Bagged by the government




I read with great interest your editorial on plastic bags and the Calabasas government’s ordinance prohibiting stores from offering them to their customers (customers can still bring their own plastic bags, if they so chose).

You correctly point out that plastic bags are only one of the many things people discard inappropriately. You also point out that paper bags take much more energy to make and recycle than plastic bags. You conclude that cloth bags are the best solution and you imply that the city government has done a good thing by attempting to force us all to do what it thinks is correct.

What has really happened, though, is the city government has made a decision for us. Some people feel it is more ecologically sound to use canvas bags to carry their groceries. Some feel paper makes more sense. Others prefer plastic bags, for various reasons.

I, personally, prefer to carry my groceries in bags that are sanitary and energy wise, and I use plastic. You cannot make cloth bags sterile like plastic is, and the extra energy a paper bag takes to make is a waste. However, I would never insist that others adopt my beliefs; it’s not my place to tell others what choices to make.

Apparently you and the city government disagree. What a shame.

Brock Backlund
Calabasas



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