Calif. first state to ban plastic bags
By Fenit Nirapril, AP
SACRAMENTO — Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday signed the nation’s first statewide ban on single-use plastic bags at grocery and convenience stores, driven to action by pollution in streets and waterways.
A national coalition of plastic bag manufacturers immediately said it would seek a voter referendum to repeal the law, which is scheduled to take effect in July 2015.
Under SB270, plastic bags will be phased out of checkout counters at large grocery stores and supermarkets such as Wal-Mart and Target starting next summer, and convenience stores and pharmacies in 2016. The law does not apply to bags used for fruits, vegetables or meats, or to shopping bags used at other retailers. It allows grocers to charge a fee of at least 10 cents for using paper bags.
State Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Los Angeles, credits the momentum for statewide legislation to the more than 100 cities and counties, including Los Angeles and San Francisco, that already have such bans.
The law marks a major milestone for environmental activists who have successfully pushed plastic bag bans in cities across the U.S., including Chicago, Austin and Seattle. Hawaii is also on track to have a de-facto statewide ban, with all counties approving prohibitions.
“This bill is a step in the right direction — it reduces the torrent of plastic polluting our beaches, parks and even the vast ocean itself,” Brown said in a signing statement. “We’re the first to ban these bags, and we won’t be the last.”
Plastic bag manufacturers have aggressively pushed back through their trade group, the American Progressive Bag Alliance, which aired commercials in California blasting the ban as a cash-giveaway to grocers that would lead to a loss of thousands of manufacturing jobs.
“If this law were allowed to go into effect, it would jeopardize thousands of California manufacturing jobs, hurt the environment and fleece consumers for billions so grocery store shareholders and their union partners can line their pockets,” Lee Califf, executive director of the manufacturer trade group, said in a statement.
Padilla, the bill’s author, said Californians would reject a referendum effort and quickly adapt their behavior to help the environment.
“For those folks concerned about the 10 cent fee that may be charged for paper, the simple elegant solution is to bring a reusable bag to the store,” Padilla said.
Shoppers leaving a Ralphs supermarket Tuesday in downtown San Diego were divided as they weighed the legislation’s environmental benefits against its costs. San Diego does not ban plastic bags.
“With the amount of waste that we produce, we can try to help out by slightly inconveniencing ourselves,” said Megan Schenfeld, 29, whose arms were full of groceries in plastic bags after leaving reusable bags at home.
Robert Troxell, a 69-year-old former newspaper editor, said the fees are more than an inconvenience for retirees living on fixed incomes like him. He shops daily because he has only a small refrigerator in his hotel for low-income seniors.
“It becomes a flat tax on senior citizens,” said Troxell, who lives off social security and other government assistance. “I have not disagreed with Jerry Brown on anything — until this.”
The American Forest and Paper Association, a trade group representing paper bag makers, says the bill unfairly penalizes consumers who use their commonly recycled products, while holding reusable plastic bags to a lower standard for recyclable content.
Responding to the concerns about job losses, the bill includes $2 million in loans for plastic bag manufacturers to shift their operations to make reusable bags. That provision won the support of Los Angeles Democratic Sens. Kevin De Leon and Ricardo Lara, who had blocked earlier versions of the legislation.
Lawmakers of both parties who opposed SB270 said it would penalize lower-income residents by charging them for bags they once received for free. The bill was amended to waive fees for customers who are on public assistance and limit how grocers can spend the proceeds from the fees.
Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Puerto Rico also have pending legislation that would ban single-use bags, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
“A national coalition of plastic bag manufacturers immediately said it would seek a voter referendum to repeal the law, which is scheduled to take effect in July 2015.”
Gee, I wonder if this group will be contacting JoAnn Conner to argue their case employing her legendary opinions about plastic bag repurposing for dog and cat feces and soiled baby diapers.
Spouse – 4-mer-usmc
“With the amount of waste that we produce, we can try to help out by slightly inconveniencing ourselves,” said Megan Schenfeld, 29
This is what the ban is about, inconveniencing ourselves so we feel better about all of the plastic we use. No this wont have any material effect on the total volume of plastic generated, but like driving a Prius, everyone around will know how green we are. Results aren’t actually necessary as long as we feel good about it.
This is a golden opportunity for some of the retailers to create some competition among themselves. “We don’t have a ‘Bag Surcharge’ here at XYZ Market, shop here!!”
The smartest thing to do is to ban liberals who do this to people. Hiding a new tax everywhere you turn in the belief they are doing something, what this does is cost the consumer that didn’t vote for this and take away choices. Other states will never ban these bags, wait until the new CARB gas tax comes out and a dollar or so is added to every gallon in your gas tank. Vote all liberals out!
