Maui's Plastic Bag Ban
November 1st, 2008 by Liz SmithWhile I was at my 'candy' post at the neighbor's Halloween party, I noticed something unusual this year. There were the usual trick-or-treat buckets, pillowcases, grocery bags and the really optimistic large trash bag, but the new arrival this year is the re-usable grocery bag. There were so many dark green ones, I grabbed one kid's to investigate (he was probably horrified but i couldn't see under his mask) and noticed it was the Foodland bag.
Maui County voted to ban plastic grocery bags in 2011, and many companies and organizations are already jumping on the bag-wagon. Besides Foodland, Safeway and Wal-Mart sell (for about a buck) logo-ed reusable bags, (for the record I haven't seen any at K-Mart). Paia banned plastic bags a while ago, and sells these adorable bags in their stores and online.
Check out their website for their No Mo' Plastic Bags campaign.
As part of Maui County's International Year of the Reef, they made their own IYOR bags and the Mayor has been handing them out all year at special events at stores all over the island.
I just received another bag in the mail courtesy of Bob Nakasone (thanks Bob, i'll use your bag but it still doesn't mean i'm voting for you!).
I have four bags of my own, but they don't always make it in to the car when i head to the grocery store. It's the last of my priorities which are
1. Baby
2. Grocery List
3. Wallet
But I feel good when i do use them, I just hope that two years is long enough for me to remember to put them in my car when I head to the store!
And as a final note, if you are one of the few people that doesn't know why plastic bags have been banned on Maui, take a drive by the dump and check out all of the 'plastic bag trees'. On a scarier drive, cruise along North Kihei Road and look at all the bags stuck in the turtle fence, and imagine all the bags that didn't get caught in the fence. That fence, by the way, is there to keep critically endangered hawksbill turtles from crossing the street when they go to lay their eggs. Kealia Beach is one of the few beaches in Hawaii that is a known hawksbill nesting site.
Marine animals can and do get stuck in or ingest plastic bags, which, when wet, indeed look enough like sea jellies for turtles (which apparently love sea jellies) to dine on them.
Congratulations to Maui County for stepping up and taking a stand on bags!
Tags: Maui Plastic Bag Ban
November 1st, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Hi Liz!
I saw a bunch of reusable bags last night as well, when I wasn't terrifying the trick-or-treaters.
We had over 300 kids come to our house last night! I thing the bag I saw the most of was the free one the County gives out.
I've been pretty good to remember to use my bags. For me, the key is not to leave them in the trunk, because then I'll forget them.
I've gotten a couple of bags as omiyage from family vacationing on the mainland, so I use those. I haven't had to buy a bag yet. 
I think it's better to use the "ODD" bags, so the cashier doesn't get confused, and then tries to ring you up for a bag you carried into the store.
November 2nd, 2008 at 6:58 pm
i am against the banning of plastic bags.it is a " feel real good law " and very costly to consumers. plastic bags are very useful in our society...as trash recepticals, as storage containers, as bags for all uses. easily disposable,very cheap.that's what alot of shoppers use the bags for after they bring the grocery and other merchandise home in them.and all those plastisc bags at the dumps DO NOT MAKE IT TO THE OCEAN... AND THOSE TURTLES WHICH ARE CARED MORE ABOUT THAN OUR HOMELESS.... don't go anywhere near a dump.and if you see a plastic bag by the beach,PICK IT UP!!
November 8th, 2008 at 7:55 am
What a great article! It's nice to see that people on Maui are taking measures to malama our aina! All it takes is for people to pick up after themselves to make things even better! Aloha!
November 15th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
Why I like plastic bags?
1) easy to carry
2) unlike paper bags, it doesn't falter under wet conditions
3) it's perfect for carrying a water bottle around, especially when you're entering a store, so they know you already had it when you entered!
4) easily re-usable
If you don't like plastic bags, don't use them!
About those plastic bag litter, let's arrest those who litter and make them clean up our beaches, streams, etc. Same for other folks committing misdemeanors!