The Park Slope Food Coop has followed its ban on bottled water by nixing the use of plastic bags. The vote came last night and was reported by the Brooklyn Paper as being “nearly unanimous.” (The vote was, approximately, 250 in favor and four against.) The Brooklyn Paper writes:
In both cases, the well-being of the planet was cited as the motivation — like water bottles, plastic bags are made from petroleum — and the notion of customer convenience was dismissed.
A member in favor of the ban said: “We don’t need them. Some people say they reuse them, but how many times? Once, twice? That’s no big savings. It will be hard to give up plastic bags, but we can do it. We don’t need them! We can do it! It should be done. It must be done.” And, so, it is done.
6 responses so far ↓
1 loose stool // May 28, 2008 at 1:33 pm
the only plastic bags they need at the coop are ones they put over their heads.
2 stool binder // May 28, 2008 at 4:01 pm
Oh you mean to kill them? That’s really funny. Really really funny. Wait. Let me read it again. Yup, still funny.
Idiot.
3 Brenda from Flatbush // May 28, 2008 at 4:30 pm
I’ve been a paper-not-plastic gal long before the greenies were upon us. Paper grocery bags are a marvelous invention: They stand up straight for packing and don’t let stuff slump out onto the sidewalk, they are infinitely re-useful (think Paper-Bag Players), and about the only thing they don’t do is hold liquid. Wait, neither do those sleazy plastic bags; they’ve all got holes in the bottom (or at least, all the ones in my compost bucket do–eww).
However, I simply LOVE the convenience of bottled water, so I don’t need to renounce guilt quite yet…
4 bikeboynyc // May 28, 2008 at 9:22 pm
I was using the plastic bags I was given at the Whole Foods Market as trash bags in my kitchen trashbin. Now I have to buy plastic trashbags for the same use. I am trying to understand the wisdom in this though I know it must be hidden so well I can’t see it.
I also drink bottled spring water – from plastic jugs and bottles.
I do want to be mindful of my actions and how they effect the planet and our environment. I do what I can, and I try to do more with time however I will not beat myself over the head if I am not 100%. I know that I am leaps and bounds beyond what 95% percent of the general population is up to and with that knowledge I take solace until they come up with a way to market spring water without plastic.
5 bikeboynyc // May 28, 2008 at 9:28 pm
When I moved to Brooklyn 4 years ago one of the first things I did was to visit the Park Slope Coop to check it out. In one visit I determined that it probably wasn’t for me so I chose to not participate.
Since then I have heard so many people speak negatively about the Coop and their approach.
It is quite simple. If you don’t like it don’t stay and you won’t have to complain. If you do like it by all means participate and keep it alive because it is a very valuable resource for many Brooklynites.
6 loose stool // May 29, 2008 at 12:41 am
Thanks for sharing your angst bikerboy. I gotta tell ya though I’m concerned, no not concerned, actually worried that you’re out there living it up, drinkin your spring water out of plastic bottles like there was no tomorrow. Time to straighten up Bikerboy!