Take a Pass on the Plastic
Today the Register had an interesting article about a bill wending its way through the state legislature that would impose a 25 cent “fee” or whatever terminology you want to use, for every plastic bag a shopper walks out with.
There was a poll included with the article, with a typical 57 percent of OC Register readers living in their own worlds who replied, “mind your own business” in regards to the proposed law.
Give me a break, people.
I agree that the law as is sounds a bit flawed. Where the collected money will go doesn’t seem to be clear, and grocery stores should not be the only targets of this law.
However, the whole point of the bill is to pull people’s collective heads out of their asses the sand and help them to realize that plastic bags are a huge threat to the environment, to wildlife, and to the beauty of our landscapes. It is not your “right” as an American to use plastic bags.
If China, who last week banned plastic bags, is ahead of us on environmental policy, then we have some serious catching up to do.
If you are too damn lazy to buy some reusable bags (available at Trader Joe’s, Costco, and Amazon to name just a few places) then twenty five cents a bag sounds reasonable to me.
What is even more sad is that we have to hit people in their pocketbooks to change their habits instead of them doing it because it is the socially responsible thing.
I don’t see a problem with a minor charge. Ikea charges a nickel a bag, or $0.59 cents for a recyclable, which I now use to hold my plastic and aluminum recyclables until I take them to the proper place.
My wife and I personally did it because it was the responsible thing. I also recycle plastic bags when I forget my recyclable ones. Fresh and Easy had prominent bins for just that.
The people complaining are the same ones think because they can afford tickets traffic laws do not apply to them and will continue to drive alone instead of carpooling when their neighbor is going to the same place.
That poll irked me. Well, the fact that more people voted to "mind your own business" irked me. Those people are the exact reason why there should be a mandatory charge for disposable shopping bags. When we’re accumulating so much garbage, it’s everybody’s damn business.
I agree whole heartedly! Get rid of the God damn things.
Actually, they ought to just ban them altogether. My wife and I made the switch to reusables about 3 years back and while it took some adjustment (mainly remembering them) it was not a big deal.
One trick we found is that if the trunk of the car is their official home we are never without them.
We keep our Trader Joe’s canvas bags in our car also. Unfortunately, we have been given attitude a couple times for using them at places other than Trader Joes. Once at Whole Foods! Regardless of where the bags come from, places should be stoked we are reusing/recycling.
[...] The OC keeps on keepin’ on in the campaign against plastics. [OC Metblogs] [...]
It is true and sad that people have a hard time in doing the right thing. Maybe we could have environmental agents running throughout the town handing out tickets for littering or wasting water. I think it is a good and long over due idea. Now, if only we could do away with the plastic produce baggies from the shopping markets.