shoppers.

By Marita Thomas | Updated on April 16, 2008

While the practice of carrying reusable bags on shopping trips has long been common in Europe, it has not caught on with US shoppers. At least not yet. There are signs, however, that, given a little prompting by lawmakers and retailers, Americans might adopt the bring-your-own-bag habit.

Little more than a year ago, San Francisco passed the Plastic Bag Reduction Ordinance. It banned the use of non-recyclable plastic bags by major supermarket and drug chains and other large retailers.

As San Francisco’s board of supervisors predicted, other municipalities have begun taking steps to limit the use of plastic, and, in some cases, paper bags. Seattle’s mayor and city council president, for example, are proposing a law that would require supermarkets, drug stores and convenience stores to place a 20-cent fee on disposable bags – both plastic and paper. The objective is to encourage shoppers to carry reusable bags.

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