Saving the planet can start at the grocery store
San Francisco passes ban on plastic bags as a way to help clean up environment
1:17 p.m. Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Imagine after checking out at the grocery store, being asked, "paper, or biodegradable, compostable bag?"
Doesn't have the same ring as "paper or plastic," and it's a more expensive option, one that San Francisco residents have.
They must to pay at the grocery store to get rid of hundreds of millions of plastic bags littering the city and the dumps.
The California Grocers Association says regular plastic bags cost a penny or 2. Paper's 5 to 8 cents. Special, biodegradable bags are 10 to 16 cents.
"With all due respect to the Grocers Association, they have no one to blame but themselves," said San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.
Newsom considered charging grocers a fee on each plastic bag. The mayor says grocers used their political muscle at the state level and got the legislature to prohibit cities from imposing such a charge.
With no power to slow the spread of plastic bags, the city simply banned them.
"When they double-bag with plastic and they bring 10 or 15 of these things home, they have to realize where these things go. And they end up in landfills and they don't biograde."
Even thought a ban on these plastic bags is not likely in Topeka anytime soon, grocery stores do offer paper bags, although sometimes they're behind the counter available only if you ask for them.
But another trend is popping up. Reusable shopping bags.
Dillons grocery store them. It provides one opportunities for consumers to cut back on waste.
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