Lately, the topic of banning plastic bags has become hotly debated subject that is sweeping the country. Eco-crusaders across the globe have had great success in attacking the widespread use of plastic bags and feel that the banning of bags is a simple and environmentally responsible approach.
Over the past several years, more than two-dozen U.S. cities have implemented bag bans, most of them prohibiting plastic bags and imposing a fee on paper. The majority of these cities reside in the states of California, Washington, Oregon, Hawaii, and now Texas; which, includes the cities of Austin, Brownsville, and South Padre Island.
For the last five months, the Dallas City Council members have been deliberating over the decision to adopt or deny the ban on plastic bags. Yet, the ban on plastic bags in Dallas is unlikely to come before the City Council for months due to a lack of direction and plan of execution. The majority of City Counsel members know a solution to this problem must be sought out, but feel that the entire banning of bags isn’t the correct approach. It will be some time before the counsel reaches a solution to this rising problem.
The fact that policymakers are banning bags and creating fees without considering the real impact it could have on the economy and environment is frightening. Rather than bans and fees that take away jobs and increase costs to consumers, policy makers should be more inclined to take advantage of the great economic and environmental opportunities associated with the responsibilities of recycling these bags, thus creating more economical growth and sustainability, while preserving environmental obligations.