We applaud the intentions of the Morgan Hill City Council in raising consideration of a ban on plastic and paper grocery bags. Council members are trying to encourage us to use and re-use the canvas bags that grocers sell as an alternative.
2. Ignoring the impractical
The proposal to ban plastic bags has its roots in bag bans passed in San Francisco and Berkeley - a cause picked up by several environmental groups and many cities in California as one method to reduce the amount of non-recyclable waste sent to landfills.
It's an admirable idea and we agree that anything that cuts down on the amount of trash headed for landfills is a great idea. However, we're concerned that this is one of those sledgehammer approaches to an issue, best solved with incentives, voluntary support and technological alternatives.
Part of the bag ban proposal is to impose a fee on each paper or plastic bag used in a grocery store. There would have to be exceptions for those on WIC, food stamps or for the elderly. And, that turns the grocery store cashier into an enforcement officer which we believe is wrong.
3. Consider the alternatives
The big problem with the plastic grocery bags is that people don't recycle them. They wind up in the trash and they do not decompose in landfills.
We encourage the citizens of Morgan Hill to take their old plastic bags back to the grocery store. You will find a bag recycling bin there. Better yet, buy and use those canvas bags the grocers sell.
And, we would like to see the grocery stores investigate using bio-degradable plastic bags in place of what they're currently using.
If all of us are smart, we can greatly reduce this kind of landfill waste and be more environmentally responsible, without winding up with government minders or grocery clerks chastising our habits at the grocery store.
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