Los Angeles Times, 07.23.08

The Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to ban plastic carryout bags in the city's supermarkets and stores by July 2010 -- but only if the state fails to impose a 25-cent fee on every shopper who requests them.

Council members said they hope an impending ban would spur consumers to begin carrying canvas or other reusable bags, reducing the amount of plastic that washes into the city's storm drains and the ocean.

"This is a major moment for our city, to bite the bullet and go with something that is more ecologically sensitive than what we've ever done before," said Councilman Bill Rosendahl...

Our Take:  Bravo, California! Los Angeles joins the ranks of San Francisco in reducing plastic bag consumption.  However, the biggest news is not the ban, but that Los Angeles is the first major U.S. city to vote to implement a plastic bag tax, by charging $.25 for “use-and-toss” bags, should the legislature not pass a statewide ban. A similar Plastax in Ireland reduced plastic bag consumption by 90%, and we are really excited to see the first U.S. effort to do the same. Even more importantly, Los Angeles also takes aim at paper bags, sending the message that over consumption of any kind is wasteful.

Los Angeles alone will put a dent in plastic bag consumption by reducing the 2.3 billion plastic bags it uses each year. We hope the city proves to be a model for many more across the nation.

Link: L.A. City Council votes for ban on plastic shopping bags

Comments

[saksit]

Read

[michelle provenzano]

I would love to know how to start a grassroots campaign to get these types of issues addressed in my state/local area. I live in Boynton Beach, FL (SE Florida).

I pick up bags from the road, the beach, anywhere they are flying, and re-use them. I love my reusable bags, and use them everyday!

Plastic Bags Blow!

[Dana]

Now a tax to use a bag. And these stores are giving non-plastic bags away for free, you can be sure. All of these taxes and making people pay out of their pockets is getting out of hand. This is no hurray moment. When money is being taken from people's wallets. This is not a "it's only .25" issue. I am all for conservation, but I am not willing to say its ok to keep taking money from people to make others feel good on "the environment. The same goes for this carbon tax everyone is pushing for.

Sometimes when a person intends good, the results can do more harm.

If you want to start a grassroots campaign, start collecting funds, purchase bags, and start giving bags away to people when they come go into the grocery store. (especially the ones that sell their bags for $5 - $10 dollars)

There it is.