Information and News Page
Mayor Bloomberg Wants a Plastic Bag Tax
November 11, 2008...New York City's Mayor Bloomberg wants to raise money to help offset the current financial crisis. He has proposed a 5 cent tax on every plastic bag, following in the footsteps of San Francisco and Seattle. New Yorkers use an estimated 1 billion plastic bags a year. The tax could raise an estimated 16 million dollars a year.
San Francisco bans plastic bags unless they are biodegradable, while a proposed 20-cent fee in Seattle is on hold pending a challenge. In Ireland, a 33-cent fee pushed plastic bag use down 94%.
New York considered a plastic bag tax earlier this year but settled for a mandatory recycling program, figuring most stores would just switch to paper, Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. (D-Queens) said.
Ikea tried charging customers a nickel per bag, but when demand for its 70 million bags a year dropped 92%, the chain just eliminated them.
"There's a positive impact on the environment," spokesman Joseph Roth said. "It certainly has not hindered our sales, and it has helped our reputation."
Some grocery chains already give customers a discount for every cloth bag they bring. Whole Foods switched its stores to paper bags this year, even though the plastic industry insists paper bags are worse for the environment.
What is Sustainable Packaging?
November 3, 2008...Sustainable packaging:
* Is beneficial, safe and healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle;
* Meets market criteria for performance and cost;
* Is sourced, manufactured, transported and recycled using renewable energy;
* Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials;
* Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices;
* Is made from materials healthy in all probable end-of-life scenarios;
* Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy; and
* Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological and/or industrial cradle-to-cradle cycles.
The Brown Shopping Bag as Art
October 16, 2008 There's much more to the little brown bag than just Bloomingdale's little brown bag. The Newark Public Library considers the shopping bag something of an overlooked art form, and it has mounted its eighth exhibition of artsy international carriers to rectify that. The exhibition includes miniature bags, master-sized bags, museum exhibit bags, stunning examples of commercial art and, yes, a retrospective of Bloomies bags, all highlighting the best in retail merchandising and all pulled from the museum's collection, which now numbers more than a thousand items. The exhibit is on view during regular library hours in the third floor gallery, 5 Washington St. in downtown Newark.
Eco-Friendly Packaging: Get the Real Truth (Press Release)
September 4, 2008...Retailers are trying to find the best solution for preserving the environment and their bottom line. One of the problems is the avalanche of misinformation regarding recycling paper and plastic. Modern Arts is assisting baffled retailers understand that their are real solutions to affordability and preservation. Modern Arts owner Alex Lindsay says, "We find it increasingly difficult to get the truth from recycling plants about how much base material is truly 100% post-consumer. The truth is, almost none." Modern Arts specializes in assisting clients through the entire process of manufacturing eco-friendly retail packaging with integrity as well as finding the right balance between affordability and stewardship.
Eco-Friendly Retailers: Getting the Word Out!
September 3, 2008...Retailers are joining with celebrities to implement marketing strategies that further the promotion of sustainable retail packaging. Using high profile client lists, boutique retailers are getting the word out that using reusable tote bags is not only hip, but great for business. As the spokesperson for "The Bag Ladies" states, "By placing a logo on a bag, you're adding value to your brand. With Green Packaging, you're telling your customers that you care about the environment."
Fashionable, Customized Reusable Tote Bags Make Great Gifts
August 17, 2008...Customized for individual use, a bundle of personalized reusable bags make terrific gifts. Save money this season and personalize reusable bags - only a few dollars per bag. It is common today for many to understand that using reusable bags helps save the environment, but it is only now catching on that reusable bags and eco-friendly packaging can be stylish. The Modern Arts "E-Bag", and reusable PET bags can be manufactured in numerous colors and styles. Not only are retailers moving toward offering reusable bags, but more and more individuals are seeking fashionable reusable bags to stash all around: in the car, in the house, at work, and for play.
Paper or Plastic?
August 14, 2008...Americans throw away 100 billion plastic bags every year, and fewer than one percent are recycled. The rest end up cast off on land and at sea. A growing number of retailers are banning them. Ikea plans to do that in October. Retailers are scrambling for the answer to the question, 'paper or plastic?' is possibly neither. Both harm the environment. The solution: reusable tote bags!
Seattle Slows Plastic Bag Usage
August 14, 2008 - The Seattle City Council voted for imposing a fee on disposable shopping bags. Starting January 1, 2009, a fee of 20 cents will be charged for disposable plastic and paper shopping bags distributed in convenience, drug, and grocery stores.