Justice, I shudder to think what your conservative utopia would be like!
Are plastic bags the only form of waste we humans produce? Of course not. But banning the bags is a good start in the stewardship of the planet we live on. I hope banning plastic water bottles is next. There are better (reusable) choices for carrying water that are much more environmentally responsible. The earth is not meant to be a trash receptacle for human laziness. Recycle, reuse, protect our planet.
Justice, moral, and all your cronies can all just move to texas, build your big ol wall to keep out the horrible terrible liberals (not that we would show up there), and you can all whine about how terrible it is to live in the USA where we force you to act civil and take care of the planet. WHHHAAAAAAA
“The smartest thing to do is to ban liberals who do this to people….”. Brilliant idea. What the Hell is wrong with you?
I realize I gave you and your regressive ilk a platform-read: shovel, with which to dig yourselves deeper into the ‘proudly and staunchly behind the curve” pit you seem to love. By all means, have at it. This should be fun.
I have to remind rabid liberals frequently that people in this county who are conservative are a majority and will continue to be, as just about all foothill and mountain counties are and no matter how many transplants from the Bay move here with their values that they try to impose on others. These values don’t reflect the rural counties conservative majority and are not part of Northern Cal values and this applies to just about anywhere North of Sacramento.
Gee justice, a littl defensive? Im giving you texas, isnt that good enough? Beware, your bubble is about to burst. Maybe Idaho is closer. There are alot of gop hacks up there, oh, but most of the state is federal land so that probably wouldnt work for you, too many laws and too much wilderness. Cry me a river…
This ban makes people feel good. That’s funny. Do you realize how much more plastic in raw volume is in the containers that contain the food in a supermarket? The ban hurts the consumer, does nothing to thwart the Proctor Gambles of the world. The older and wiser I become, I realize i am sick of liberals and their idealistic views. Look at liberal cities and towns; they are full of drugs, homeless, mentally ill. The libs I know let their dogs crap all over the place. Lazy liberals.
So, move to Oklahoma-where all the smart people are.
East of Sacramento not North I meant. Farther from the coasts east to west you get, the more conservative it is. The liberal majority tends to be on the coasts and not a majority outside of those areas. They do try to cash in on the Bay real estate and move elsewhere and pay in cash which inflates prices for everyone else and they tend to take their Bay liberal values and try to impose them on a majority of people in rural areas who are conservative. The few liberal majority coast states should form their own country. A liberal utopia of free welfare, no laws, no prisons, no borders, no firearms, and an assigned studio govt. housing project and something to replace the income from no tax payers.
Ironic how Tesla’s new mega battery plant will be located in Nevada. No small part because of the lack of regulations. Same reason the solar industry sent most of the solar panel production to China.
Right…Contrary to the Liberturdarian/Conservative screed the conservative Red states mooch off of the liberal Blue states. Sorry Louie Gohmert and Ted Cruz…the numbers don’t lie on this. Why are you so proud to want a government where choice is bought and packaged by multinational corporations(in this I include banking)supported by an activist Supreme Court where safety and accountability are secondary to profits you and I never see? Someone(Ayn Rand or the Koch brothers perhaps) has convinced you that ‘freedom to_____’ is more important to this country and planet than ‘freedom from____’. For example, freedom to trash(bag) the environment(and its inhabitants) without being accountable for the damage done vs. freedom from being in a trashed environment(be it plastic bags or toxic fracking waste) and having no real recourse. Rights without responsibilities! It is an ideology of selfishness, which has used smoke and mirrors to keep people looking for bogeymen in their neighbors garage while fleecing the country. Repubs and Democrats are both at fault, though the Repubs wrap it in a flag and Dems wrap it in whatever’s expedient. In my opinion, though, the Dem’s platform promotes more of what I believe a government should do for ” we the people’ when it comes to social issues.
Hmm, I understand plastic bags are causing destruction of the natural world. But why are paper bags part of the law?
Maybe the answer is because being seen with a reusable bag provides people with an opportunity to appear environmentally conscious?
http://www.ncsu.edu/cenrep/workshops/TREE/documents/ConspicuousConservation-TREE.pdf
It’s amazing to see an environmental issue turned into a political issue. Yes it is an environmental issue, all one has to do is go to the ocean and see for themselves for all the plastic bags wash ashore or on the beach. That’s liberal territory, so it must be all hyperbole according to some commenters on this thread.
