The Santa Cruz County plastic bag ban goes into effect on March 15th, 2012. Santa Cruz County passed the ban in September 2011, and it encompassed all retailers, grocery stores and food service establishments to ban plastic bags. The difference between Santa Cruz County and San Jose is that Santa Cruz County also includes restaurants, which Save The Plastic Bag Coalition and The Restaurant … [Read more...]
Plastic Bag Bans Across America
We follow important events, stories & news from Florida to California covering the latest on bans of plastic bags in local retail stores.
Austin Continues To Plan For Plastic Bag Ban
January 15, 2012 by Leave a Comment
With the successful one year plastic bag ban in Brownsville this month, Austin continues their talks towards their own ban. The next official meeting will be held in March. In the mean time, Austin Resource Recovery is preparing the ordiance guidelines. ARR wants to make sure they give retailers enough time to use the plastic bags they have already ordered, as well as give them time to train … [Read more...]
Boulder County Still Discussing Plastic Bag Ban
January 11, 2012 by Leave a Comment
As a follow up to our post, Colorado Supporting Reusable Shopping Bags, it appears that Boulder is now considering a fee for plastic bags rather than an all out ban at this time. An all out ban is not out of the question, however, and discussions are continuing. The bag ban in Roaring Fork County has paved the way for other Colorado communities to brave the waters of passing a … [Read more...]
Automated Calls Sent Out To Residents Of San Luis Obispo County
January 10, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Over the weekend of January 7th, residents of San Luis Obispo received automated calls from the Environmental Safety Alliance asking them to contact the board members of the Integrated Waste Management Authority opposing the plastic bag ban vote to be held on January 11th at the Board of Supervisors chambers located at 1055 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo. The meeting to vote on a plastic bag ban … [Read more...]
San Jose’s Plastic Bag Ban Goes Into Effect
December 27, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Effective January 1st, 2012, San Jose's plastic bag ban goes into affect for all retail stores throughout San Jose. This plastic bag ban is the most comprehensive to date and includes all grocery stores and retail outlets. Paper bags will cost .10 cents at check out. Any retailer that does not comply with the new ordinance is subject to a $1000.00 fine. San Jose shoppers will want to start … [Read more...]
Sunnyvale, California Passes Plastic Bag Ban
December 20, 2011 by Leave a Comment
On December 6th, 2011, Sunnyvale City Council members voted in favor of a plastic bag ban in supermarkets greater than 10,000 square feet and other large retailers, but will exclude restaurants and nonprofit/charitable organizations. The ordinance will also charge a .10 cent fee for recycled paper bags. Reusable grocery bags will be available for sale at check out if customers forget to bring … [Read more...]
Seattle, Washington Embraces Reusable Grocery Bags
December 20, 2011 by Leave a Comment
The Seattle City Council voted yesterday to ban single use plastic bags from grocery stores and other retail stores, and charge a .5 cent fee on paper bags. The ordinance goes into affect July, 2012. Low income residents that can not afford the .5 fee for paper bags, who can verify eligibility in a food assistance program will not be charged the paper bag fee. Other Washington cities that … [Read more...]
Follow Up On Aspen’s Efforts to Use Reusable Shopping Bags
December 19, 2011 by Leave a Comment
As a follow up to the post, "A Little Place Called Aspen", Aspen City Council voted in favor of a plastic bag ban with a .20 fee on paper bags at two local grocers, City Market and Clark's Market. The new law is to go into effect on May 1, 2012. Although the paper bag fee of .20 may not go over well with customers of City Market or Clark's Market, the fees are expected to generate between … [Read more...]
What You Can Do To Reduce Consumption of Plastic Bags
November 4, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Southampton, N.Y., just implemented a ban on thin, T-Shirt bags, the kind that are typically used in pharmacies and produce sections of grocery stores. Although this is a good start for Shouthampton, plastic bags in the check out aisles of grocery stores and retail stores will still be handed out. More and more cities are taking steps to ban the distribution of plastic bags, but until all U.S. … [Read more...]
Chicago Aldermen Looking To Ban Plastic Bags
November 3, 2011 by Leave a Comment
The city of Chicago is comprised of 50 wards or legislative districts. Each ward elects one Alderman. The 50 Aldermen comprise Chicago's City Council, who along with the Mayor of Chicago, govern the city. Joe Mareno, Chicago Alderman of the First Ward, wants to ban plastic bags in Chicago. The city of Chicago currently requires businesses to give customers the opportunity to recycle their … [Read more...]