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Urge California to Ban Plastic Bags!

 
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NickB



Joined: 30 Jun 2009
Posts: 510
Location: Alameda, CA

PostPosted: Fri Aug 20, 2010 3:23 pm    Post subject: Urge California to Ban Plastic Bags! Reply with quote

http://action.savesfbay.org/savesfbay/issues/alert/?alertid=16092916
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feuser



Joined: 29 Oct 2002
Posts: 1508

PostPosted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 5:48 am    Post subject: Re: Urge California to Ban Plastic Bags! Reply with quote

NickB wrote:
http://action.savesfbay.org/savesfbay/issues/alert/?alertid=16092916


So what happened? Did the plastic bag lobby say that jobs will be lost and everyone caved?

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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 8:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I remember walking out of the Hood River Safeway carrying a new, thinner, tree-saving paper bag full of groceries ... and I'm sure that incoming shopper and her child remember my reaction when the bag exploded and spread my groceries all over the sidewalk. The store replaced the damaged and broken stuff, cleaned up the mess, and started double-bagging everything until they could get sturdy bags again.

The government is not always the best solution. I agree with the ban idea, but can't they just make a plastic bag that degrades quickly, maybe changing color as it does so we don't trust our groceries to a rotten bag? The dang things surely are convenient, and I've never had one completely fail, but DAMN they're a blight on the planet.

Mike
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NickB



Joined: 30 Jun 2009
Posts: 510
Location: Alameda, CA

PostPosted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 9:26 am    Post subject: Re: Urge California to Ban Plastic Bags! Reply with quote

feuser wrote:
NickB wrote:
http://action.savesfbay.org/savesfbay/issues/alert/?alertid=16092916


So what happened? Did the plastic bag lobby say that jobs will be lost and everyone caved?


you be the judge:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/08/31/financial/f125700D02.DTL#ixzz0yIEf4ffW

It's a pity. It's one of these things that is much less inconvenient than it seems. We lived in a city that implemented such a change (no plastic bags, paper bags for a fee, re-usable bags sold at cost) a few years back. We've moved around since then but continue bringing our own re-usable totes whenever we go grocery shopping, not only because it's the right thing to do but it's actually more convenient, less bags to carry, strong bags so you can pack them full, easy to pack in trunk, etc...

One of those things people don't realize (or don't want to be bothered with such "details") until they are pushed to do it.

Iso, yes a bio-degradable plastic option would also be welcome, but from what I understand it's not cost-efficient, at least not in its current state.
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 11:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If it's the only throw-away plastic bag that's legal, the cost problem will go away.
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swchandler



Joined: 08 Nov 1993
Posts: 10588

PostPosted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 12:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm with you NickB, as I share your disappointment that the State Senate rejected the ban 21 to 14. What really has been demonstrated here is the raw power of lobbies, and how they can readily influence legislation, particularly during an election year. The petroleum and plastics industries could care less about reducing pollution and protecting our environment. It's all about money. All the nonsense about job lost at a time when high unemployment is in the news is just a smoke screen to make it appear that they really care about people.

Until a ban can be passed, and it will be sooner or later, the challenge is up to Californians who care enough to take the responsibility themselves to do the right thing. The same can be said for responsible recycling of your trash. I currently carry 4 reusable totes in my van, 2 of which were given away for free by a local Vons supermarket. The 2 I did buy cost me a total of $2. Believe me, a inexpensive investment that's hardly the hardship being peddled by industry lobbies.

For those that might feel that the purchase of reusable totes is too expensive, I would suggest asking for paper instead of plastic, and then reuse the paper bags over and over. How much trouble would it be to keep a stash of paper bags in the trunk of their car? I have a stash of them at home to store my recyclable aluminum cans between my visits to the recycling center. I've been using the same paper bags for years now. Really, being responsible couldn't be easier, and you can feel that you're contributing sensibly to the well being of our environment.
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