Shoppers have mixed reactions to the home retailer’s policy of charging 5 cents per plastic checkout bag.

Some are glad the company is doing something positive for the planet; others are irritated at being asked to pay.

The bags, which will be banned in San Francisco this fall, are the target of environmentalists who say they clog landfills, don’t decompose and can suffocate wildlife.

Ben Bernanke

Taking into account the mind-sets of both the public and investors about where prices are headed is a key factor for policymakers working to tame inflation, the Federal Reserve chairman said Tuesday.

If investors, consumers and businesses feel confident the Fed will keep prices stable, the Fed chief said, they may be less inclined to act in ways that could aggravate inflation.

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