Item C: Plastic Bag Ban - Laserfiche WebLink

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Attachment D: Text responses from consumer plastic bag ban survey Eugene is a demand and take city. It is a force-you-into-submission city. The words topmost in the language base are NO and DON'T and TAX YOU MORE and TAKE IT IF YOU DON'T GIVE IT TO ME. It does not even rank in the top ten for education excellence. The city needs to stop being so negative and domineering, stop acting like kings and queens on a thrown, and start being more positive and more part of the community they live in. Just because someone works in the governing offices does not make them any less a citizen of this town, and they should not be acting above the citizenry. They should be more ready to lead than slap down. We don't need any more rules. We are ruled to suffocation as it is. What is that old saying ~ something about honey, flies, and vinegar? The city needs to put away the whip and chain (it hasn't worked anyway) and start leading the way. Stop pointing at somebody else to do the job. Take the initiative. Stop pointing at the guy opposite you and start pointing at the person who looks back at you in the mirror. Answer the question "What's in it for me? and then lay out the honey. One idea is an announcement: The City of Eugene is hosting a Trade in Day! Shoppers bring your plastic bags and trade for reusable bags. Get the merchants involved. Merchants generally sell reusable bags; but for a short time, they might be willing to trade their reusable for plastic and thereby facilitate the phasing out of plastic bags. Getting people in to trade bags could boost sales. Several retailers give 5 cents off each when shoppers use their own bags. Perhaps making that information more public would help. Another idea is to have a "bag turn in" day (much like a gun turn in or a needle exchange) and make it a gala affair with lots of attention, local bands for entertainment, and free food. You could involve the homeless ~ any kind of plastic refuse for food. The mayor and city counselors could stand at major intersections and collect bags much as the Firefighters collect for muscular dystrophy. Put a recycle bin next to the garbage bins on the corners and at bus stops. The city needs to lead by example, and the example you need to start setting is "get off your butt." In this survey, you are asking for input. You have taken the first step to a solution by coming to the citizenry for solutions. Thank you. I would like to see an objective cost/benefit study conducted before any new regulations. I dislike plastic bags with a passion! PLEASE BAN THE BAG. People will adapt and get used to bringing their own reusable bags if they are forced to do so. It's an easy adjustment that just takes a little time to get used to as a routine. PLEASE ban all plastic bags in our city. As a Master Recycler, I think the necessary push to encourage shoppers to remember their reusable bags is the best action to reduce the increased use of plastic bags. A ban would force more of us to find alternatives. Plastic takes 200 - 1000 years to decompose. That's horrible.