Kudos for Los Angeles for passing an ordinance that bans supermarkets, convenience stores and pharmacies from giving customers single-use plastic bags.

The new LA County law, which also requires stores to charge 10 cents for each paper bag, is designed to motivate consumers to purchase environmentally-friendly reusable bags.

“Plastic bags are a pollutant,” said Zev Yaroslavsky, a county supervisor who voted for the measure. “They pollute the urban landscape. They are what we call in our county urban tumbleweed.”

The ordinance, which will go into effect next July, will initially impact 67 large supermarkets and pharmacies throughout Los Angeles County, but eventually the ban will cover 1,000 stores. The law only applies, however, to unincorporated areas, meaning stores in the county’s 88 cities, including Los Angeles, will not be affected.

Of course the plastic bag manufacturers are not in favor of this ruling. “We believe there are more effective ways of reducing bag litter and waste that do not result in raising grocery costs for families, put at risk hundreds of manufacturing jobs in the Los Angeles area, or require more government bureaucracy,” said Tim Shestek, senior director of state affairs for the American Chemistry Council.

In addition to Malibu and San Francisco, which already have restrictive plastic bag laws, California communities like Santa Monica, Marin, San Jose and Santa Clara also are considering full bans.

In August, the California Senate fell short of passing a statewide plastic bag ban. The author of that bill, Assembly member Julia Brownley, has said she will reintroduce the measure in the next legislative session.

Retailers—take notice! Stop handing out plastic bags. They end up in landfills or in the water systems — and your customers will appreciate your initiative.

Stop complaining about government intervention if you choose to not partake in good corporate stewardship. If retailers forsake using plastic bags, then government wouldn’t have to step in and weild their power.

Use reusable tote bags. Put your name and logo on the bags and write it off as advertising or goodwill or community service. Encourage your customers to bring their bags with them on their visits.

Be proactive, as many customers are offended by the usage of plastic bags.

Here’s to a greener tomorrow, today.
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Robert Piller, experienced in green marketing campaigns and recycled promotional products. His web site includes a comprehensive advertising specialty search, featuring over 250,000 eco-friendly promotional items in all price ranges, for any business or organization interested in going green. The site’s handy search tool helps you easily find recyclable, biodegradable, organic or recycled imprinted promotional items in your price range and time frame. View the Go Green website at EcoMarketingSolutions.com and comment on his blog postings at GreenSpotBlog.com.