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Grocery Shopping In Boulder? Don't Forget Your Reusable Bags

City of Boulder
/
bouldercolorado.gov

It’s not as controversial as Colorado's new gun laws, perhaps, but a new ordinance in Boulder is also taking effect July 1. 

Starting Monday, shoppers at Boulder grocery and convenience stores will have to shell out a 10 cent fee for disposable paper and plastic bags.

The city council passed the ordinance [.pdf] in November 2012. There are some exemptions -- including bulk food and produce bags, newspaper bags, and for restaurants that package food to go. 

The Boulder Daily Camera reports the city purchased 40,000 reusable bags in May, and has so far handed out 36,000 of them free to area residents. Sustainability workers plan to hand out the remaining bags outside grocery stores Monday.

A few other Colorado cities have adopted ordinances to reduce the use of disposable bags, including Aspen, Telluride, Basalt, and Breckenridge. Across the Atlantic, Scotlandplans to implement its own disposable plastic bag fee in 2014. 

Want to score a free reusable bag? Here’s a list of locations where they’re being handed out today (though city officials say supplies are very limited).

As the host of KUNC’s new program and podcast In the NoCo, I work closely with our producers and reporters to bring context and diverse perspectives to the important issues of the day. Northern Colorado is such a diverse and growing region, brimming with history, culture, music, education, civic engagement, and amazing outdoor recreation. I love finding the stories and voices that reflect what makes NoCo such an extraordinary place to live.
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