Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Mayor pushing to ban plastic bags at Austin stores
statesman.com ^ | 25 July 2011 | Sarah Coppola

Posted on 07/24/2011 11:50:58 PM PDT by smokingfrog

Austin retailers and grocery stores could no longer offer plastic bags at checkout counters under a ban Mayor Lee Leffingwell and two other City Council members will propose today .

The ban would be phased in gradually, though it's not clear when it would start.

Leffingwell said Sunday that plastic bags pollute waterways, harm wildlife, clog drainage systems and take up landfill space, where they don't biodegrade. A January report from the city's Solid Waste Services Department said Austinites use 263 million plastic bags a year, and the bags cost the city $850,000 a year to put in landfills and to clean up as litter.

"I think there will be a cost benefit and a benefit to the environment of going down this road and coming up with a reasonable ordinance" that bans the bags, Leffingwell said.

To stave off a possible ban in 2008 , six large retailers agreed to try to voluntarily reduce the use of plastic bags, but that program hasn't been effective enough, Leffingwell said.

The City Council will vote Aug. 4 on a resolution from Leffingwell and Council Members Mike Martinez and Chris Riley that would direct staff members to propose a scope for the ban and a timetable for phasing it in. Staff members would have to present a plan to the council in November .

City staffers will work with retailers and other stakeholders to write that plan, the mayor said.

(Excerpt) Read more at statesman.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: chrisriley; leeleffingwell; mikemartinez; paperorplastic; plasticbags
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-53 last
To: dixiechick2000
.... Environmentalists.......they are so funny!

LOL. Actually they are left-handed way out there wing nuts of the worst kind.

41 posted on 07/25/2011 9:00:03 AM PDT by Ron H. (Help your neighbor find a job - turn in an illegal alien job stealer.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Lazlo in PA

‘___________4 inside cats.’

I hear ya.

Makes me wonder from time to time - whatever did we do before plastic bags???!

I first remember seeing these plastic bags in a travelogue or something, on TV.
The host was showing the shopping in a small village or some such; I saw people carrying these handy things and wondered what did they have that we didn’t??!
Don’t think we yet had paper bags either, with handles, such as Trader Joe’s paper bags.

So those plastic bags looked like a wonder, to me!


42 posted on 07/25/2011 2:26:15 PM PDT by USARightSide
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: JohnBrownUSA; All
Good point. It showed people WANT plastic.

People got the message "Paper kills trees" from the enviros and nanny state government so they made the switch to plastic.

One problem I see is there's no easy way to recycle those plastic bags. We have mandatory recycling but plastic bags are prohibited. They end up in landfills because they've been reused as trash bags.

43 posted on 07/25/2011 2:52:51 PM PDT by newzjunkey (Obama until 2017. Could happen.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: USARightSide

The dirty secret about the plastic bags are that they are designed to disintegrate in a lot of cases. The UV rays turn them to dust rather fast. I have tested a few when they came out. Took about a month.

Coming home today, I had to pick up groceries in a downpour. All my stuff made it to the car intact except the 7UP box was done by the time I got the tailgate window up. Had to spoon a few cans from the lot before I could put the window down. I remember paper bags not being so generous in the rain as well.


44 posted on 07/25/2011 2:56:06 PM PDT by Lazlo in PA (Now living in a newly minted Red State.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies]

To: FrankR

Thought a mention of the banned light bulb would surely
(’ stop calling me Shirley . . .’) pop up here - - - L O L !!!


45 posted on 07/25/2011 3:19:29 PM PDT by USARightSide
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: Lazlo in PA

‘________The UV rays turn them to dust_______.’

In an earlier posting, I was going to suggest I think I’ve noticed one store’s plastic bag “not holding up,” that I was suspicious the bag was intentionally disintegrating.

That would be the bag from the ‘99Cent Store.’
Fine with me. I just make a note not to use these bags for long-term storage.

Of course, anything could change at any time - - -


46 posted on 07/25/2011 3:46:06 PM PDT by USARightSide
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies]

To: jonrick46

‘_______they want to control Joe Citizen.’

Control, control.
Got that right.


47 posted on 07/25/2011 4:19:49 PM PDT by USARightSide
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]



Boop His Cute Little Tootsies!

Pretty Baby Looks Innocent Now
But He'll Be Huge and Fiery Soon
Donate!


A Sponsoring FReeper
Will contribute $10 for each New Monthly Donor

48 posted on 07/25/2011 4:23:58 PM PDT by TheOldLady (FReepmail me to get ON or OFF the ZOT LIGHTNING ping list.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: hal ogen

‘______Blatant theft.’

Ah, Maryland.
Had 2 daughter’s born there - lived in Lexington Park/PAX River - contractor, not Navy.
Left for New Mexico and the Lunar Module program, a few months after Kennedy was assasinated - - -

I’m not getting when you would pay for the bags - how would the packer/checker know how many bags are going to be needed? Are we charged after all the groceries are packed, and before paying for same? Probably. . .

Is the public expected to have ready change for the bags, even tho using a charge card for the groceries? (Airline tickets)
It will probably be smoother than I’m thinking - - - yeah, theft can be smooth. . .


49 posted on 07/25/2011 4:40:39 PM PDT by USARightSide
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: USARightSide

However this will be implemented, it will be a hassle and cost $. The LIB morons are relentless in pursuit of OPM (other people’s money). Pox on them.


50 posted on 07/25/2011 5:27:24 PM PDT by hal ogen (First Amendment or Reducation Camp?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]

To: gunsequalfreedom

LOL! I know what you mean, and appreciate your points.

I was being facetious.

My point is that it is a vicious cycle with environmentalists.

One day, the paper bag is very cool, and the next day it’s not. In comes the plastic bag.

Wait 10 years, and the paper bag is cool again, and the plastic bag is not.

It’s all stupid...


51 posted on 07/26/2011 12:46:23 AM PDT by dixiechick2000 (Age, skill, wisdom, and a little treachery will always overcome youth and arrogance!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: Cringing Negativism Network

E-Coli has been an issue.

Bumping your post as being very well informed and just downright common sense.


52 posted on 07/26/2011 12:48:56 AM PDT by dixiechick2000 (Age, skill, wisdom, and a little treachery will always overcome youth and arrogance!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: Ron H.

Hey, now...I’m left handed! lol

Other than that, I totally agree with the rest of your post, and would double down on the accuracy of it if I were a gambling person. ;o)


53 posted on 07/26/2011 12:53:13 AM PDT by dixiechick2000 (Age, skill, wisdom, and a little treachery will always overcome youth and arrogance!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-53 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson