Paper or Plastic? How about Neither?

Paper or Plastic?  This seemingly, simple inquiry is intended to provide grocers with their preference of bag, used to transport their merchandise.  The decision is usually easy as retailers and customers alike find the strong, lightweight design of a plastic bag to be ideal for carrying a variety of different products.  However, asking for the customer’s bagging preference turns out to be more of a loaded question than one might expect.  Plastic bags are harmful to the environment.  They are accountable for a great deal of litter, are responsible for the injury and death of wildlife, are non-biodegradable and continue to be a health hazard.  Fortunately this issue is receiving heightened publicity as a growing number of cities and stores are banning the use of plastic bags.    

Earlier this month ABC News ran an article, highlighting California’s failed attempt to pass a statewide ban of plastic bags. It is in my own opinion that this fight, though lost, continues to be a step in the right direction.  History has made evident that when politics are involved, nothing happens overnight.  The sole fact that this ban was even considered foreshadows upcoming change.  Assemblywoman Julia Brownley, who authored the bill, also rejects the lawmaker’s decision as being a failure.  In an interview conducted by ABC she states, “It’s not a matter of if, but a matter of when consumers bring their own bags and become good stewards of the environment.”  The fact of the matter is that eventually something will need to be done.  According to the article, California alone uses 19 billion plastic bags per year.  It takes 1,000 years to break down these bags that the average person uses for an average of 10 minutes per possession.

What will be next, banning water bottles?
One can only hope!  

Click here to check out this ABC News article.