Half of those responding to our March 15, 2012 online poll are in favor of a countywide ordinance banning the use of single-use plastic bags at grocery stores. Forty-one percent were opposed to such a ban and 6.7 percent were not sure.
When asked if they would favor a 10 cent fee for the use of paper bags at the grocery store, 69.7 percent said no, 26.9 percent said yes and 3.4 percent were not sure.
Here are some of the comments by those who responded to the survey:
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“And while we’re at it let’s ban solar panels and the Prius because they do just as much harm to the environment when manufactured as do plastic bags. This is once again government deciding what is best for the near-sighted masses that cannot see, or will not see beyond their nose!”
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“Bring your own bags or boxes, we all have them laying around, or reuse all the saved plastic bags we all shove under the kitchen sink.”
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“Get rid of the plastic. We already pay for bags used at grocery stores through the cost of items we buy. Paying for paper bags by forced fee just adds an additional cost to the consumer. Soon the markets will want to charge those of us who bring our own bags when we shop.”
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“I am a true environmentalist, so when it comes to banning plastic I’m all for it. However, I do not believe that charging for paper bags is an effective idea. It is only extra money people are going to have to pay, and we are already struggling to pay for groceries.
Then again, it will probably lead to a reusable bag revolution! Well anyway, I am still unsure on this topic, after all, I am only 15.”
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“I am okay with banning plastic bags since they seem to end up in the wrong places. However, I currently ask for paper bags when I buy my groceries if I haven’t remembered to bring my reusable bags. I use the paper grocery bags for collecting recycle items generated in my house. I also use them in my retail store. I don’t think it is necessary to charge a fee for paper bags at the grocery store as they are not single use to me and a lot of other people I know.” ——
“I am willing to get by without plastic bags if it will help to keep our children’s future world clean.”
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“I bring my own bags to the grocery store already, except when I forget to put them back in my purse after last use. A 5 cent fee is doable, 10 is a little steep considering stores only give a 5 cent credit now if you bring your own bag.”
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“I find it hard to believe that in this economy banning plastic bags is the priority for our Board of Supervisors.”
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“If there’s a fee for paper bags, I hope the markets will donate the bags we fill with food to give away at our church food pantry.”
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“I love plastic bags, they make great trash bags.”
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“I recycle all plastic bags I get at the grocery store either by re-using them or taking them back to recycle at the store. I walk to buy groceries and need the plastic bags to get the groceries home.”
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“I reuse my plastic bags as garbage can liners and for picking up on dog walks. I also walk dogs for the Petaluma Animal Shelter. This is just an added tax to me. The politicians can’t balance a budget or approve development but the progressives love nanny laws like this.”
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“It takes a while but it is possible to get in the habit of bringing your own bags. Paying for bags is an important minimal cost that would get people to get in the habit of bringing their own. If back in the 50s, when supermarkets first appeared, you had to bring your own bag, it would be taken for granted now. It’s time for change!”
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“Kohls has recycled plastic bags, more stores should get these. People will still use plastic bags, hopefully they won’t leave them all over the streets and parking lots.”
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“Moves us toward recycle, reuse — and we need to do that.”
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“Plastic bags are hard on the environment and wild animals.”
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“Plastic bags discarded irresponsibly equate to urban tumbleweeds. Plastic bags repurposed as trash bags lining the small compost can in the kitchen, the small trash cans in the bathroom or stashed in a backpack pocket for picking up trash on the weekend hikes is a good thing. The legislation of common sense does not work.”
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“Plastic bags should never have been used for shopping, period.”
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“Recycle or reuse if they are reusable. Save the forests!”
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“We keep half a dozen canvas bags in both of our cars. It’s finally easy to remember to bring them into the store! I’m all for keeping plastic bags out of the bay and out of the Pacific Swirl!”
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“Well ya gotta take your stuff home in something. Plastic bags should be a thing of the past, but in the interim, let’s not charge for paper bags. Instead of ‘charging’ for paper bags, how about you simply ‘discount’ 5 cents or so per bag that people bring in themselves? Reward rather than punish.”
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“Why not charge for the plastic ones too? I bring those back to the store and reuse them instead of buying the bags they have at the counter that usually tear after some uses and have to buy them again and throw away the torn ones. I’d rather pay 10 cents and get several uses out of them.”
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“Why should I pay to make Safeway richer? Oh, I forgot, corporations are people! Someone please invent a way to turn used plastic bags into a road surface so we can pave our streets with recycled bags.”
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“Yes, yes, yes, ban the plastic. Help save our fragile earth!”