California city approves 25-cent fee on disposable cups

[Starlight]

But they're not "taxing" them - they are forcing them to charge extra for merchandise they sell.

This is like a tax they get to keep. Same as if it were a 25c tax that was then given back to the store by the govt.

[Cow Poke]

Whataburger has a cult-like following in Texas.

[Cow Poke]

This is like a tax they get to keep. Same as if it were a 25c tax that was then given back to the store by the govt.

I'm going to totally ignore this post. I'm not even going to respond to it. Heck, I don't even see it!

[Mountain Man]

Yeah, I just think it's FAR better when it's the choice of the retail establishment than foisted on them by law. I would prefer an incentive - like a tax abatement - for those who complied, rather than... well, a carrot rather than a club.

Agreed. The problem with these sorts of policies is that they tend to annoy people who then try to look for ways around it. One possible unintended consequence is that people will skip the coffee shop and start brewing at home as a way of "sticking it to the man". Or maybe they will start bringing their own disposable cups out of spite.

[Cow Poke]

Agreed. The problem with these sorts of policies is that they tend to annoy people who then try to look for ways around it. One possible unintended consequence is that people will skip the coffee shop and start brewing at home as a way of "sticking it to the man". Or maybe they will start bringing their own disposable cups out of spite.

That's an interesting point -- what if I bring my own cardboard or styrofoam coffee cup?

[Cow Poke]

Here's some background, and a draft of the proposed ordinance from April 2018

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dS6...JM5d1PEC7/view

[Sparko]

This is my reusable mug.





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But if people start bringing reusable containers to restaurants, it seems like asking for cross contamination. You don't know where the person's container has been or how clean it is. Or how long it will be before they clean it after using it.

It doesn't sound like a good idea to me.

[mossrose]

This is my reusable mug.





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But if people start bringing reusable containers to restaurants, it seems like asking for cross contamination. You don't know where the person's container has been or how clean it is. Or how long it will be before they clean it after using it.

It doesn't sound like a good idea to me.

We have a store called Bulk Barn here. You know, bins full of all kinds of things. They can't make up their minds about whether to only allow their containers for one use, but they charge for them, so that wasn't going over so well, or to allow people to bring their own containers, which got them worried about cross contaminati.

The last I heard was you can reuse their containers as long as they've been cleaned.

I only use them for powdery things. All else get bagged. In the zillions of plastic bags they provide. It's hard to try to be environmentally conscious but most everything has to be bagged or contained.

[Cow Poke]

This is my reusable mug.





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But if people start bringing reusable containers to restaurants, it seems like asking for cross contamination. You don't know where the person's container has been or how clean it is. Or how long it will be before they clean it after using it.

It doesn't sound like a good idea to me.

Actually, that's one of the articles I read -- the germs and unsanitary conditions....

[One Bad Pig]

The only time I ever buy something to drink at a fast food place is if I'm dining in, which is almost never.

[JimboJSR]

But if people start bringing reusable containers to restaurants, it seems like asking for cross contamination. You don't know where the person's container has been or how clean it is.

In the UK, the mug doesn't actually come into contact with any dispensing equipment. The coffee gets poured into it from above. So, negligible chance of contamination. But if it was really awful, the staff could either refuse to use it or give it a blast of boiling water from the coffeemaker.

[Starlight]

In the UK, the mug doesn't actually come into contact with any dispensing equipment. The coffee gets poured into it from above. So, negligible chance of contamination. But if it was really awful, the staff could either refuse to use it or give it a blast of boiling water from the coffeemaker.

Same process happens here... things flow into the mug from above so there's not really anything to contaminate.

I was once embarrassed to find I hadn't washed out my reusable mug since the last coffee... the barrister simply noted this to me and said they'd clean it and gave it a brief rinse in their sink.

[One Bad Pig]

Same process happens here... things flow into the mug from above so there's not really anything to contaminate.

I was once embarrassed to find I hadn't washed out my reusable mug since the last coffee... the barrister simply noted this to me and said they'd clean it and gave it a brief rinse in their sink.

It's probably about time to wash my office mug; it's been a good month.

[Roy]

I was once embarrassed to find I hadn't washed out my reusable mug since the last coffee... the barrister simply noted this to me and said they'd clean it and gave it a brief rinse in their sink.

Does bar-work pay more than bar work in NZ?

[Cow Poke]

It's probably about time to wash my office mug; it's been a good month.

You're at risk of becoming one of them thar Obsessive Compulsive Dishwashers!