County-Wide Plastic Bag Ban Only Few Days Away

John Charles December 30, 2012 at 01:20 pm

David:
Are you for real? Are you so clueless to the overwhelming crisis the world is faciong because of "the plastic bag"? Although I agree that the US Government can be intrusive, this is an act of mercy for the planet. As far as you comment regarding a more "complicated" life... get a grip!

John Charles December 30, 2012 at 01:22 pm

David:
Get a grip. What a cry-baby!

EC December 30, 2012 at 03:37 pm

Hey there Mona-to your message about reusing the existing plastic bags to wrap leaky stuff in...talked to my old Dad last night who is 82 and he laughed reminding me that the only thing we can count on is that things will change. He reminisced about the days growing up when his generation never heard the word recycle because everyone had to reuse everything during that time. He also reminded me that during every change and amidst all of the complaining there is OPPORTUNITY so I love your comment about coming up with a new 'bag line' to suit every occasion and perhaps something to 'wrap' perishiable, leaky goods as well. Maybe we should partner up and brainstorm...let everyone keep complaining while we create something useful and profitable!! Hmmm?

William Bischoff December 30, 2012 at 05:31 pm

Government ''intrudes'' when people behave like children and refuse to do what they ''should do'' ON THEIR OWN. Government only REGULATES those things which NEED TO BE REGULATED. Setting speed limits on our streets and highways, the requirement for a license to drive to prevent unqualified, untrained people from driving. Our city, state and national government also regulates other things which keep our environment safe and healthy, such as littering, and the upkeep of property, and such as making and using plastic bags by the millions to fill our bulging landfils, Doing what you SHOULD DO is not "complicated". In fact it usually keeps a person organized and makes their life easier. Without organization and regulation in a society, we would live in chaos. THAT IS THE PURPOSE OF ''GOVERNMENT''.

William Bischoff December 30, 2012 at 06:30 pm

I believe that most states are considering doing the same thing as this county. I don't know how some of the people who are posting here can believe that this will cause ''our lives to be more complicated''. I used reusable bags for much of my llife, and recycled paper bags as well. My life is MUCH MORE complicated by the huge "bag" of plastic bags which accumulate at my house, and which I try to think of ways to use which doesn't make them end up in the landfil. I didn't purchase the reusable bags either, I made them from discarded clothing articles around the house. If you tun a childs or womans skirt inside out and sew across the waist band and trim it off,, you can then put a ''rope'' or clothes line type line through the hem on the skirt and draw it up for a nice carrying bag with a ''drawstring'' handle. Or you can make or use a ''book bag'' which some of us take to the library. If humans don't take 'a step back'' and look at the ''fingerprints'' we are leaving on the earth, we won't enjoy what we have, very much in the future. Already our trips to the mountains and forests are not as beautiful and ''nature like'' as they once were.

Mona Taplin December 30, 2012 at 06:35 pm

George Withers, they will also be asking you how many paper bags you want to pay for. Ten cents isn't that bad a deal,- but reusable bags work better.

Mona Taplin December 30, 2012 at 06:45 pm

EC, I'm a year older than your Dad. Yes, in the past we did re use nearly everything. Very little went in the trash compared to today. Convenience isn't always the best way to go, especially when it destroys the world we are living in. In my mind, plastic diapers are the worst things ever manufactured, andvery costly to use. A few dozen cloth diapers could serve several siblings, as opposed to single use then toss in the garbage.

cajul December 30, 2012 at 08:12 pm

I've been making and using reuse bags for awhile now, but there are still times I forget to grab them out of my trunk! If you're interested in making your own bags out of repurposed fabric, here is a great site www.morsebags.com. There is a downloadable pattern and lots of information.

timothy December 30, 2012 at 10:36 pm

Well here is MY gripe about this new law. It is too much. Why is it required that all stores CHARGE everybody 10 cents per bag? Can a merchant "give them away"? Why not? They could do a LOT of goodwill to their customers, but it sounds like the State Assembly (voted in by idiots) wants to use the Communist style of government that even failed in Russia. They are trying it here. Idiots. And why not allow PAPER bags be given away. Those DO decompose. We used tio have these everywhere and now it seems only Whole Foods Market offers them...and through today they are free. But I suppose the 10 cents won't matter, perhaps people will get their dime back some other way. I'm saying that if a mass of people feel like they are being screwed bad enough by government and merchants, people will feel more inclined to cheat...somewhere, somehow. See an upsurge in petty crimes. Don't believe me? Check back in 6 months. Oh wait, I forgot...the press is OWNED by the judges and politicians...that news will never be revealed. My bad.