I really don’t get conservatives who don’t want to conserve? Conserve plastic, paper, energy, and advocate reusable bags at the store. It’s pretty simple and should save you money in the long run. California’s ban on plastic bags isn’t going to eliminate the problem, but it’s going to help the environment in the long run.
@Moral-I don’t know the answer to your question about paper bags. One could guess that paper bags, among other things, are made from a renewable resource, and not implicated in wildlife deaths to the degree that plastic is.
Conspicuous Conservation…yeah, kind of like ExxonMobil and BP advertising about their Environmental Soul now that they are forced by circumstance to entertain solar and wind power, while pushing their bought politicos into passing legislation taxing those who put in their own solar panels. In the 80’s and 90’s we called it ‘Greenwashing’. Banning plastic bags is a good first step.
@Bigfishy1-I agree.
@JaniceEastburn-have you seen the science behind making biodegradable water bottles from algae? Here’s one link: http://www.dezeen.com/2014/04/01/edible-water-bottle-uses-algae-to-create-biodegradable-alternative-to-plastic-containers/
There has to be about a million plastic bags in each car made today as well as many other items. It is simply another emotional “feel good” and the bags will be brought in and blowing into the state from every other state. What is lost is freedom of choice and a new tax is imposed without a vote of the people, liberal non-representative government is what this is and should apply only to people who want this. On another subject, Could anyone imagine what the news would be if Bush failed to screen for Ebola and didn’t shut down travel from the countries where this is killing thousands and brought Ebola into this country? This is total incompetence. Or if Bush had allowed other “viruses” starting to spread from the walk-in open borders that are threatening citizens? It would be 24/7 demands for his impeachment.
Freedom of Choice. Right. If that is how you define freedom, have at it. Glad you draw the line somewhere. As I said before, you can’t legislate what people think, but you can legislate what they do. I would like to remind you that the law wasn’t written for your inconvenience(poor thing-can i get you a non-plastic tissue?)-it was written to help minimize pollution that, among other things chokes wildlife. But hey, I forgot, it’s ALL ABOUT YOU. Next thing you know they’ll be telling you that you can’t dump your used motor oil down the toilet. Or keep nuclear waste in your backyard.
Isn’t this Ebola case in Texas? The home of mental giants Rick Perry(er…oops) Louie Gohmert and Ted(the Cubancanadian)Cruz? Er, oops.
@Justice, you are presenting a false argument. It may be true that thousands of plastic bags, (or the materials used to make them) are used in cars. Cars are not washing ashore on the beaches of our great state. Cars are the most recycled, repurposed products on earth.
In addition, although some bags may make their way into our state, the majority will not. So it’s not just a feel good law for the most populous state in the union.
Plus it’s not a tax, it’s a retailer recouping the cost of a more expensive, with less impact on the environment bag. You still have a choice, be a real conservative and use reusable bags, buy a bag for 10 cents, or claim ignorance and they’ll give you a bag. The latter shouldn’t be that hard for you to do.
Hmmm, paper bags are part of the law. So this isn’t about plastic or paper, this is about appearance. Paper bags are from a renewable resource and actually primarily from recycled materials. Yet they are taxed as well.
So this isn’t about plastic or paper, this is about being seen with those nice European looking bags.
Ignorance for liberals is bliss, just look at any city or town or state they manage and it is usually a disaster. Locally the many who shop out of the basin on the Nevada side will keep growing and now for groceries and any big ticket items because the state of Cal drives away people, the ones who have money will drive to Nevada for the better prices and lower taxes and more will head that way permanently as the tax payers flee to be replaced by welfare entitlement residents and when the taxpayers continue to pour out the burden on the few grows until a breaking point and collapse. This is the truth about the future in the state and it isn’t that far off.
Justice, Why don’t you do all of us non Koch-heads, who are trying to be sentient human beings, a break and take a couple of your precious plastic bags and put them over your head and tie snugly at the neck. Teabagger people like YOU are the problem.
Justice, all I can say is your bias is overwhelming and reading comprehension poor. The gentlemen in Texas diagnosed with Ebola entered this Country legally, coming in on a flight with no obvious symptoms. As experts have pointed out (I forgot you conservatives hate science) there is no way to screen for Ebola unless someone is throwing up sick, in which case they would not be allowed on the plane. There is an incubation period of about 21 days, during which the individual usually has no outward symptoms. As one expert from Fordham University noted today, the only way to stop Ebola coming into this Country is to close off all travel from the affected Countries to anywhere (which would be impossible to do or enforce) or, the U.S. and other advanced Countries put much more effort to control the epidemic in Africa.
Rick
To the many who make their lives on this blog especially since the usual suspects are on this thread. Here’s a good read for you.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/your-online-secrets/201409/internet-trolls-are-narcissists-psychopaths-and-sadists?tr=MostViewed
Be nice to go outside and do something positive for a change.
“California governor signs gun-seizure law”….careful Justice, you are sounding a bit hysterical. Your family may have the police take your toys away.
I have to again remind people that liberals are a minority in this county and although they may be a majority of trolls on the net, which is psychopathic, being a liberal already is a distinct psychosis that gets worse and nothing is ever enough as making people miserable is their mission and a lifelong losing game. They really should go home and back to the Bay where old neighbors with like minds await their return, in this county they are really out of place and become unstable really quick and mental health centers are all back home waiting for their return.
Kicked off the force for failing the psych/stability evaluation, eh Justice? No wonder you are a BitterClinger
Making up facts to try to impress? Another liberal troll tactic.
Was Justice a cop?
Justice, Some rather intersting statements you made in reference to people of what you think of folks that you perceicve of having liberal thoughts.
The article was about banning plastic bags in California. But then some how it got turned into a political debate about something as trivial as plastic shopping bags! Conservatives vs liberals? Over shopping bags?
“Paper or Plastic or did you bring your own re-usable bag”? Have a great day, OLS
cosa pescado, Justice was never a cop, but he was a CJ McCoy
@Murphy-really? He Has hinted that he worked in law enforcement. I thought CJ got banned from the site. His vitriol sounds more like BitterClinger.
Under Moonbeam’s laughable renewal as a has-been politician, the signing of this bill is political as the day is long. Remember liberalism is about control, a vast control of all things a person might do because under their belief no person should make their own choices because a liberal can do it better. The liberals themselves don’t want the same rules to apply, very similar to their global warming hoax and the Hollywood stars with their numerous mansions using enough resources for dozens of homes and their private jets using the same resources that they never want mentioned. Liberals want the power to take choices away from people without a vote of the people, so this issue is a political issue as much as anything. The issue of plastic is not what this is entirely but it is presented as a “save the planet” issue to hide the intent of liberalism which is control through legislation and a massive central and state government.
For those of you whose lives revolve around this blog and are still commenting on this thread. here’s a good read for you including you justice.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/your-online-secrets/201409/internet-trolls-are-narcissists-psychopaths-and-sadists?tr=MostViewed
Do us all a favor go outside and do something positive. You live in one of the most beautiful places in the world. go enjoy it.
According to Justice you have two choices. Be a liberal, or be on the same team as Justice.
There are no demands here to be on any “team” there is a presentation of facts, ideas, and thought and people can decide and make their own choices where they fit in to this issue. That is true freedom of choice, unlike liberalism which is a one-sided false presentation of an issue that is normally presented in colleges and media and from liberal journalism classes from modern J school colleges.
Facts and ideas? Justice, you can play your Facebook style conservasheep rants all you want. Jerry Brown is arguably the best governor the State of California has EVER seen, AND will be re-lected by close to a 20 point margin. Which means that he’ll receive a decent portion of GOP voters that know a good thing when they see it!
Level, if you kept the border open and ignored your oath of office and the laws regarding immigration and never checked voter ID’s and handed out welfare to non-citizens by the millions and let out tens of thousands of early release felons you would also have a good chance of winning an election. It is far from legit and if you violate enough laws you too might be governor.
Justice = a legend in his own deranged mind.
Justice binges on Fox News. The network that sued to be able to lie and blurs the line between opinion and fact.
Keep on going, you’re winning lots of converts. I can’t wait until something racial hits the news again to see how much bigotry the editor will continue to put up with from you and your friends.
You all need a big sand box to go play in!
Oops-I think confused ‘Justice’ with ‘Copper’ regarding intimating a background in law enforcement. My apologies Copper.
Apologies accepted. Except that I was neither reading nor participating in the thread so any insults fell on deaf ears.
Wow. Justice got his weekend pass from the “Psycho” ward. We have debunked your “rants” on previous threads in this News outlet yet you continue to stay in the land of Liberals: Social Security, Medicare, Unemployment Benefits, Minimum Wage, Five Day Workweek, Affordable Care Act, National Parks, National Forests, Interstate Highways, Environmental Protection Agency, to name a few.
Anyway, the article is about reducing the plastic waste stream and I think that is a good thing.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/do-plastic-bag-bans-work/?WT.mc_id=SA_Facebook