Forgot today was it when I went to Marine Parade NTUC supermarket during lunchtime. 10-cents donation for a plastic bag from the store if you want one, to go towards Green movement.
What the heck, I got less than half a dozen items, and the carpark is right next door. No bags for me, though I can't resist donating 10-cents.
That coin would have otherwise accumulate and I'd be tempted to use it for some unhealthy snack.
Good for you! I miss it. Kind of like the red color bag..i dont mind the 10cents and towards the green environment stuff, but I need plastic bags for my trash at home. Am cracking my brains for alternatives....
ReplyDeleteI too recycle larger supermarket bags for trash bags, but I've stopped taking the smaller bags when I only got few items.
ReplyDeleteIt's a pity that others still take those bags even when they got only a can of drink ...
Oh then you will be pleased to know that since last week, instead of the plastic bags that the kopi tiam used to package my daily breakfast milk tea, I bring along my very own thermal flask. So I save the plastic bag AND the plastic straw. Not bad huh - save the environment and my health too. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI feel good about this. Being enforced is much better than saying "use paper"
ReplyDeleteHmm...I can't really comment, seeing as how I rarely go shopping for groceries anyway.
ReplyDeleteBut for small purchases, I'll decline the plastic bag.
Good idea. I also have my own tupperware container at the office, for storing take-aways from the canteen.
ReplyDeleteI try not to buy bottled water anymore, my environmental science teacher said buying bottle water, by the gallon it would be 4 dollars each.
ReplyDeleteUse filtration, save monies.
They should simply charge a token amount for plastic bags and carriers. Taiwan has been doing it for a number of years and it is quite effective.
ReplyDeleteIf I am not wrong, Ikea is doing that now. They charge a nominal fee of 5cents for a small bag, and 10cents for a larger one...
ReplyDeleteGuess Singapore still has a loooooonnnngggg way to go ...
ReplyDeleteLet me share my most recent experience with plastic bags and supermarkets.
On Saturday, I tried using the self-scan-pay machine at Cold Storage @ Great World City. All I wanted to purchase was a cold can of Jollishandy for what was a very hot and humid afternoon.
It scanned all right, but refused to let me complete the transaction.
I know I skipped a step : put the item in the plastic bag, but hey, I was going to drink it on the spot and I don't need the bag.
But it turned out to be a necessary step, as the staff I sought help from informed me.
Okay, fine. Didn't happen in Jason's supermarket (which belong to the same owner as Cold Storage), but I can do that redundant step.
But here comes the bombshell ... I also got to take away the plastic bag from its hanger. The staff helpfully informed me that I could return the plastic bag to a counter if I don't want to use it.
So this machine was designed such that a shopper got to put the items into the plastic bag and take away the plastic bag.
Like I said, Singapore got a long way to go.
And in case anyone wonders ... I took the can out and went to a human cashier instead.
ReplyDeleteI don't care if I leave the machine hanging in transaction incomplete mode ...
You probably caused a huge problem as the incomplete transaction hanged their entire system... (joke)
ReplyDeleteI will send them a bill for troubleshooting their system next time ... first time gratis ...
ReplyDeleteTthe problem is, dear snowy brother, not everybody love the green environment like we here in Multiply do.. I can almost imagine the regulars lodge complaints to ST Forums if the vending machines permanently dont give out bags...
ReplyDeleteEr by the way, i didnt even know vending machines give out plastic bags for canned drinks... why on earth in the first place plastic bags are needed for canned drinks? See? Singaporeans are so pampered.. ;-P
ReplyDeleteWhat riled me more about Saturday's incident was not so much the environmental friendly factor but the "duh" factor of the systems designer.
ReplyDeleteSystem design has been part of my job for a long time, and sometimes, I think the foolproof design means proof that the designer is a fool.
oic..now i understand where you are coming from.. yes sometimes it is really frustrating.
ReplyDeleteMost designers never use their own products...
ReplyDeleteThat'd explain many of the decisions made by governments ... except when it comes to their paychecks ...
ReplyDeleteIncidentally, after 2 weeks, Cold Storage finally replied to clarify that their Shop-Pay-Go system do not need shoppers to take out the plastic bags.
ReplyDeleteOf course, they didn't say their staff gave customers the wrong information in the first place, but just said that they will train their staff to answer queries better.
I had guessed earlier it was either a stupid mistake of the designer or the management.
Another score for the latter.
On my part, I confess I thought of experimenting with their system that day to see how the design really worked, but since I already asked their staff, I didn't want to appear rude ...
Systems need to be tested... they ought to be paying you...
ReplyDelete