On
March 1, 2013, a ban on single-use paper and plastic bags was officially
implemented and it affected stores in Austin. Dallas and Laredo want to pass this
law as well, which I think it will make the whole state pass the law of banning
of plastic bags. Since 2008 they been deciding whether the ban of bag should
pass or not? People think plastic bags are affecting the environment in Austin.
Phil
Rozenski, director of Hilex Poly, said “this isn’t just plastic retail bags” I
think he referred to the people who works at making the bags will lose their jobs.
According to the American Progressive Bag Association, 4,500 people work at 34
plastic bag manufacturing across Texas. In Laredo they are arguing about not
passing the law but they want to reduce ordinance is more likely; therefore,
they won’t be like in Washington, D.C and Montgomery, Maryland they pay 5 cents
per plastic bags and Brownsville pay $1 for an unlimited number of bags. In
Brownsville, bag ban entered in favor and people pay $1 they thought it was
temporary so people can bring their reusable bags but the fee has tripled from
2011 to 2012. All the money that any local stores makes from the bag are
getting a small percentage of every bag they sell and the rest of it goes to
the city.
I
think Austin should not ban plastic shopping bags because there’s people coming
from different states and they are surprised that Austin does not give plastic
bags. People who goes to any local stores they will have to buy their own bags.
I work in a retail store and I see people coming from different states and
whenever I ask them if they need a bag they look at me weird because they are
expecting to receive free bags just like in their states, and sometimes they
ask me if they can get a plastic bag instead of the paper bag. I let them know that
we no longer have plastic bags and they have to buy or bring their own bag. Therefore,
not only use the bags for shopping but also for other things around the house. Additionally, I’ve seen customers stealing at
work and that is a big problem because they take their own bags and they walk
out like nothing. In my opinion they should not ban plastic bags, the bag is
not the major big problem for the environment there are other things that is
affecting as well.
4 comments:
Mildred is right about the banning of plastic bags leaving people that work in the factories jobless. I did not stress this factor, but she has a good point. What happens to the 4,500 people that worked in manufacturing plastic bags? Will they be put to manufacture paper bags? I don’t understand how plastic bags are effecting our environment, I feel like they are only effecting our environment if they are not recycled properly. Paper bags would kill our environment by killing our trees. Is that what people prefer? Maryland and Brownsville seem to have this plastic bag ordinance straight. Brownsville charges $1 for unlimited plastic bags. Maryland charges 5 cents per plastic bag at grocery stores. That is a fair price, and it also leaves residents happy. A citizen reaction to the banning of plastic bags in Austin is like half content, half frustrated. I work at a retail store myself, and there is constantly people complaining because we no longer supply plastic bags. If we were able to still keep the plastic bags and charge people a small fee, it would make local residents happy. If we could just be able to let people choose what they wanted, instead of making half of the town mad.
Ms. Mildred wrote an article discussing the law that was passed in a few cities in Texas banning bags. Ms. Mildred disagrees with the banning of bags and believes that bags are not a major issue to the environment, and that these plastic bags are an issue and confusion to people from different state or district. I don’t agree with Ms. Mildred, I believe banning plastic bags is a great way to start to keep our land greener. At first I didn’t agree with this banning bag but when I started to work at HEB ,a well-known Texas grocery store, I started to realize the amount of plastic of bags we give out. I mean its tremendously high, plastic bags are given away like it’s noting. Once the banning bags law took in place march of 2012, it took a while for people to get use to, but I feel like it makes a big difference. Yes plastic bags are still given out but for money and not a lot of money but affordable and then that money goes out back to the city, so it’s not a waste or anything. Another thing is if people from different states or districts come to retail stores in cities that ban bags in Texas they just have to follow the law and do what everybody else that forget their bags and just purchase one. I feel like this law is a new beginning to a better environment for our land of Texas.
Hello Mildred, I have wrote a counter argument for your blog title, "where is my plastic bag" on my blog here http://markchao.blogspot.com. Please feel free to review and comment on my point of view on the plastic bag ban!
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