Bring your own plastic bags to CVS & Target soon and save money!

[RonBoyd]

I look at it like this: would I rather pay $0.16 for a water bottle I can use for a while then toss (or lose), or pay $10+ for a similar functioning Nalgene-type water bottle that I would hate to lose or break (and still have to wash)?

Okay, you've sold me. However, the 16¢ doesn't seem right. Are you accounting for the cost of the water you just dump out? ~95¢ is lowest I have seen for a bottle of water. (In does, in any event, beat purchasing the $10 version.)

 

[FUEGO]

Okay, you've sold me. However, the 16¢ doesn't seem right. Are you accounting for the cost of the water you just dump out? ~95¢ is lowest I have seen for a bottle of water. (In does, in any event, beat purchasing the $10 version.)

I guess if you bought them at the gas station individually, $0.95 seems about right. I have never bought water from a gas station though. We usually get a case from walmart for $3-4 and it has 24-30 bottles of 16.9 fl oz to 20 fl oz. Works out to $0.13-0.17 a bottle usually. Who on this board would pay $0.95 for a bottle of water at a gas station?

 

[Bestwifeever]

Fuego, do you reuse all the bottles in the case you usually buy at Walmart or do most of them end up in recycling?

I have to say I can't remember the last time we bought a case of water. I do occasionally buy a bottle from the gas station while traveling.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Fuego, do you reuse all the bottles in the case you usually buy at Walmart or do most of them end up in recycling?

I have to say I can't remember the last time we bought a case of water. I do occasionally buy a bottle from the gas station while traveling.

 

[FUEGO]

Fuego, do you reuse all the bottles in the case you usually buy at Walmart or do most of them end up in recycling?

Virtually none end up in the recycling since we don't recycle at home*. Almost all end up in the trash eventually though after they are used. DW uses many more than I do. I'd say we probably buy a few cases a year in total. I can't remember the last time we bought a case, probably June??


* I thought the city wanted to charge me for a recycling bin so I have never recycled at the current house, but I just called and persuaded them to deliver me one for free. So now I'll give recycling a shot.

 

[Purron]

I use the plastic bags for kitty-litter disposal in our building.

I would hate to have to start buying them!

ta,
mew

Ditto here mews. I re-use all my plastic bags for kitty litter and as liners for small trash cans. It might end up cheaper to buy them with the way so many store are going down this path.

 

[CuppaJoe]

.... However I'm sure you could fill them partially with hot water and dish detergent then shake to get them clean if you really wanted to....

That's how I do it. I rarely leave the house without an 8 or 12 oz. water bottle; sometimes carry coffee in a re-used 11.5 oz. frozen juice bottle which has a nice shape and curiously keeps the coffee warm enough. 12 oz. water bottles are .29 at Trader Joe's.

Orchidflower, of the chains I'm familiar with, Walgreen's & RiteAide (drug chains) and Safeway (supermarket) are union shops. Trader Joe's and CVS are not, don't know about the rest of the country.

 

[marvholly]

I live in metro Chicago and the bag discount is available at most of both stores.

CVS's program has an official roll out date of 11/1 according to my closest store mgr. I have already purchased the tag and earned 1EB. I live VERY close to a CVS and can easily walk/stop everyday. I also pass another CVS on my home/work route so I do have the chance to make a purchase everyday w/o spending more than time.

My Target has also rolled out the credit BUT half the cashiers I have dealt with this week have NO clue what/how much to credit/how to apply credit. At one store I got the 0.05; at another the cashier asked me how much/how to do. It would be nice if Target actually trained their employees ahead of time.

 

[SciFiFan53]

Here in Shanghai, they also started charging for the plastic bags at the stores, so we just bring our assortment of plastic/cloth bags for our stuff. It may have made some difference, but most of the Chinese people here don't seem too concerned about the disposal of the plastic. We think it's a good idea - one that we never used to do at home in Ohio. When we move back there at the end of November, we'll probably just keep on bringing our bags instead of using the plastic ones.
We always used them for trash bags at home, but could never use all of them.
As for the discussion about the plastic water bottles - I agree with the comments about how many you see tossed all over the place. I have never understood (in America), why anyone would ever want to buy bottled water, when the tap water is almost always OK. We re-use our water bottles here in Shanghai for water and other things (instant salad dressing mix, etc). Almost had to laugh at the question about sterilizing them - then someone answered it for me. We clean them the old fashioned way (VERY few dishwashers here in Shanghai) - wash them out with soap and water. Just like everyone used to "sterilize" their glasses, plates, pots & pans, spoons/knives/forks.....

 

[WanderALot]

I've learned to tell clerks I don't need a bag right away--if they already start shaking one open for my stuff, they usually throw it in their trash rather than save it for the next customer, which is a lot worse than me taking it home and reusing it.

Yeah, that's a pet peeve of mine. I've actually asked for the bag from the trash when they toss it (that's not OCD at all!)

I have noticed that the checker at the local Target was glowing when I said I didn't need a bag, she said I was the 11th person today that said that. Trader Joe's has a raffle for people who bring in their own bags.

