Last month, the Solana Beach City Council held a meeting to revisit the plastic bag ban initiated in August last year. The council agreed to leave the ordinance as is, including the 10-cent charge per paper bag used in grocery stores and other retailers in the region. Supporters suggest the fee encourages customers to bring their own reusable bags, which was the original goal of the law.
Many shoppers are put off by the fee. Some feel the right to choose paper or plastic shouldn’t be mandated by the government. Others are lamenting the loss of the convenience plastic bags offer. Regardless of the controversy created by the ban, it has brought attention to the use of the bags and their cost to both society and the environment.
An editorial in the U-T San Diego criticized the ban for being what it called “one more example of government trying to dictate our behavior by taking money out of our pockets if we don’t fall in line.” Stop laughing—they’re serious. It’s a shame too, because this sort of rhetoric spawns unnecessary backlash and acts as an instigator for other ridiculous accusations.
If society was fully capable of managing itself we wouldn’t need the government to step in, but clearly there’s a bigger issue at hand. The legislation was passed last summer in an attempt to encourage shoppers to forgo single-use products in favor of reusable ones in an effort to lessen waste and cut back on production costs. The money collected from the fee for paper bags is kept and used by retailers at their discretion.
The only problem remaining is the charge for something consumers have had free access to all along. While the distaste for the fee is understandable, keep in mind most stores offer a small monetary incentive for each reusable bag used by customers—up to 10 cents depending on the store’s program. This can definitely add up and should not be overlooked when considering the benefits of bringing one’s own bags when shopping.
Some argue plastic bags aren’t a real concern because they can be recycled. While the idea of recycling the bags is feasible, the reality of it is not. In a perfect world, everyone would be considerate and use the provided recycle bins each and every time they visit the grocery store. The problem lays in the fact that very few people actually make a conscious and consistent effort to do so. According to an article by The Sacramento Bee, despite efforts by individuals and businesses, less than 5 percent of plastic bags are actually recycled. The rest eventually end up in our landfills and oceans.
This raises obvious ecological concerns, and has been a hotly debated topic for quite some time. There isn’t enough space in this column to discuss the pros and cons of each side, but the bottom line is: Customers have become so accustomed to pursuing convenience they tend to forget what impact it has on the world around them. The “less is more” philosophy can be beneficial when applied to just about anything, and protecting the environment shouldn’t be an exception.
Plastic bags are not biodegradable. They may decompose during a painfully long period of time, but in reality, the material simply breaks into miniscule particles. The oil and petroleum used to produce the bags then leach into the surrounding areas, poisoning the ground and water supply. Recycling often isn’t the best answer, either. It can be expensive, and as previously mentioned only a fraction of plastic bags produced actually make it through the recycling process.
Perhaps an alternative legislation should be considered in favor of punishment for the distribution of disposable grocery bags. Investments in better recycling programs or education initiatives designed to raise awareness about the use of bags might prove to be more effective. However, the truth is most of us will still be inclined to take the easy way out. Laws will most likely continue to be passed unless we take the initiative to change our habits.
Small steps can make a big difference. Plastic bags weren’t always around and if society has done without them before, it can do so again. Controversial as it may be, this legislation is a step in the right direction. Consuming less is a principle we all can—and should—apply to just about anything. There’s no negative consequence aside from a slight inconvenience factor, but it’s negligible when compared to the long-term negative effects bags have on the environment.
— Staff columnist Caitlin Johnson is a journalism senior
