TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Plastic Bags on the Way Out?

From the photo it looks like the same type of reusable bag that SuperU has available at their store. If so, those bags are really sturdy and you can get a lot in them, maybe more than you would want to carry.

I was thinking the same thing. We purchased a large plastic reusable grocery bag at LGM a few years ago and liked it so much, we purchased a second one to bring home. It's orange and white (Dutch colors) with a cow (or two?) on the front, and I'm constantly being asked where I got it here at home.

We actually used it as a water resistant beach bag on a boat excursion last trip and it worked like a charm. It also doesn't allow any sand to penetrate like some of the beach bags I've had.

If they should do away with the flimsy plastic bags by law, which I personally think would be a good thing, I can't help but wonder what all the take-out food concerns will do. Back to paper I guess......? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

I imagine this is just for the grocery stores. Seems like that is the case.

It would be nice if some places would allow the bags to be left for future guest and not throw them away. Otherwise what good will it do?

Yes the SuperU bag was really good, we left ours in the unit at BSV for other guest to use, with a note on it saying what it was for. Do not know if it was tossed or not.

I'll never forget the 1st time we shopped at a small market in GC and they offered no bags at all---not even at a charge. Hubby and I walked back to the Beach Club with melon, cheese wine water hugged against our bodies.

I was planning to take bags with us next trip but since we're always trying to cut back on packing I put it at the bottom of our packing list. Guess I have to move it to the top.

I love my Grand Marche cow bag! So cute!

Our luggage has outside zippers, and we always have our reusable shopping bags there...whip it out on the way from the airport and stop at Maho Market for first day supplies (only one of us goes in, other stays in car with the luggage). That market stopped using bags years ago...like Ro we learned the hard way..lol...hand carried water, wine, Gouda, baguette, creamer, and eggs... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

Leona,

Truth be known, we use Jeannie/ShopndropSXM to stock our unit for all the essential starters, (she and her service are THE BEST!!) but we still find ourselves heading 'up over the hill' to the small LGM at Porto Cupecoy a few days into the trip. Alright! Truth be known, there always seems to be 'stuff' we forgot so that cute little cow bag comes in very handy for all the incidentals even on the first full day one. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

what do they look like?

Not sure I'd call them "little", they are quite large. We take it to the beach as well, with sammiches, water, towels, snorkel gear. In fact sand fell out when I pulled it out for this picture.. lol...already started packing!

I knew that it was a matter of time before SXM would become more like Canada .... we have had these reusable bags in our grocery stores for years. The biggest problem is remembering to bring them in from the car, but over time we do get trained. I brought down reusable bags years ago to SXM as I did hate the numerous plastic bags floating around the island. I figured that was the least I could do to help SXM's environment. Now if we can only get the SXM government to pass legislation to start a better recycling system. The first thing is to start charging a return on wine and beer bottles/cans. I guarantee that you would not have the problem of bottles lying by the side of the road. I can remember arriving on the island years ago and going into the Grand Marche to buy a case of Caribe. There was nary a one to be found. When I asked one of the stock boys he said , "oh the company ran out of bottles, they should be back in a couple of weeks." I thought geez, lose all that profit because you don't have a return system.

SXM now has a better recycling system. Many more recycling bins that they pick up at least every other day. The French side recently started a recycling program to include glass, metal, cardboard, plastic etc and has doubled the number of recycling bins. Much, much better than it was a few yrs ago.

But way too inadequate for this small island. Talked with an engineer that was brought in to build an incinerator a few years back. Had this been built, it would have been able to handle the garbage of all of SXM, plus Anguilla, Saba and St Barts. It never got built because certain hands were not "greased". Too bad as this island needs more than they are doing with this piddley effort to recycle. The dump behind Philipsburgh is growing too large to accommodate the amount of garbage that island produces. Recycling needs to be on a larger scale and that incinerator needs to be built ..... especially if one million Chinese are heading there .....

thanks, the cow bag through me off, we use them here in the states, thanks!

Is this on the Dutch side also?

I still use the plastic because they are great poop bags for the dogs. So, my question is what do you retrieve your dog poop with? Not trying to be snide, really curious how else to do it.

They do sell plastic bags in the market, probably have a great poop size <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

Mutt Mitts 2-ply are a really good product-use them all the time. Grocery store bags sometimes have holes.

You can buy biodegradable pet waste bags and we prefer those way above a grocery bag. Lots of holes in the store bags and just not the best option.