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Item 4: Ordinance Encouraging Use of Reusable Bags
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Item 4: Ordinance Encouraging Use of Reusable Bags
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10/22/2012
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Bag Ban Public Testimony 7/24/2012 – 9/17/2012 <br />Subject: Plastic bag info worth considering before the upcoming meeting <br /> <br />TO ALL COUNCILORS AND THE MAYOR: <br /> <br />This email is being addressed to all of you prior to the scheduled Sept 17th public meeting regarding a <br />blanket ban on all plastic store bags that is being proposed. Not only do I completely disagree with such <br />a ban but I think that it is a hypocritical approach and has unexpected consequences as seems to be the <br />case with "hastily pushed" policy that we have witnessed lately. When will our politicians learn to slow <br />down and think things through; carefully considering the figurative big picture, before recklessly moving <br />ahead with costly and/or ill thought out policy that is rooted in sensationalism? This is one such <br />proposal! <br /> <br />Most don't dispute the need to be as clean and efficient as possible, as current technology allows. This <br />is evidenced in the fact that many such store bags that are to be banned are now made of "bio-plastics" <br />that are derived from renewable and biodegradable biomass sources; sources such as vegetable fats and <br />oils, corn starch, pea starch or microbiota (a monotypic genus of evergreen coniferous shrub in the <br />cypress family - refer to wikipedia). These bags are so lightweight and flimsy that they can barely <br />contain any heavy groceries that they are designed to carry but can and are REUSED by many as trash <br />can liners, pet waste bags, trash bags for vehicles on road trips, laundry and/or shoe bags when traveling <br />or camping, etc. I have used them for all of those purposes as I'm sure many others have and there are <br />probably many more applications of which I am unaware. That being said, the moniker of "single use <br />bag" that is attached to these bags is an outright fabrication. In fact, let's expand on that thought and <br />really get to the heart of the matter. What indeed are SINGLE USE BAGS are the commercially produced <br />trash can liners designed for "single use" application. Not only are they so heavy duty that they do <br />not easily break down but they are designed specifically to go from the manufacturers box and into the <br />landfill, via your trash can, where they will sit for years. So I will ask a simple question. What do "you" <br />line your trash cans with? Are you "recycling" a store bag by giving it a second or third life? I recycle <br />100% of everything that comes through my house and have been for about 20 years now. I have about <br />15 tote bags that I shop with UNLESS I need more trash can liners (in which case, I collect more store <br />bags instead). <br /> <br /> Let's use common sense and not be hypocrites. Jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire is not <br />the right approach. I already go two weeks with the smallest trash can available before needing a <br />pickup but If these bags are banned, then I will be forced to buy heavy duty, non-biodegradable trash <br />can liners and contribute to the already massive piles of those products within the landfills. How many <br />others will be forced to change products as well? You could be doing more harm than good with this <br />approach. <br /> <br />The following is an OSU news and research communication article written January 4, 2011. I have <br />pasted it so that you can see the over-exaggeration in regards to these bags. While they are not a <br />perfect solution to our waste needs, they have been greatly improved. The fact that photosynthetic <br />microbes within the ocean are thriving on plastic particles just goes to show that more research is <br />needed (not rash decisions), and that they might not be as bad as depicted (especially if organically <br />derived). Just remember that haste in decision making has the potential for huge waste and a host of <br />other problems as well. <br /> <br />OSU prof: Ocean garbage patch 'grossly exaggerated' <br />
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