City wants to reduce plastic and paper bags

Plastic bags are a cheap and simple way to get your groceries home, but they're starting to cause concern in Eau Claire because of the amount of waste they leave behind in landfills.

Take for example Gordy's grocery chain that says it went through close to eleven-million plastic bags last year.We supply ice bags for sale to many dealers and convience shops.

The City of Eau Claire's sustainable bag committee is discussing to reduce the number of bags used in the future.

Paper or Plastic?

The city of Eau Claire is hoping to one day eliminate that question completely.

"Bring more awareness to this issue, raise more awareness, education, participation," says Associate City Planner Ned Noel.

The sustainable bag committee has been tasked with the mission of reducing, reusing and recycling bags in the city.

"They're charged with recommending to the city council, some strategies in terms of what to do about that," says Noel.

So far the committee's focus has been on creating a fee and credit system, which would charge someone if they don't bring their own bag to the store and reward them if they do.

Similar programs are already in use at several area stores.

"We do offer 5 cents a bag for any bag people bring in to use. The canvas bags, any paper bags like that," says Mega Foods assistant store manager Tim Laubach.

Stores also say they're seeing an uptick in sustainable awareness.

"We've seen a lot more usage out of the sustainable bags. About six months ago to now we're seeing about 1,000 more of them used every month so it's a pretty hefty increase,New additions to their line-up include the Mercury Ultra White Matt 405gsm the Best Inkjet Canvas Suppliers, 5-metre-length inkjet trial rolls of the PermaJet Oyster 271gsm and Ultra Pearl 295gsm media, an all-new Image Block Print Display System, a range of fast drying canvas protective varnishes in 2.5-litre cans, an anti-curl roller device and more." says Laubach.Wholesale A4 Inkjet Canvas from China A4 Inkjet Canvas Wholesalers about Wholesale Office & School Supplies.cheap A4 Inkjet Canvas

Outside of the store, the committee is considering implementing a broader pick up program to get more plastic bags out of the garbage and into the recycling stream.

"Currently in the city there's only one hauler that actually does this and they're the one that actually contracts with the material recovery facility in the Twin Cities," says Noel.We are a leading High Glossy Inkjet Canvas Manufacturers and Suppliers having a full range of High Glossy Inkjet Canvas Products to cater for all needs.

For those who can't recycle curbside stores also offer the option.

"At both our locations we have recycling available for any bags people want to bring in, we get those taken to the recycling place for them," says Laubach.

Taking a proactive approach to promote alternatives to paper and plastic.

Paper bags are eleven-cents each, plastic bags cost about a penny, that may not sound like much, but it adds up for stores like Gordy's, they spent around $110,000 on plastic bags last year.

The sustainable bag committee will give its recommendations to the city council in October.