I remember when Ireland imposed a tax on plastics bags. It has been a deemed a huge success as measured by less trash on the streets and landfills. Not to mention the extra revenue!

BBC NEWS | Europe | Irish bag tax hailed success

 

[W2R]

I have never understood (in America), why anyone would ever want to buy bottled water, when the tap water is almost always OK.

Although water in the U.S. may meet water quality standards, its taste and the chemicals in it differ depending on location in the U.S. When I lived in southern California, and in Texas, the water had a strong chemical taste and I didn't like it and worried about its effects. But in Hawaii, Missouri, Louisiana, and many other locations where I have lived, the water was excellent and I love being able to drink tap water. (Hawaii has the best tasting water I have ever experienced, in my opinion!) It seems that personally I just like the taste of water better in areas of high rainfall, and less in desert locations.

 

[SciFiFan53]

Although water in the U.S. may meet water quality standards, its taste and the chemicals in it differ depending on location in the U.S. When I lived in southern California, and in Texas, the water had a strong chemical taste and I didn't like it and worried about its effects. But in Hawaii, Missouri, Louisiana, and many other locations where I have lived, the water was excellent and I love being able to drink tap water. (Hawaii has the best tasting water I have ever experienced, in my opinion!) It seems that personally I just like the taste of water better in areas of high rainfall, and less in desert locations.

I also realize that some people may have wells which give you bad tasting water. We grew up on a farm with a well -and I didn't think the water was bad at all, until I went away to college. When I came back, the water really tasted funny. Even then, there are always cheaper ways to take the smell/taste out of tap water than buying bottled. Just seems like such a waste using all that plastic for a single, throwaway item. You can always go with the big (5 gal??) PC bottles that are used for a large household dispenser (and re-used), or a filter system, etc.

 

[RonBoyd]

Even then, there are always cheaper ways to take the smell/taste out of tap water than buying bottled.

As one who travels (somewhat) extensively, I would be very interested in these methods. W2R is correct about the taste of water in different areas -- and some of the worst tasting (my opinion) was/is in Texas. Since we stay in a different town every day, I was convinced the only solution was bottled water. I am encouraged to hear there are cheaper ways to consistently have drinkable water.

 

[travelover]

Although water in the U.S. may meet water quality standards, its taste and the chemicals in it differ depending on location in the U.S. When I lived in southern California, and in Texas, the water had a strong chemical taste and I didn't like it and worried about its effects. But in Hawaii, Missouri, Louisiana, and many other locations where I have lived, the water was excellent and I love being able to drink tap water. (Hawaii has the best tasting water I have ever experienced, in my opinion!) It seems that personally I just like the taste of water better in areas of high rainfall, and less in desert locations.

I have a well and DW does not like the taste of the water, so I installed a $150 reverse osmosis system. It works great - water tastes good and it also pulls the salt from the water that the water softener adds. We use it to refill our stainless steel bottles for use in the car. No more plastic bottles for us.

 

[RonBoyd]

I have a well and DW does not like the taste of the water, so I installed a $150 reverse osmosis system. It works great - water tastes good and it also pulls the salt from the water that the water softener adds. We use it to refill our stainless steel bottles for use in the car. No more plastic bottles for us.

So if (according to post #27) a bottle of water costs 17¢, that would be equivalent to a little over 882 bottles. Doesn't really compute for me. (Assuming the bottles are biodegradable, of course.)

 

[SciFiFan53]

As one who travels (somewhat) extensively, I would be very interested in these methods. W2R is correct about the taste of water in different areas -- and some of the worst tasting (my opinion) was/is in Texas. Since we stay in a different town every day, I was convinced the only solution was bottled water. I am encouraged to hear there are cheaper ways to consistently have drinkable water.

Sorry - I was referring to the kind that is used in a house (permanent installation), so it's not really useful for travelling. However, I think I have seen some portable gadgets that filter water - but not sure of the cost.

As to the calculation comparing the reverse osmosis system vs bottled water ($150 gives 882 bottles). Considering that the RO system is probably good for at least 5 years, it probably is worth it. Also, this is one reason why plastic is so cheap and it hardly ever "pays" to recycle - the true cost of the carbon is seldom accounted for in the cost of the plastic.

 

[RonBoyd]

Sorry - I was referring to the kind that is used in a house (permanent installation), so it's not really useful for travelling. However, I think I have seen some portable gadgets that filter water - but not sure of the cost.

As to the calculation comparing the reverse osmosis system vs bottled water ($150 gives 882 bottles). Considering that the RO system is probably good for at least 5 years, it probably is worth it. Also, this is one reason why plastic is so cheap and it hardly ever "pays" to recycle - the true cost of the carbon is seldom accounted for in the cost of the plastic.

I was merely pointing out that there are situations where bottled water is the superior choice. When I am at "home," I have no problems. Denver water is the best tasting water in the whole (what I've seen) country although W2R is correct -- Water in Hawaii is equal in flavor.

Hmmmm. I wonder if people who read this in a couple of [-]weeks [/-] years are gonna wonder who W2R is/was?