John Charles December 30, 2012 at 11:47 pm

STOP wining! Get with the program...not Communism you idiot! It's called Socialism, if you want to give it a derogatory label.
What a bunch of babies...this has been standard practice in many US communities and countries in Europe for years. Sounds like the "men" are afraid of carrying a reusable bag around....oooh, might look like one of those "sissies" trying to help the environment...Dude! Get yourself a testosterone dipped bag with a picture of a Harley on it, and quietly help to save the planet. As far as the ten cents...you must pay to play. There is no rule, or law which prevents shoppers from using the newly purchased paper bags...Screwed by the government, yes. Screwed by the merchant, never.

John Charles December 30, 2012 at 11:51 pm

It's too bad, not to bad.

John Charles December 31, 2012 at 12:02 am

Get a grip! I'm sure you will have no impact...words are cheap. Change is a bargain. (Also, Obama falls into the "words are cheap" category).

Voter with an ID December 31, 2012 at 01:59 am

Are these the same scientists that predicted global cooling in the 70's? You
leftist lemmings are so gullible, it's hilarious to watch your hand wringing.

John Charles January 1, 2013 at 03:50 pm

If any of the people against the ban on plastic bags would care to venture outside of their shelted lives in the Bay Area, California, United States, to see what has happend to places like India...they would have a better idea of what these "bags" do to an otherwise beautiful place.

Lucy Lu January 2, 2013 at 02:50 am

You have that right Human! Ha-ha.

Larry January 2, 2013 at 01:53 pm

I found an easy way to keep myself from spending $200 at Costco every time I go. I started carrying their reusable bag on my shoulder instead of pushing a cart. When it gets too heavy to continue, I go and cash out. Having said that....I hate more regulations....soon whatever is not required will be prohibited.

Joseph Sze January 4, 2013 at 02:40 am

I live in San jose and I find this a extremely over exaggerated abuse of power lead by special interest groups with deep pockets to bribe officials that are supposed to represent the public that vote them. Though I am glad that Alameda County waste management has common sense to only include grocery stores and supermarkets and leave clothing and other stores out of the ban. Non grocery use bags very sparely like one per customer holding hundreds of dollars of purchases. The ordinance in San Jose, and San Francisco that covers anyone that sells anything is just far overreaching and abusive particularly for small business mom and pop owners and ridiculous for malls. Anyways Cupertino which is a stone's throw from San Jose is having a discussion on the bag ban on January 8 and 9 and a meeting on the proposal on January 15 I wish people nearby can take part to express what the citizens really think.

Joseph Sze January 4, 2013 at 03:05 am

I live in San jose and I find this a extremely over exaggerated abuse of power lead by special interest groups with deep pockets to bribe officials that are supposed to represent the public that vote them. Instead they are given many false statements and threats to get cities to comply and give rewards for those who comply. Therefore the issue is not placed into a public vote nor are residents notified well of the meetings to pass the ordinance. I am working with Don Williams in saveourbags which is a group that is not affilated with the plastic industry only fighting for the rights of the commons and whats right. In almost every data we analysed different litter analysis such as carecycles and San Francisco litter audit the "bags" ban targets only would affect 0.5% percent of the litter stream therefore would not affect the other 99.5% of the trash problem therefore might make things worse not better. Anyways Cupertino which is a stone's throw from San Jose is having a discussion on the bag ban on January 8 and 9 and a meeting on the proposal on January 15 I wish people nearby can take part to express what the citizens really think. The city's mayor and half its council members frown upon the idea of a bag ban in their city however The bay area water quality board backed by well funded savethebay and Sierra Club use threats and bribes to force Cupertino to comply against their will.

Lucy Lu January 4, 2013 at 03:06 am

John, take your self-absorbed self and move to India. I think you would be much happier.

Joseph Sze January 4, 2013 at 04:10 am

What the people are anger at is why the issue isn't put into a public vote? Aren't our representatives should be representing the people who put them to office and pay their salaries? Now it seems like they only bow down and only answer to loud and well funded special interest groups and ignoring both common sense and the people that pay taxes they are supposed to represent. Only if the people had a chance to vote whether to ban or not.

Nick January 4, 2013 at 09:05 am

Because, Joseph, some things shouldn't be put up to a vote. It's a sorry thing to say, but many people are simply stupid and care more about immediate comfort than long-term consequences. Which is why I support the passing and enforcement of such a law, and not leaving it up to a public vote.

Jim Chu January 4, 2013 at 05:20 pm

So yesterday I was checking out at Lucky's in Livermore when the lady in front of me pulled out three cloth bags that had obviously sat in a pool of something which wicked up the sides. So I asked her what they had sat in. She said it was probably from setting them down on the wet pavement outside her front door while she opened it.
Now I know what's outside MY front door - everything I've ever stepped in! So as the checker reached for the first of my items, I asked if she could please wipe down the end of the counter before placing my food where those contaminated bags had been moments before. BTW, has anyone purchased wine yet? I'm wondering how the stores are keeping the bottles from banging together. They used to wrap them in plastic or paper bags. Now?

