Morgan Hill has joined numerous cities throughout California in researching a ban or fee on plastic and paper bags from retail and grocery stores.
While implementation of any banning plan is a long way off, says environmental programs manager Tony Eulo, the city is keeping an eye on San Jose's efforts, along with the 13 other cities that make up the Santa Clara County Cities Association. Down south, Los Angeles County's 88 cities are considering "bag-control measures" as well, according to Californians Against Waste, a nonprofit environmental advocacy group.
The group says San Jose is among a number of cities considering a ban on plastic bags and a fee on paper bags.
The group has sponsored state legislation, expected to be heard Thursday by the Senate Appropriations Committee, that would put a fee on paper and plastic bags as a way to encourage people to use reusable bags.
While not everyone is thrilled about a fee on one-use bags, Eulo said it might be the only option if governments want to decrease plastic and paper bag use.
"I don't know that incentives alone are going to do it," Eulo said, speaking to the five-cents off the bill per bag that some grocery stores offer, and the weekly $25 raffle high-end grocer Trader Joe's offers.
Mayor Steve Tate brought the banning topic before the council in June after pledging to do so at a recent cities association meeting.
Tate said he wouldn't have a problem with a modest charge if that's one of the more effective ways to get bags used.
"We've got to get trained," he said. San Jose has made a lot of progress on this front, Tate said.
Eulo agreed.
Eulo said what San Francisco did was a great start, but as more communities look into banning plastic shopping bags, they're finding that plastics aren't the only problem.
"Paper shopping bags, while more recyclable, use a whole lot more energy to make," he said. "That's not to say that paper bags are worse. But there's an impact."
Eulo said in his research so far, he's found that most people are concluding that a fee on bags would be an incentive to use reusable bags.
"It takes practice, but then you can do it," he said.
Councilwoman Marby Lee, however, is not in favor of a ban for two reasons. First, she said, she's against bans of that sort in general, and second, she doesn't think changing behavior should be something that is mandated.
"I understand the reasoning, we should strive to use less of them, but there are other methods," she said.
Lee said if a person goes on a shopping trip and has three reusable bags but ends up needing four, a store charging for a fourth bag would "certainly put a hit on them economically.
"It should be up to the store," Lee said. "If a store wants to give bags with purchases, or give credit for bringing in reusable bags, that's great. But imposing a fee because they use bags, that's another thing."
Eulo said: "There are layers of evaluation still to be done."
Shoppers seemed receptive to the idea - but unsure of how a ban would affect them.
Jacquie Dey said she's been using Nob Hill's reusable bags for months now, and while it took a while to get used to, it's now part of her new eco-friendly lifestyle that also includes recycling and eating less meat. But, she was hesitant to say she gave her full support to a ban.
"The details could still be worked out," she said. While Dey said she uses her reusable bags for most shopping trips, she still makes sure to get paper bags every now and then to hold her shredded paper that she plans to recycle. She also picks up plastic bags once in a while, to use when she cleans her cat's litter box.
Laura Banshak, on the other hand, said she doesn't like having all those plastic bags cluttering her house. She uses Trader Joe's red reusable bags.
"It's better for the environment," she said simply, as she entered the store Wednesday afternoon.
Tami Isaksen said although she sometimes forgets her reusable bags for shopping trips, she is fully supportive of banning plastics and papers.
"Plastic bags are hazardous, they're not biodegradable, and paper bags kill trees," she said as she left Trader Joe's Wednesday, a paper bag in hand.
Natalie Everett
Natalie Everett Natalie Everett is the education and city reporter for The Times. Reach her at (408) 779-4106, ext. 201, or neverett@morganhilltimes.com.
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Plastic, paper bag ban considered
