The City of Los Angeles is getting rid of plastic bags in all grocery stores and requiring retailers to charge 10 cents per bag for paper bags. The ban was passed in May 2012, but we won’t see an actual end to plastic in the stores until December or January. I am so excited for the economics of bags to finally force me into change. I have at least 10 of those reusable shopping bags and a few are always in my trunk, but I can’t remember the last time I actually used them. It’s just so convenient not to bring them and there is no penalty for me to use the store’s free plastic bags (bonus: free bags for picking up dog poop!). But in a few months, I know I will change my ways as soon as I am charged for that first bag. Even though stores now are giving 5 cent rebates for bringing your own bags, it generally takes a penalty for most consumers to change their ways.
What do you think? Have you changed your behavior lately? Was it because of a penalty or a reward?