Just a reminder that we are not alone in our quest:
“As of October 1, 2008, IKEA will no longer be offering plastic or paper bags at any of its US stores. The offering will only be reusable.
With the introduction of its leadership ‘bag the plastic bag’ program in March 2007, IKEA set a goal of reducing its US stores’ plastic bag consumption by 50%; from 70 million to 35 million plastic bags in the first year. The call was to go reusable, particularly focusing on the iconic IKEA blue bag for $.59. Or don’t use a bag at all! And IKEA also said if that was not an acceptable solution, IKEA plastic bags could be purchased for five-cents, with all proceeds going to American Forests (the nation’s oldest non-profit citizens conservation organization) to plant trees to restore forests and help reduce CO(2) mission.
Now, eighteen months since the program began, plastic bag reduction continues to be at 92%. Expectations were exceeded and IKEA learned their customers welcome the opportunity to find new ways to be environmentally responsible. This landmark program has now resulted in IKEA taking another step forward; as of October 1, 2008, IKEA will no longer offer plastic bags or paper bags. IKEA’s consumer call-to-action is to use only reusable bags.”
I also found an interesting website that allows you to look at political donations. Here is information on the American Chemist Council (aka Progressive Bag Affiliates of the American Chemistry Council, a trade association representing the nation’s leading plastic bag manufacturers, recyclers and resin producers), who is the main group who spends money to keep plastic bags from being banned:
http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/lookup2.php?strID=C00252338&cycle=2008
For instance, you can see that they have donated $4,000 to Congressman Charles B Rangel (D-NY) in 2008.