UPDATE (2:30 p.m.): The AP has expanded on their original wire dispatch, including some more detail on the number of bags used in D.C. last year. Jessica Gresko reports that the city used approximately 55 million bags in 2010, which is still an incredible decrease from the 270 million bags a year Washington shoppers were using before the tax's introduction. more ›

To follow up on a story DCist reported last month, local non-profit Bread for the City let us know that they were able to successfully pick-up 2,000 donated reusable bags from Safeway on Friday, with a promise that 10,000 more would be on their way soon. more ›

In the run-up to the start of the District's 5-cent disposable bag fee, city leaders put out the word to area grocery stores and other retailers and organizations that they needed donations of free reusable bags. D.C.'s poorest residents would need help getting their hands on bags that they can reuse, which often cost $1 or more to purchase. more ›

Much like the now three-year-old ban on smoking in District bars and restaurants, the five-cent disposable bag fee that took effect in January garnered initial controversy, but is already on its way to being just another part of living in the city. But how effective has the fee been? Very, it seems. more ›

With the State of the Union address looming, it means we're nearly a month into the new year, and nearly a month into paying the District's new 5 cent disposable bag fee. Regardless of where you fall on the topic along the libertarian-outrage-to-environmental-nut scale, it's been a confusing month for retailers and consumers alike. Even the Wall Street Journal highlighted the confusion. more ›

City Desk had a fun post yesterday about the D.C. Republican Committee's whimsical attempt to protest the District's new $.05 disposable bag fee by ... selling their own reusable bags? Hmmm. more ›

We've been getting a kick out of this recent posting to the Columbia Heights email list, decrying the shortsightedness of the recently implemented 5 cent disposable bag tax. Let's say for the sake argument that an average grocery shopping trip fills five bags. The logic here then seems to be that roughly 25 cents is enough to draw the line on spending hundreds of dollars weekly, and that the extra hour of personal time it takes "someone with a 6 figure salary" to drive to and from Maryland is worth less than a quarter. Also: bringing your own bags is impossible, and recycling cardboard is inconceivable.

I discovered something interesting this weekend while shopping at Target: I now will spend less resulting in less taxes collected by the city for my purchases. Why? I refuse to pay the 5 cent per bag tax. So I will only buy what I can carry in my own two hands. I usually spend hundreds of dollars a weekend at Target. Now I spend very little. more ›

With the Jan. 1 implementation of the District's 5 cent disposable bag tax looming, Council member Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6) sent out some updates on how area retailers are preparing. The list is a little vague in some places, but the best opportunities to score free reusable bags look to be coming from Giant and Harris Teeter. more ›

As we've been telling you for some time now, that 5 cent disposable bag fee finally goes into effect on January 1. Much of the opposition to the law when it was initially being considered was that it could end up hurting the poor more than anyone else: spending $1 on a reusable bag or two could really be a hardship for the poorest District residents. With that in mind, below you'll find a list of dates, times and locations for the District Department of the Environment's free reusable bag giveaways. DDOE partnered with CVS stores to give away thousands of the tote bags over the next month. If you or someone you know is still in need of a bag, feel free to stop by and take one. more ›

DCist had just been wondering when the city was going to get around to raising awareness about the impending 5 cent disposable bag fee, which goes into effect in January 1, 2010, and lo and behold, the “Skip the Bag, Save the River” Education Campaign press release landed in our inbox today. more ›

Do you have enough reusable bags? Mayor Adrian Fenty signed into law today the bill that will establish a 5 cent fee charged to consumers for every disposable plastic or paper bag they take from a retailer. The mayor's action means the 5 cent fee will go into effect in January (unless of course Congress intervenes, but we kinda doubt that'll happen on this one). Four out of every five cents charged will then go into the newly established Anacostia River Cleanup and Protection Fund (with the remaining cent for the retailer, for their trouble). more ›

Before getting started on crime bill debate, the D.C. Council went ahead and passed the Anacostia River Clean Up and Protection Act on a second reading earlier today, sending the legislation to Mayor Fenty for his signature. The first vote took place just two weeks ago; both votes were unanimous. The key feature of the law is a new 5 cent fee on consumers per paper or plastic carryout bag taken from District retailers. If all goes according to plan, and there's no reason at this point to think it won't, the five cent fees would be in place by January, 2010, so you've got roughly six months to get used to carrying around your own reusable bags. more ›