In Germany, you have to pay for your bags.  It encourages you to reuse your bags or, better yet, get a mesh one that will not wear out.  However, it's a little different over there and I think this is the point that they are missing in California.  In Germany, people go to the market every day or every other day.  It's convenient to do so.  Where I live, I go once a week, if not every two weeks.  I live at least half an hour from the nearest grocery store.  I can't make that trek every day and work.  Somethings gotta give.  I come home with at least 10 - 15 bags.  They usually come home with one.  There's a big difference there and I don't think they have taken the cultural aspect into it.  I don't know if you have an Aldi's near you, but you have to pay for your bags there.  It's a german company. 

Sparky, I'm feeling for you on the 8 miles, but man, I live a HALF HOUR away from civilization.  My dad's long running joke that they pipe in sunlight to us seems more and more true every day. 

When I was in high school, I started a petition to make the egg cartons out of recyclable material instead of the styrofoam.  I collected over 500 signatures from the kids in our school and sent it off.  A guy from James River Corporation called and said he appreciated the concern and that he would love to come talk to our school about recycling.  Unfortunately, our prep a#s student council wouldn't approve it.  I was so angry.  I'm not a tree hugger, but I wish they had recycling in our area.  I save my aluminum cans and recycle those, but in that's all I can do.  They don't have plastic recycling where I live. 

My sister lives in Germany and it is mandatory that you recycle.  5 separate classes of recycling.  I don't know what they all are, but she has 5 different bins for her trash and if it's not separated, you pay a lot more and can get a fine.   

You are right.  Where does the taxing stop?  I got a raise just a short time ago.  I thought it was wonderful, until I got my check.  The raise actually had me taking home less money.

A bag tax.  Absurd--next is toll booths to enter your neighborhood or take a walk down the sidewalk dropping a nickel at every corner to raise the gate.

I used to work for Smurfit Stone Container Corporation, which used to be Jefferson Smurfit, which is a big recycling company.  We did the trash bills for major companies like Baker's Square, Limited, Gap, J.C. Penney, Fazoli's, Petsmart, etc.  I've dealt with a lot of these trash companies. 

You have basically two problems when it comes to trash collection.  We're running out of landfill space.  Every time you have to shut one down and open a new one, the people who haul your trash are charged more to dump there, which, in turn, gets passed on to you.  It's out of control.  We are dumping way too much trash. 

The other problem is (and I've noticed this in places in Wisconsin, too) that there are some cities that are franchised, which means that you have a selected hauler who has an agreement with the city and they are the only ones who can haul your trash.  They have you by the cajones then.  They can set whatever rate they want and until their contract for franchise is revoked, the consumer can't do anything about it. 

I think we are a wasteful country, but you can't expect us to operate the same way that a country like Germany does.  In Germany you have a country about the size of Ohio with a lot more people.  Their transportation and government are set up differently.  You have government health care.  You have bus transportation even to the smallest towns.  Their taxes are astronomical, but you don't pay for health care out of your own pocket.  You get money every month for every child you have regardless of your income.  You can't expect a country as diverse as the U.S.  to be able to do what they are doing.  I don't agree with the bag tax.  I think they are using examples that just don't fit our economy.  I think this sets a dangerous precedent and I hope that they don't pass it.