Judy Galletti January 5, 2013 at 12:31 am

Target wouldn't give me bags today.

Joseph Sze January 5, 2013 at 07:45 am

Nick, I guess you must know we live in a republic democracy. Therefore it means the power is vested to the people which is the citizens that vote, pay taxes, and elect representatives to represent them are the ones in control not just the special interest groups that come from afar with big bribes. While a public vote might not be best idea due to the limited information voters receive a well publicized public hearing, one that is announced by community television, news stations, newspapers, but most important of all by US mail to each resident is crucial. The people need the chance to join in and study/brainstorm with the officials of the right approach to the situation. The ban which targets only .05% of all litter according to litter audits from many official sources overlooks the real issue of waste from excessive packaging and what to do with all those containers, packages, wrapping, and other non biodegradable non edible items we encounter everyday that need to be dumped which makes up the other 99.5% of the garbage. In fact plastic grocery bags are actually often reused as a line of defense against litter blight and pollution, 95% of the responsible residents actually reuse grocery bags to securely wrap and compress their trash so they take up much less room in trash receptacles and prevents the trash from blowing apart and ending up like confetti on streets, lots, parks, creeks, storm drains, and ultimately the bay and ocean.

Joseph Sze January 5, 2013 at 08:04 am

I remember on the sfchron actually showed Obama requested plastic bags from a San Francisco grocery market a few weeks before the expanded bag ban went into effect. Therefore it somewhat shows Obama is not really a fan behind the banning bags fad.
For Nick stores are actually not permitted to force customers to check bags or receipts when leaving the store unless its a membership warehouse such as Costco. Other stores receipt checking at exit is voluntary. Stores cannot detain unless there is absolute certaintly that theft had occured. These had been quite a dilemma for store owners after the bag ban afraid of being held liable for falsely detaining yet have difficulty with theft with people using outside bags or pushing unbagged items out. The best stores can do in this case is to prohibit bags from entering the store and/or require they be checked at the front as a condition of entry. Though the good thing the Alameda ordinance applies only to food stores i.e supermarkets and not stores with small yet high value items such as Best Buy or Frys. Unlike the heavy handed all retailers approach taken by San Jose, SF, and many other cities.

Shakaz. Jurizeria January 6, 2013 at 03:10 pm

I disagree with the ban as impractical for many reasons. Personally it doesn't work for me. I don't want chemicals or other debris from supply houses in bags that I use for groceries. I don't want to pack new clothes from dept. Stores in my food bags. I don't want three different types of bags for my daily life styles piled up in the back seat of my truck, I would rather have my child sit back there where he is safer. When I go into a mall I don't want to have to carry a bale of bags in case I buy more then I intended. I don't like people telling me to change my lifestyle because the ban works for them, then watch them drive off in their government tax break hybrid, drive down the road in the HOL like they are special and get subsidized electric car spots at airports. If this is so great pay your own way.

Joseph Sze January 7, 2013 at 05:36 am

Nowadays government intrusion is a misnomer, today's government is practically owned by large corporations such as oil and insurance companies as well as liberal special interest groups i.e savethebay & sierra club with deep pockets, strong attorneys, a loud voice, a strong knowledge of politics and how governments works. They are practically in control of the government and its representation while we the people who elected our representatives and pay taxes often not get the chance to say even if we have plenty of proof of data of the real truth and prove the groups marching from locality to locality with their plastic bag monster suits are giving bona fide wrong information. This is clearly liberal facism that we must fight back. I believe we the people should fight back on the war on liberal facism.

Joseph Sze January 9, 2013 at 06:27 am

Megan its going to be much harder to implement this in Contra Costa County as unlike in Alameda County where the county's only waste management authority has jurisdiction over all cities, in Contra Costa County as with most counties in the state only has authority over its unincorporated areas(where there barely any stores why bother). In other words the incorporated cities there are in charge of making their own waste management decisions. If they were ever to propose it they would be liable to prepare EIRs and go through many other bureaucratic red tape which overwhelms most smaller cities. For now using info from the best search engines on the web it seems like non of the cities there are even thinking about it.

Joseph Sze January 9, 2013 at 06:33 am

Alameda County is very unique in this matter as the county's only waste management authority has jurisdiction over all incorporated cities there, in Contra Costa County as with most counties in the state only has authority over its unincorporated areas. In other words the incorporated cities there are in charge of making their own waste management decisions which includes whether to ban the bag or not. Each city would need to prepare their own expensive EIRs and go through many other bureaucratic red tape. For now using info from the best search engines on the web it seems like non of the cities there are even thinking about it.

anon January 28, 2013 at 10:25 pm

hahaha...a truly selfish person....also, the ban does not apply to the stores at the mall.