Details from the Washington Post, via Tapit.

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January receipts for the fee are in — $149,432.27. That means about three million bags were used rather than the 22.5 million thought to be used in the District any given month.

It will be nice to see how this will shape up in six months. I’ll see if I can find original reports from D.C. government sources and will post them here.

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For this middle ground, I like the cool aesthetics and fiber and metal construction of Hollinger boxes. To me, they’re the visual language of archives, and thus research and storage. They even have boxes for human remains — think archaeology — so one might also be my final, er, storage place.

Until then, I keep manila folders full of files in flip-top boxes. Attractive enough to keep out, and no plastic. I keep rare books and papers in a lidded variety. I’ve had mine for years, but I recall them being shipped in cardboard cartons with kraft paper packing. (And D.C.-ites, one of their two factories is in Fredericksburg, Va. Loco-storage?)

Order them online here.

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No official reports yet, but shopkeepers report half the use of disposable bags — quite an accomplishment — per this January 23 article in the Washington Post. Of course, there are naysayers and complainers. But I have a hard time thinking too much D.C. grocery and liquor shopping will move to Maryland or Virginia. Particularly the latter which has a food tax that D.C. doesn’t. And if you can’t remember to bring a bag to pick up your lunch — or eat it on-site — and won’t pay for a bag, then I feel no sympathy when it lands on the sidewalk. Twice. How embarrassing, so much so when adding meaningless “big government” sloganeering to counter it. (Nobody complains about “big government” when the city shuts down a rat-infested eatery, for instance. Why shouldn’t I have the option!)

On the other hand, it’s now psychologically and socially easier to bring my bag — I keep one rolled up in my satchel almost all of the time — to a take-out restaurant (I have featured one in the article as they use sugarcane fiber boxes and biodegradable forks and spoons) or a liquor store.

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Since I’ve heard some misinformation, I thought I would share some details about the new law.

• The financial impact statement for the bill compares Washington, D.C. to Seattle, Washington, which went though a similar process. From their stats, D.C. uses about 360 million plastic bags a year — in a jurisdiction of about 600,000 people — with about three-quarters being used in the stores affected by this law. The statement projects that by fiscal year 2013, there should be a 80% reduction in disposable bag use.
• This law effects the approximately 4,000 D.C. food retail establishments, which includes groceries, liquor and drug stores.
• Disposable paper bags used in restaurants are exempt from the legislation.
• There is, alas, only one enforcement officer budgeted for the law. The first offense fine is probably $100.
• It was passed by the D.C. Council unanimously.
• If you carry your own bag, not only will you not be charged the fee, but D.C. gives retailers an incentive to offer you a nickle rebate.

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Intrepid local affairs and government blogger David Alpert has written today about the policy and where free reusable bags may be had.

More about this topic later.

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But in France we saw an alternative — paper. Strong attractive paper bags — squared off, with a picture of a cheery market scene and big enough to hold a pound or two of apples or grapes — were the rule. I suspect they’re made of virgin pulp; kraft paper usually is

Bocca Sacs are the maker of the one I kept, if you’re an interested greengrocer.

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For about $7.50, I got the rice-plus-two-curry special. Not greasy. Was tasty, but I doubt it’ll make anyone’s mind reel back to hot nights in Rajasthan.

This restaurant is two doors down from the eco-vegan Java Green Cafe, which uses some compostable take-away serving pieces. But I don’t care for the food and it’s much more expensive. So ecologically minded vegans are already heading to the area, explaining perhaps the conspicuous signs for vegan fare. (There’s plenty of meat and dairy options.)

I got my chana, palak paneer and rice in a sugarcane fiber clamshell carton. I declined the plastic bag and walked past the waxy-colored compostable plastic forks. I suppose if I had asked for pickle or chutney I would have gotten some plastic — these were pre-dished in little plastic tubs — and, to tell the truth, it would have benefited from the extra spice.

But I will go back.

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We don’t get vouchers — among other things, I administer transit benefits for work; this information is behind a login — and WMATA will use the plastic until the stock is exhausted, so I don’t know if the change is in effect.

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Reportage from DCist and WashingtonPost.com.

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