Portland City Council Decides What’s Best: No to Plastic Bags, Yes to Composting

CompostingThe public testimony that took place recently saw the Portland City Council tackle quite a few community issues such as fluoridating the entire area’s drinking water and plastic waste issues. Oregonian Fluoride Company got a thumbs down from the council members, prohibiting them and the Commissioner Randy Leonard from fluoridating the entire systems water, as the officials feel they know what’s best for the city’s residents.

Apart from this issue, the City Council has also made an effort to reach into the everyday lives of residents to eliminate the usage of plastic bags. The Council feels that doing so will help in reducing the weekly trash pile-ups and can help save the environment. However, the entire fluoridating drinking water issue might just be put for voting as there are quite a few people opposing the entire verdict. Decision regarding this matter will affect not only the Portlanders but also the sub-urban residents that live near the city.

Commissioners say initiatives are for collective good

Each of these issues had respective Commissioners come up to the Council and say that it is being done for the collective good of the environment and are also ready to face the consequences of their actions, as there will surely be some angry opposition. Opposition feel that banning plastic bags is more of an enforcement on the people and isn’t fair. The opposition to each issue felt that it is wrong that a solution isn’t being found by including the views of all city residents.

However, the Council feels this isn’t possible as there will be a mix of opinions. It is a constant tension in the country’s public opinion as they swing between individualism and the whole community. The Council members have decided to impose the ban on plastic bags being provided in Portland supermarkets, without taking the opinion of the public, as they feel they are looking out for the whole community.

Wholesale reusable bags and composting encouraged

Apart from prohibiting the usage of plastics, the Council is planning to encourage the usage of wholesale reusable bags and want to promote composting. It has been a year since Portland started the composting initiative by asking residents to stock up their yard and food waste. The waste would be picked up on a weekly basis and sent for composting. City Council plans to continue encouraging the residents to compost biodegradable waste and switch to reusable totes.

Source: http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2012/09/fluoride_plastic_bags_and_comp.html

Speak Your Mind

Copyright © 2024 Custom Grocery Bags. All Rights Reserved