Tom Sakash’s article in the Jan. 3 Enterprise has brought to my attention that the city of Davis’ Natural Resources Commission has an ordinance in the works which, among other things, will be banning the handled plastic bags from large stores (annual revenues greater than $1 million). Wonderful!

These bags are not biodegradable, are readily blown around in the wind, and end up as litter and, even worse, in our waterways where they kill wildlife (e.g., sea turtles, when eaten or entrapped by the handles).

The commission is also considering a 10-cent charge on each grocery paper bag provided by these stores, to “encourage” people to bring their own reusable grocery bags. This aspect of the pending ordinance has not been well thought through, if having the lowest impact on our environment is the motivating factor.

Our family reuses these paper grocery bags as garbage receptacles in our kitchen, and I assume other families do the same. If we are being “discouraged” from this practice (of reusing biodegradable materials), what are we encouraged to do?

Buy and consume more “stuff”? Spend money to purchase plastic kitchen garbage bags (single-use and non-biodegradable)? Buy plastic or metal containers to hold these bags (biodegradable)? And purchase cloth/mesh/plastic grocery bags (biodegradable)? All this “stuff” will, sooner or later, end up in our landfills…

vs. a paper bag? Hmm.

The commission’s plan to “discourage” consumers from using paper bags by charging us for them, is not well thought-out — we are doing exactly what we should be doing for the environment: reusing a biodegradable renewable resource. The passage of an outright paper bag charge, if passed, is a misguided attempt by the commission to protect our environment. Yes, bring on the plastic grocery bag ban — but stop there.

The commission’s meeting on this matter is tentatively scheduled for Feb. 27.

Grace L. Armstrong

Davis

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