Area Soldier Killed In Fort Hood Rampage
Stroger Makes Hollywood Play
Put Down Your Nanowrimo And Leave The House
Sox Shuffle Continues
Surprise, surprise: Chicago will not be banning retail stores from distributing plastic bags anytime soon, but steps are being taken to institute a plastic bag recycling program. According to the Sun-Times, Alderman Ed Burke from the 14th Ward proposed a "San Francisco-style ban on non-compostable plastic bags" last May, but he was ultimately forced to compromise. Now, Burke is joining Economic Development Committee Chairman Marge Laurino from the 39th Ward in proposing a much softer ordinance that instead of banning bags creates bag recycling options.
The proposed ordinance would require "stores with at least 5,000 square feet of retail space or more than five locations to install plastic bag recycling bins in a 'visible, easily accessible' location and to collect and recycle those bags." The City Council's Environment Committee did discuss plastic bag recycling on Monday, and they listened to pleas from local retail associations to rethink the proposed ordinance. It seems likely that the ordinance will be even more watered-down by the time it's passed into law.
Chicago isn't the only city that's leery of following the drastic measures of San Francisco and Ireland – the New York city council also flirted with stiff regulation of plastic bags, but later compromised in similar fashion, and now New York only requires big stores that hand out the bags to take them back and recycle them. At least we got that "Green Alley Initiative" thing going for us, right?—Mark Boyer
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebook
Plastic bag recycling is a start but what about regular recycling? The City of Chicago is always bragging about being so "green" and sure, green alleys and green roofs are great but I have to drive 3 miles twice a month just to get rid of my recycling!
I would think most would agree that the majority of plastic bags are used by grocery stores. And all the big stores offer reusable canvas or polypropylene bags for dirt cheap -- the one I frequent has them for 3 for $2. Six bucks worth is more than enough to cart home groceries for a family of four. There's really no excuse not to use these bags instead of plastic -- it's simply apathy and laziness.
If we all would take a little more personal responsibility, we wouldn't need more and more and more bureaucracy...
:getting off soapbox:
Personal responsibility is great, but you can't just click your heels and hope people decide to act responsibly when ecosystems are at stake. Sometimes a problem is so big we need legislation to compel people to help fix it. Environmental issues usually fall into this category, because the bad consequences are so slow in developing that most people tend not to appreciate them until the damage is done.
it's a start. Why not also implement a 5-cent plastic bag tax as well.
I'm not clicking my heels, just merely saying, "wouldn't it be nice if..." A valid statement given that we're not talking about something being at the mercy of big bad corporations or oil companies or poor recycling programs. It's something that every person can implement immediately.
But of course I realize that's idealistic, and that a majority are either stupid or don't care (See also, re-electing Blago/Daley). Still doesn't negate the point that the more people that use the reusable bags, the more the problem diminishes. What's wrong with a bit of grassroots?
It's a nice step, but I wish there was just an increase in general awareness about how much of a waste it is to use a new plastic bag every time you purchase something. Store employees should be trained to ask if you need a bag, instead of just putting the items in immediately; a 5-cent charge would change that.
When I was in Ireland and Spain, you had to specifically ask for a bag, and they charged you. A lot of times I'd forget, but then have to awkwardly shove everything into my messenger bag because they'd already started ringing up the person behind me.
Now, I carry a little pouch bag everywhere I go, but sometimes I end up taking plastic bags home by mistake, because they've already rang it up and handed stuff to me before I could say "I don't need a bag". Check out reusablebags.com (based in Chicago) for some cool ones.
whole foods gives you a dime for using your own bags, and trader joe's has a monthly raffle for people who bring in their own bags.
what I hate is when I'm at a store and the cashier doesn't hear me say "I don't need a bag" and then when I say it again, they take my item out of the bag and then throw the bag away!
I still accumulate some plastic bags, but I use them as garbage bags. and of course people with dogs use a lot of them...compostable bags would be even better for that purpose.
i've become a recyclables packrat. i've got bags of paper for taking to work (which i always forget to do), and several large bags filled with recyclable plastic bags. naturally, the CVS or walgreens by me don't have the bag service. i hope this gets that service up and running.
Chicago 34th out of 50 for recycling