CA: Judge hears arguments in suit challenging plastic bag ban
Inside Bay AreaPosted: January 30th, 2008 by Thomas L. Knapp
“An attorney representing a group of plastic bag manufacturers and recyclers challenged Oakland’s plastic-bag ban in court Tuesday, saying the city failed to properly study the negative environmental impacts of increased use of paper bags. In the closely watched dispute, the Sacramento-based Coalition to Support Plastic Bag Recycling is arguing that the ban should be scrapped because Oakland officials did not prepare an environmental impact report, or EIR, before outlawing non-biodegradable plastic bags at retail outlets that do more than $1 million a year in business. … The situation in Oakland is being watched by cities across the nation and comes as part of a widespread push to curtail the use of petroleum-based plastic bags, which, critics say, are killing wildlife around the world.” (01/30/08)
January 30th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
The issue at hand is that “disposable” convenience items like plastic AND paper bags are degrading the ecological infrastructure we humans need for survival. If we reclaimed old fashioned sensibilities like being frugal we’d all be a lot better off. I was talking with my granny the other day about the disposable bag crisis and she told me that “in my day” people always brought their own bags. When disposable bags were introduced, people stopped bringing their own. Now, people of good intention buy reusable grocery bags and, speaking from personal experience, we often leave them at home. Because of my forgetfulness, I’ve started packing around a reusable ChicoBag because I can stuff it into a tiny little sack that hangs on my backpack. It’s a life saver. Literally. Lucky for college students like me, it’s also inexpensive and can hold lots of text books and beverages. Oh, I found a blog that’s perfect for people who want to be entertained and informed about the bag crisis: http://www.BagMonsterBusters.com. Cheers!